po PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



in 1910, chief. His appointment, coming shortly after the 

 House investigation of the Survey's work, was motivated in 

 part by the desire to have a " practical " biologist at the 

 head of the Survey. 



In 1916 Henshaw retired 22 and was followed by Dr. Ed- 

 ward W. Nelson, long a member of the Survey's staff. Dr. 

 Nelson had graduated from the Cook County Normal School 

 in 1875 and shortly after went to Alaska where he engaged 

 in various scientific explorations during 1877-81 including 

 the cruise of the United States cutter Corwin in 1881. In 

 1890 he joined the Biological Survey and rose through the 

 various ranks until he became assistant chief in 1914 and 

 finally chief in 1916. After eleven years of service in that 

 capacity he was retired in 1927 after reaching the age 

 limit. 23 



When Dr. Nelson retired the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 Mr. Jardine, went outside the Survey ranks to pick the new 

 chief. The explanation for this action seems to lie in the 

 fact that Dr. Nelson and certain of his staff in sponsoring 

 a bill that provided for the establishment of federal public 

 shooting grounds incurred the wrath of the conservation 

 group. The chief argument of Dr. William Hornaday, the 

 leader of this group, was that the primary function of the 

 Biological Survey was to protect wild life, not to provide 

 more opportunities for killing it. 24 



The dispute had become so heated that apparently Secre- 

 tary Jardine decided to bring in a man not involved in it in 

 any way. His choice was Paul G. Redington, an assistant 



23 Mr. Henshaw spent the last years of his life in St. Elizabeth's 

 Hospital, Washington, D. C, dying in 1929. 



23 See article by Macmahon, Arthur, " Bureau Chiefs in the National 

 Administration," American Political Science Review, vol. 20, p. 559; 

 also vol. 23, p. 394. 



24 Hornaday, William, Thirty Years War for Wild Life, p. 123. 



