Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-26

tablished by the legislature, to open
closed seasons so established, or
to change license fees.
These powers are to be granted
in order to enable a competent
commission to make q thorough
study of game conditions through
out the state and then to devise a
timely and effective remedy; Just
as the board of health, discovering
smallpox epidemic, can declare
quarantine instead of waiting for
the next meeting of the legislature.
The second main principle of
this bill is the commission re-
sponsibility to the public. All the
above mentioned powers of the
commission can be exercised only
with the approval of the governor
and certainly the governor is re-
sponsible to the public. Moreover,
regulations by the commission
must be duly advertised in news
papers in the county or counties
affected by the regulations, so that
| the public has full notice; and it is
provided further that if per cent
of the qualified electors of coun-
ty affected by such regulation
desire a public hearing, they may
petition the governor and such q
hearing will be granted. AS an
additional safeguard, not more
than two of the three members of
| the commission shall belong to the
same political party. This gives a
watchdog to the opposition party.
These provisions give the public
ample protection against any bu-
reaucratfc abuse of authority,
The third principle of the bill is
/ the appointment of game warden
; by the commission strictly on the
basis of his ability. In this regard,
the commission will be analogous
to the board of directors of a cor
poration. 1t will have the power
to hire or fire its manager. 1t will
determine policies. But it will be
responsible to it's stockholders
namely, the public. The game
warden VIII be the executive officer
for the commission and will carry
out its policies and Instructions.
The New Mexico Game Protec-
tive association has made a very
ton. 1t has sought the advice and
received the approval of some of
the foremost game authorities in
the United States. IT believes that
this bill is thoroughly sound not
only in the methods it provides for
game protection and propagation,
but also in the safeguards it pro-
vides against the abuse of power.
The whole tendency of the bill is
to establish scientific principles of
game propagation as distinguished
from mere law enforcement. At
present, the state game depart
ment is seriously hampered; it is
largely a mere police department to
enforce inadequate laws. 1t must
concentrate its energies in pursu-
ing lawbreakers instead of devils
ing ways and means of producing
game. No stockman tries to pro-
duce beef merely by prosecuting
cattle thieves; he studies range,
stockbreeding, and markets. The
game commission will not only con-
tinue to prosecute game thieves,
but it will also study game ranges,
game breeding, and markets--that
| is, the demand for hunting in rela-
ton to the supply of game to be
hunted.
Every cent that this commission
costs the state will be paid by
sportsmen in the way of license
fees The commissioners win work
without salary, and not a mill Will
be added to the tax rolls of the
state by this bill.
WARD SHEPARD.