The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-15
AS Others See 1t
WASTEFUL POLICY
(Gladsden County Times.)

The American people in the prodlgalty of their
natural resources have; during the last half cen
fury, committed more and bigger economic
crimes than any other people on earth And even
now while the country stands half naked, stupidity
and ruthlessly stripped of so large part of its
native assets, we don't seem to have sense
enough to realize our almost irreparable loss, or
if we have, we are without the needed energy
and decisiveness of character to set about the
work of reparation or of even saving what we
have left.
We all know what ha shappened to cur once
glorious forests, with no effort worth the name
of reforestration, and now we are destroying
our great game and fish resources at such rate
that here in Florida, in which are Immediately
and vitality interested, it is estimated that ten
years more will SEE us without game in our for
ests and nearly the same condition as to fish
in lakes and rivers
1t takes no lively imagination to realize what
this would mean to our state. The dullest clod-
hopper see the magnitude of the calamity.
Think of Florida, still in the youth of her de-
velopment, with her vast fields and forests once
so amazingly rich in every kind of wild game and
her rivers and lakes heavily stocked with fine
fish OF all kinds, to be practically without
either because her own glutonous hunters and
fishermen, regardless of law, right or reason,
have depleted these splendid resources almost to
exhaustion!
Something must be done and done quickly to
avert this threatened calamity, and we are glad
to see the Rotary Club at Sanford has taken the
initiative in the movement by passing vigorous
resolutions on the subject and urging the CO.
operation Of every club in the state.
Our game laws are practically dead on the
statute books. Little or no effort is made to en-
force them, and because such effort is made
good citizens otherwise lawabiding, yield to the
bad example of others and hunt and kill out of
season in such quantities they desire. And
so the vast slaughter goes merrily on ali over
the state with no thought of the evil day not
distant when there will be no game left to
slaughter
Here is the most important OF the resolutions
passed by the Sanford club and every newspaper
in Florida should join in the work of stirring
every other club in the state to action, and the
Legislature also.
Resolved, by the Rotary club of Sanford, Fla,
first that it here and now goes on record as fav.
laws which will adequately meet the present
need; second, that this Rotary club individually
and collectively dedicate to this its energy,
intellect and influence and promises to this end
its hearty, loyal cooperation to the representative
and senator of Seminole county in drafting and
passing at the next term of the legislature suit
ably protective fish and game laws"
The sheriff's Office should be relieved of all
responsibility in the enforcement of the game
laws and the Office CT the state game warden
created with deputies in all the counties. Such
an office is as logical a measure as that Of state
shell fish commissioner.