Vol. XXI I DuxcHER, Retort of Committee on Bird Protectiofi. Ill 



1904 J 1 r J 



I ever did was to grant an injunction, temporarily, to prevent the 

 so-called game wardens, which means the dead beats, acting as 

 constables and deputy constables in Crittenden County, from tres- 

 passing upon private lands for the purpose of annoying the negro 

 tenants, but that has been dismissed now for want of prosecution. 

 In my opinion, all game belongs to the State absolutely, and it has 

 a perfect right to prevent anybody from killing, catching, keeping, 

 buying or selling it, shipping or receiving it, and not only that, but 

 the State can allow its own citizens to kill it and still refuse non- 

 residents the same privilege. As to the wisdom of it, that is a 

 matter with which the courts have nothing to do, but if the State 

 expects to preserve any of the game there will have to be a more 

 stringent enforcement of the law than there is at present. 



" ' As to the so-called sportsmen : In my opinion there is very 

 little difference between those residing in the State and those out 

 of the State; they enjoy sport because they can see blood. They 

 care nothing for game for the purpose of eating it, but it is consid- 

 ered a noble sport to kill helpless things ; all of which only tends 

 to show that our boasted civilization is a very thin veneering and 

 the least scratch takes it off. 



" ' With some men all you have to do is to yell " sport " ; with 

 others, "war"; and still others, "lynching"; but whatever it is 

 when you boil it down it is nothing but the wild animal that is in us.* 



"By constant watching and complaining when it is violated, I 

 have upheld the protective law for song birds, and am glad to say 

 there is a perceptible increase in their numbers in my field this 

 past year. All work outside has been done through letters and the 

 distribution of literature." 



The following sentiment expressed in an editorial in the Helena 

 ' Soliphone ' deserves wide publicity: " Let it be the unwritten law 

 of America that no gentleman will kill a non-game bird, and that 

 no lady will allow her hat to be decorated with the plumage of 

 the innocent warblers." 



California. — Legislation. — There has been no change for the 

 better in the non-game bird law and no further effort can be made 

 until the next session of the legislature, which will be held in 1905. 

 In the interim, however, a strong public sentiment must be created 

 in favor of the A. O. U. model law. As proposed in the last 



