The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-01-31
GOV. MECHEM URGES
WESTERN STATES TO
FIGHT GAME BILL
Measure Before Senate
Adverse to State In
terests, He Says
special to The Hcrnid

SANTA FE. Jan St-Dcciaring
the Game Refuge and Public shoot
ing Ground bm. now before the
United States senate. caunot but cd
vrrscly affect the game interests Of
the public lands states. Governor
Mechem today urged the chief exec
utives Of these state- to fight the
measure.
he wrote them
g want to call your special atten-
ton to enclosed resolution adopted bA
the Western Association nf state
Game Commissioner, az salt Lake
city the 18TH inst.
You will notice it relates To pehd-
ing legislation In which, u
passed ia its present form, cannot but
adversely affect the game Interests
IN all the Public Lands States.
ny section la provision Is made
for the creation Of Game Kcfuges
and Public shooting Grounds out OF
the public domain OF the United
States II IT. provided that no one
shall hunt. shoot capture or XIII n
fish, wild animals on wild birds, on
any public shooting ground, bird cr
game refuge, except In accordance
with the rules and regulations which
the Secretary OF Agriculture h. by this
act authorized and directed to make.
THE enec Of thi Will be that
under his law onc-half of tho area
ct New Mexico can be made "a pub
lie shooting ground, bird and game
refuge
You will see at once that a. far
as Sew MpNiCo ~ concerned, and ]
suppose Do is the same with most OF
the other public lands states. that
our Game Commission will Dee put out
Of business. because the bulk OF our
hunting grounds are within the CON
fines Of the public domain There
Is no limit put upon the powers OF the
Secretary Of Agriculture IN this re
speCt He can either clos" all OF
the public domain In the United
States 20 hunting or fishing or he
can fx any license Zee for those priv
ilegcs he may deem proper.
In addition To- the s.. 100000 Tor
migratory bird licenses. the Score
tary OF Agriculture can collect mil
Hons more from the taxpayers of the
United States.
Please let me know II you agree
with me In my contentious. n IL
you do. viii YOU not urge your rep
rosensative- In %congrefs To fight tins
proposed legislation vigorously
The Salt Lake city resolutions r"
AtENfh Nn4N hNhf N hNN RlNN MNNh NHNf
the following objections 70 the MI
!. Said senate bill. although "a
It's title Providing for Estahlis hirg
shooting Grounds for the Public. fur
Establishing Game Hrfugcs and
Breeding Grounds Tor Protecting
Migratory Birds and Requiring %
Federal Liconsc to Hunt Them,
nevertheless In mo body thereof pur
ports Go give authority lu no Niso m
AHa.HaH - HI. sal. HAN IANHamHHa.
power To the department Of ARricui-
ture and "a committee consisting 81
the Secretary Of Agriculture, the At-
torpey General the Postmaster Gen.
eral two members Of the senate and
two members NJ the house 81 repre-
sentntlves. giving said commission
complete legislative powers to- make
rules and regulations which viii uat"
the force 81 laws governing and con
trolling. not only the migratory birds
aud the game animals. but also tho
fishes. that may ne found In their
natural tate. or introduced into any
Of tho lands or waters upon u
game preserve secured under said
act. either by gift lease or purchase.
2. We do not approve Of creating
a federal org nizatlon 81 game
wardens which In the enforcement OF
said act VIII largely duplicate thu
work Of tho state organizations tor
the protrctitn of fish and game.
thereby increasing the operating en-
lenses necessary q the enforcement
Of the law and tending TO create con'
nicting authority between state and
federal game wardens and 30 disrupt
the harmony and unity Of purpos7
now existing between the state and
federal departments
3 We object to tho federal gov.
erumeuf assessing d license fn.
against citizens Of O state FOR in.
privilege Of hunting aud fishing with.
in the confines of his own state