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quently too great to be ignored. Concessions to those 

 in high political antliority are necessary at times, and 

 men entrusted with the enforcement of the laws are 

 required at times to wander from what they recognize 

 as the strict path of duty, for the purpose of placating a 

 power which, if offended, might wipe out the entire 

 machiner}^ of fish and game protection. This may not 

 be a pleasing statement to make, but 1 am willing to 

 leave it to any one who has had experience in the 

 enforcement of laws whether he has not at times felt 

 the influence of the political boss, and whether such 

 influence was not prejudicial to the cause of sport. 



In connection with legislation and the enforcement 

 of the laws, I desire to sa\' a few words concerning the 

 attitude of the newspaper press of the state, and I say, 

 with perfect frankness, that the newspapers have been 

 with us on general principles, and opposed to us in 

 nearly every particular. This may seem strange, but 

 it is easy of explanation. The average human being 

 desires to see the perpetuation of useful animals of all 

 kinds, and, consequently, favors such restrictive or 

 prohibitive legislation as may be necessar}^ to attain 

 that end. It is on this account that the press supports 

 laws and measures advocated by the commission, and 

 we have no better friends than editors and reporters. 

 But let a violator of the law be brought to book and 

 another tale unfolds itself. The idea of protecting fish 

 and game is all right, but the man who is called upon 

 to pay twenty dollars for having killed a rabbit or a 

 song bird is certain to have the sympathy of a great 

 many people, and this sympathj' is almost always 

 reflected in the columns of newspapers. The general 

 principle is lost sight of in the extending of S3'mpathy ; 

 the warden's side of the story is not sought for, but 

 ever3^thing that may extenuate the circumstances of 

 the offense is dwelt upon, and in nine cases out of ten 

 it is made to appear that the prosecution was unjust 



