The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-04-21

,frlv i'm the game with the Waite
the bases. The Browns won, 7-3.
effort to conserve and increase the
wild life Of this state.
SO far from being a burden upon
the taxpayers, the fact is that the
fish and game department not only
does not cost them a penny, but has
turned into the public school fund Of
the state many thousands of dollars.
The law provides that all funds arls-
ing from the imposition of fines up
on those who have been convicted OF
violation of the game laws shall be
turned into this fund. Thus are two
birds killed with one stone,-thc
transgre5sor being punished, and the
school fund profiting from the just
penalty imposed. As result of the
greater activity Of the wardens. it is
safe to say that the contribution t"
the public school fund last year was
the largest in the history of the de-
partment.
In view of the facts above stated,
the recommendation of the Lake Re-
gion commission that the fish and
game department be abolished. is a
CHASTITY sort of joke, because it shows
how superficial are the inquiries and
i'll considered the conclusions Of a
loosely constructed body of that
kind.
w. c. TAYLOR,
President Fish ard Game Commits
LaMoure, N. D., April IA, 1924.
His Reply
Mr.. Hale's reply follows:
The Lake Region Tax Studying
Group. by its report in taxes seem
to have stirred up the Game and
Fish Commission if the letter pub
lished yesterday from that amusing
cuss. it's President and other letters
from board members are evidence.
The question of the ACCESSIBILITY
of the law is for each to decide for
thcmsclf, but the question of the fees
collected for hunting licenses being
tax for voluntary offering
cause amusement at this end of tho
| line.
| The money Gees, ctc.) it's taken
! from the people by virtue of a leg
! islativc enactment that makes it a
crime to hunt without license or at
certain hours, there is nothing very
voluntary about this.
The same enactment creates d
Commission to enforce the law while
the state constitution provides fol
sheriffs and other peace officers tG
enforce all the laws and there is 9
remedy under the statutes if they
fail to do SO.
A tax is defined by Webster rs "a
charge, especially pecuniary bur
den which is imposed by authority
would like to know in what wa!
this license fee differs from that def
inition; how about the automobile Ii
cense fee, is it purely voluntary 2
You need not pay it, but it II hardl.
safe to operate car until you hav
. paid it. Of course, you need not owl
a car and you need not hunt.
None Appropriated
I am we'll aware that no none
has been appropriated for the .cS
pense of the commission; if con!
! mission is necessary, it ought to b
E appropriated Cor in definite amour
, instead of taking the money in vi
limited amount in this indirect wa.
No money collected by the govern
. mcnt should be sent by any one with
out legislative appropriation spec
fic in amount and purpose.
e There are too many of these il
n direct levies spent in an indirect wa
f The Game and Fish Comm ssio
: seem to have the idea that they al
l. enriching the school fund by reasc
O of the fines collected. ] have a re
: objection of one such instances:
(! deputy game warden was arrested f
d hunting without a license by a tow
d ship constable, fined by justi
Y of the peace and the chief game wa
den insisted that the fine be paid b
fore the deputy received his sha
of the fees and it was from his fe
that the fine was paid.
According to the tax commissio
ers report the amount expended
the game and fish commission +
the five years ending June 30t
1922, was 1898 ,809.42, if the preside
Of the commission would publish
detailed statement of what that mo
ey was used for he would put up
better argument.
Personally believe that the 50
600 spent annually is waste Of t
publics money and that the co
missions claim of usefulness is
good deal Of a humbug.
A hunting license fee. Of fiji
cents would provide for the cost
enforcing the law.
HENRY HALE.
One of the Tax Studying Grol
Devils Lake. N. ID.
April is, 1924.