STATE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENTS igi 



single wild-life conservation unit had been agreed upon, 

 was the type of internal organization in the department. 

 The system early adopted in most states was to unify the 

 work under a single officer generally known as the state 

 game warden or game commissioner. It was customary for 

 the governor, with the advice of the upper house of the 

 legislature, to appoint the commissioner. This method is 

 still used in some of the states today. 12 



The disadvantage of this system lay in the fact that the 

 office at once became the football of politics. Inefficient 

 wardens were often appointed and able ones removed with- 

 out cause. The conservationists then became convinced that 

 efficiency in the game and fish department meant the re- 

 moval of that department from politics. 



Three different methods have been tried in various states 

 with this end in view : the election of a state game warden 

 for a relatively long term by direct vote of the people, the 

 appointment by the governor of a bi-partisan board with 

 overlapping terms, and the establishment of an integrated 

 conservation department. 



The elected warden system was tried in a number of in- 

 stances and one state, Alabama, still operates under that 

 plan, electing a commissioner for a term of six years by 

 direct vote of the people. 13 This system is predicated upon 

 the old theory of increasing the evil complained of to effect 

 a cure. Since politics was the cause of complaint, increase 

 the dose and a cure will result. This plan puts the depart- 

 ment up to its neck in politics and in fact has not resulted 

 in a cure. It means lengthening an already overlong ballot 

 and choice by the electorate who are not in a position to 

 judge the relative fitness of candidates for the post. 



12 Idaho, Georgia, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, 

 Vermont and Utah. 



13 Code of Alabama, sec. 413 (1923). 



