White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-11-11

All dCllfG Cd.l "oO Jul wv W
this office, and the county clerks
cooperated fully in that campaign.
BY the time that bounty payments
were discontinued on account OF
lack of funds, January 8, I am GER
tain that the evil Of presenting
for bounty animals killed outside
the state had been practically elimi-
mated.
From personal examination OF
the names OF claimants for bounty
as paid by this Office / find 95 per
cent of them tc be bona f1de citi
ems and taxpayers in the various
counties. The county officials were
not paying out the county money
regardless, nor to persons in most
instances whom they did not know.
sIu the period of slightly over
nine months, commencing March
20, 1921, and ending on the date
on which the notices were sent out
that the bounty fund was exhaust
ed, January 3, 1922, a total of
$~66,SS3.5G was paid out in boun-
ties. With that amount bounty.
as fixed by law, was paid on So
bears, II mountain lions, 1851
wildcats, 1879 coyotes and 81
gray wolves, a total of t6,448
predatory wild animals. These pay
ments benefited a great number OF
residents of the state, citizens and
taxynaxyNrp nc nnfn6 hnf0rn in o11
but the exceptional cases.
Compare these figures with
those in the report of Mr.. Holman
for the entire year ending June
80, 1922, which shows only 1887
predatory animals actually taken by
hunters and the amount expended
was $~63,259.03. Give the bureau
of biological survey full credit for
animals poisoned and not account
ed for, and still comparison of these
two statements will show that the
bounty system of predatory animal
control is fully as efficient as any
other method yet devised.
while there have been bounty
lIduuS II IdS DcSu IL lCdou W "
to note the caution exercised by the
various county clerks in carceling
skins presented for bounty, ard the
cooperation at all times shown in
eliminating such frauds.
II do not wish to he understood
as claiming that the bounty system
has been perfected to such an eX-
tent that it cannot and should not
be improved. There are some need
ed amendments in the law in this
regard. In connection with the
evil to which Mr.. Holman makes
reference, it is apparent at once. of
course, that this would be entirely
eliminated were the various states
to have uniform laws covering both
the amounts of the bounty to be
paid, and the methods of %canceling
the skins so that they might not be
presented again in some other state.
There would be no object in boun
tying skins in any other state than
the one in which the animals were
actually killed.
I'm this regard I note that A. A.
Hinckley, state commissioner of
agriculture, is a member of a com
mittee of the association Of such
commissioners in the eastern
states, which committee is investi-
eating the subject of uniform boun.
ty laws, in the effort to @ of the
desired uniformity may not be
brought about. That this commit
tee will meet with considerable en-
enlargement prior to the coming
sessions Of the legislatures Of the
western states. and particularly
those surrounding Utah, l have evil
dence to show in my office. took
up this question with the RESPONSE
BILE officers of the states surround
ing Utah some time ago, and re-
ceived replies that indicated recog-
milton of the advantages of sIch
uniform regulations.
GIN my opinion, also, the Utah
bounty law should he amended to
the extent that the entire bounty
tax on range animals would be used
for the destruction of predatory
wild animals. IN no event should
the amount from the bounty tax
paid out in connection with the
destruction of cattle which have
tuberculosis be permitted TO exceed
the amount of the bounty tax col.
lected from dairy cattle. That
would greatly restrict the drain on
the bounty tax revenue at present.
but in my opinion it is only justice.
But the last Legislature was not
satisfied only with this drain on
the bounty tax eyenu II also
provided that $4,000 should be paid
out from the bounty tax fund for
the purchase Of strychniue for the
destruction Of rodents, and II that
were not enough, il further provid-
ed that a bounty Of 5 cents per
head should be paid for the destruc'
ton of jackrabhits.
"The remainder of that revenue,
including the 80 per cent which
provided funds for the cooperative
campaign of which Mr.. Holman has