The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-05-19
GOVERNOR SIGNS DUAL CON-
sERVATION sET-UP
MEASURERS
Definite Progress Towards Final
solution of Complex State
Problems Seems
Assured

Assured
Annapolis, May 15-Ncw that
Gov. Herbert r. O'Conor mas al
fixed his signature to House Bills
48O and 4S1, creating the two new
commissions that will direct the
States Conservation program. defin-
lite progress towards the ultimate
solution of the complex problem OF
conserving the States natural re-
sources finally seems assured
Possibly the most controversial OF
all the legislation before the recent
session of the Legislature, the ques-
ton of Conservation probably was
the least understood by the rank and
file of people throughout the State,
and even among the legislators
themselves. So much agitation was
stirred up as to whose particular
program would be followed, that
few, newspapermen or proponents OF
one or other of the measures intro
duced, ever took the trouble to
point out the specific differences pc
tween them, in simple forpi that
anyone could understand.
Two well-publicized programs set
up most elaborate Conservation ma
chinery, with four separate divi-
sions. each with it's own director
and staff-which was all very well
if Maryland had at it's disposal the
monies required to handle the prob
lem in the ideal way. Neither OF
these programs, however. made
provision as to how. these various
divisions were to fuction, or more
important, provided where the
money was to come from to pay for
them.
The two Conservation Bills which
finally passed, which were person
ally sponsored by Governor OConor
and were among the 243 measures
just signed by him, are based on the
reasoning that justice to all parties
involved requires the complete
separation of the commercial sea-
food industry from the sportsmen's
game and inland fish activities. De-
spite the manufactured hue-and-cry
raised over this, it is neither new or
startling. AS matter of fact, the
complete separation of the two has
been considered seriously for the
past IL years.
In the 1927 General Assembly.
Governor Richie contemplated hav
ing such measures Introduce, but
was persuaded to- defer them by the
Game Department, which had i'm
portant legislation pending anc fear
ed that another bill or two would
endanger it's program. Again In
1929, 1881 and 1888 the question Of
the two separate Departments was
discussed at Annapolis, but for one
reason or another, nothing was
done. In October, 1894, Governor
Richie declared, in public address
before the Maryland Sportsmen's
luncheon Club that, if reelected, he
intended to advocate a reform in
the States conservation laws where
by the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries,
including crabs and oysters, should
be entirely separated from the
State Game Department. When he
failed of reelection, a committee
from the Sportsmen's Club request
ed a hearing on the matter before
Governor Nice, but the hearing was
never granted, and the movement
for separate legislation died.
Thirteen States Have Maryland
Setup
When it is understood thar today
IS other States along the Atlantic
Seaboard, from Maine to Florida,
already have this divided set-up, to
their entire satisfaction, it is diff
ficult to comprehend why similar
legislation here should cause the
stir it did. The one objection voiced
most generally was against turning
the Bay over to the practical water
men, whatever that phrase may
mean, whatever sinister implication
may be read into it; and the other
criticism was that the Conservation
Resources of the State were being
placed in the hands Of the Eastern
Shore. Both objections are void, in
that they have no basis on fact, as a
study of the two bills will reveal.
AS a matter of fact, Governor
O'Conor's Bay Fisheries bill pro-
vides that ONLY TWO of the five
Commissioners shall be appointed
from the Eastern Shore; two from
the Western Shore, and one from
the State at large. Nowhere in
the Bill will you find anything about
practical watermen" The Bill sim