The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-01-22

state government. Having sole con
troll. over funds which more than equa
the entire rest of the state functions
their sensitivity to political affairs
may be indicative of the way things
are going to be in the coming cleo
lions.
The Fish and Game and the High
way Department commission meetings
this week showed trend away from
general self edification toward an at
titude of ''let's get the job done while
we're here"
: At the Fish and Game, fact sheet
was ordered prepared to show the in
vestment and result of the game bird
hatchery program preparatory to
junking the whole scheme at the next
meeting. 1t appears to this board, as
it finally did to the preceding board,
that the comparatively large sums
spent to produce one per cent of the
hunters bag is waste.
The figures and facts of this ex-
pertinent to produce artificially,
pheasant stocks for Montana sports
men should be preserved to demon
strate the Importance of the 'tbalance
of nature studies.
Hatchery produced pheasants in
their controlled environment acquired
the tendency to flock and stand a
poor chance to survive. While the
banded birds made large percentages
of the bag in certain areas the cost
to the department was estimated at
over two dollars bird.
The trapping and transplanting
processes to build up depleted area
as used so successfully in the big |
game program seems the only logical |
method to proceed on.
The rodent and predatory control
programs are getting serious re-
appraisal. These have been merely |
public relations concessions and have
had nothing to do with game manage
ment. In connection with this re-
appraisal the department has can
celled three-quarters of its advertis-
ing in the stockman and sheepman
magazines. Going from yearly to
quarterly rates, the department hopes
the advertising will have a signifi-
can't message instead of only being
subsidy.
At the Highway, Tuesday, "that old
gang of mine' had their picture
''took' so that they may remember
the 'good old days. when they had
the grip on the whip handle.
Chairman Harry Burns thought
he might as we'll take parting shot
at Bradford's Legislative investiga-
tors of year ago and referred to
them as "reds', but conceded that !
the 1ultra-conservatives" hurt the
highway more when they fail to !
see the transportation systems
convenience to people.
Burns .outburst came when Flat
head Lake East Shore delegation in
luired how come the commission was
Juggling" funds of their financial
district to favor the Interstate pro-
gram over the primary system. q
The highly touted and high priced :
Sbasco report was scheduled for a {
,ress conference Thursday. The only 4
question about the report is how are /
vou going to ask about this secret =
document if you haven't read it?
A little play of parliamentary pro- q
ess came to the commission when /,
hey voted to allow the 12-foot wide -
" 80-foot long trailer houses on the L,
ighway. The vote was 80, with Otis y.
Waters and Les Swanson being over ti
uled. !,
~ q,
In the wind are plans for upping :,
ees for the service of papers by "
heriffs' offices to finance sepa-
ate Identification bureau. This and
ne plan to up liquor permits for an y. Is
lcoholic commission, need serious -
fought. q
Earmarlsed government is certainly ~
OF generally building Montana, only ~
ersonal empires. I'm for these serv- sa
es but let them come around for
leir appropriation and prove to the
gislators their value. Earmarks are
" animals. not human affairs.-F.S.