, 1922-03-29
3. c. RuMsEY

Once again the legislature has
been criminally negligent and uncon-
cerned towards the wild animals of
the State entrusted to its care and
protection. and I consider It a privi-
lege to have the opportunity to raise
my voice in behalf of the wild animals
which have suffered and died this
winter from starvation.
While is is too early, as yet. to give
details and facts as to the number of
animals that have persisted from star
walton, lions and coyotes, II Is not too
early to bring to the attention of the
people of Wyoming the fact that a
great destruction Of game has occur
red. and that steps Should be taken
from a humane point of view. If for
no other-to prevent. for all time, a
similar occurrence. l confess at
the outset. that l haven't enough or
thodox Christianity or political finesse
in my system, to think one thing aud
say the opposite for fear of being cri-
ticised or offending the powers that
be. but on the other hand. ] have
enough real religion in me to desire to
arrive at the facts and truth of the
matter and ito hew to the mark and
let the chips fall where they viii"
Consequently I repeat what | said
a little over a year ago in YOU paper
viz: that the game laws of Wyoming
are not only a farce. hut a disgrace
to the STATED The truth of this as
sertion is s~ubstantiated by the facts,
is is not a. farce to pass laws for
the preservation OF game which fail
of their purpose? is it not a farce to
print a book full Of game laws devot-
ing pages to prescribing the duties
and obligations OF citizens, hunters,
guides. etc. when the very authors
of the laws themselves fail utterly in
their own duties and obligations to-
wards the animal wild life of the
State committed to their care and
preservation. instead of destruction
by the citizens of the State?
Is 1t not a farce to pass hundreds
of laws for the preservation OF game.
while at the same time failing to pro-
vide the one thing essential for their
preservation namely. Winter Feed?
Are not those laws a farce. | say.
and a commentary on the intelligence
and understanding of all those respon-
eible for them, whe they fail to pro
duce the results desired viz: the pre-
servation of u game animals?
Is it not a disgrace to any people,
calling themselves civilized men and
to stand by without a protest
and see dumb animals starve to death,
when II is within their power to pre-
vent 1t? Thus the facts and RESULTS
either condemn those responsible Tor
such laws. as being totally ignorant
of the situation, or knowing better, 1t
condemns them for fearing to meet
the issue for fear of stepping on some
body's toes. Ignorance in the first
case: ear in the second. But the
issue has got to be met. The State
has a duty to perform. II has either
80 protect its game animals from star
walton or 1t must get rid OF them hui
namely.
And the situation is never going
to be met by the "wobbly-spined' poll
ticians who converse In whispers
anent such things for fear of offend
ing the powers that be in Cheyenne'
Pray, who are the powers at Chey-
enne. anyway? Are they the masters
or servants OF the people? is Wyo-
ming an obligarchy. a smonarchy or a
Republic? Do we send our represen-
tatives thee to tell us what to do, or
do we send them there rather with
instructions as TO what we want them
to do for us?
Citizens of Wyoming, ii is clearly
up to you. All the game preserves
and all the game laws in Wyoming
will not preserve the game from de-
struction. elk especially. unless they
have access To natural winter grazing