, 1923-03-07
DEFEAT GAME LAWS
A SHAME TO STATE
BEST BILLS EVER FRAMED
FOR GOOD OF WYO'S BIG
GAME LOST THROUGH
PETTY POLITICS

For the second time within the last
eight years the Wyoming Legislature
has failed to attend to matters within
the ordinary routine of duty. The
State Game Bill passed by the Joint
Committee of both houses was let
die in the Senate through a fillbuster
on the part of "A few politicians who
thought more of their personal pride
in winning a controversy than they
did of the interests of the state.
The small group of men responsible
for this condition had an "axe to
grind" in the division of the present
game department into two depart
ments, despite the fact that the
creation of two departments would
on the face of it create an additional
cost of operation at a time when re-
trenchment is the order of the day.
Not only that, but every cent saved
in the administration of the Game
Department in Cheyenne means so
much more money for the necessary
field work of the Department. 1t is
not any breach of confidence to say
that one of the men behind this move
was from the Big Horn Basin country
and not even a Member of the Legis-
%lature, simply a holder of a petty
political job in the Senate where he
was active in the interests of himself
and friends at home. Unfortunately
he was backed in his stand by a pro-
minent dude-wrangler member of that
body from another section of the
State. This was most surprising as
the preservation and proper handling
of Wyoming's game is of more i'm
portance to men in the dude-business
than to any other class. As the
States game and fish decrease thru
lack of proper legislation, so will the
dude business decline. The two are
bound together.
The new law for 1926 was
thoroughly discussed in the Com
mittee meeting. No objections at
that time were raised and it was gen
orally conceded that due to the work
of Chairman Ewart and Mr.. DeLoney
together with State Warden Smith
that the best set of Game and Fish
laws in the history of the State was
submitted to the Legislature. These
men we're working for the benefit of
the States resources, not for any
political motive. They are men from
the gam sections of the state who
know what they are talking about,
whereas the opposition came from the
districts that have no game worth
mentioning and who simply saw in
the game bill a chance for political
opportunity to further their ends.
1t has been the aim and hope of
those men in Wyoming who under
stand and appreciate game matters
to get the State Game and Fish Dept
out of politics as much as possible,
realizing as they do that continued
disregard of conditions will eventual
ly mean Federal control or total loss
of one of our largest natural assets.
Wyoming is today one of the very
few States in the Union which has
any considerable amount of game,
which is due more to good luck and
natural conditions than to efforts Of
Legislation. Lock at our n~eighbors,
Colorado for instance, once a great
game and fish paradise, yet today it
is n big event to kill n deer in Colo
RADIO, while many of their Fishermen
come to Wyoming to fish in summer.
The same applies to the Dakota's and
Montana, while Idaho is hardly hold
ing her ownl.
Continuation of this years stupid
performance in not attending to the
Continued on page FOUR