The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-12-01
The MeddIe1-
IF the coat FITS you, put it on.

All persons who look upon Vermont's
wild life as one of the states most val
liable natural resources may well give
careful consideration to the article in
Wednesdays Reformer in reference to
the commercialization of the deer season.
If it is true that the majority of bucks
killed are sold for meat to out-of-thc-
state buyers then it is indeed high time
to consider passage of a law that will
make such traffic impossible. Market
hunting and conservation cannot both ex
list, and there can be no doubt as to
which is to be preferred. The question
is one that has particular interest for
Windham county because 191 of the 794
bucks shot during the last open season
were reported from it. Under the exist
ing laws governing crop damage our deer
have a sufficiently difficult time in pre-
serving their lives during the so-calIed
closed months. If they are to be ex-
posed to the ruthlessness of market hunt
ing their extinction is but short dis
lance in the future.
In his letter on Christmas tree ship.
ments SenatOr-elect Crosby raises the
old question of how much this traffic ac-
tually damages the future forest growth
of the state. According to some author
tiles the shrubby. pasture-grown spruces
that supply the Christmas tree market
are Of the sort that would never make
! understandable timber. but even if that is
80 there is no reason why the owners
should sell them for practically nothing.
as seems to be Tie case in a good many
localities
The Vermont chamber Of commerce
whatever that organization may be-did
the state 4 good turn in bringing to-
gether at Burlington this week repre-
sentativcs of the federal highway de-
partment and the departments of Maine.
New Hampshire and New York. Yer
mont itself wasn't any too widely repre-
scented at the meeting. but the expert
ences which the speakers told of will get
pretty general distribution through the
state newspapers and cannot help but be
of value IN consideration of our own
road problem Those who talked did not
make the mistake of trying to tell Yer
mont what il should do but wisely con-
tented themselves with relating what
had been accomplished in their home
communities. From the reports of
| these addresses. however, it is evident
! that for the overwhelming majority of
its highways Vermont must continue to
depend on gravel construction, although
there are certain stretches where the
traffic is heavy enough to warrant btu
minous macadam or cement.
With the overwhelming sentiment that
seems TO exist for retrenchment in state
expenses there is slight likelihood that
the next legislature viii advocate iu-
creased direct taxation for highway con
struction and maintenance, nor is the
bonding idea likely 10 meet with favor
able reception, at least until the state has
more definite road policy than has yet
been presented. 1t would not be surpris-
ing, however, if the proposition of gas
oiine tax received more than passing at
tention. 1t has been estimated that a
levy of one cent a gallon would produce
approximately $250,00O on the probable
registration for next year. The aver
age car owner might not be averse to