PROBLEMS IN WILD LIFE CONSERVATION 



On the whole, the conservationists have rather favored 

 the bi-partisan board with overlapping terms for its mem- 

 bers. It has been tried at some time or other in practically 

 every state in the union and still is in operation in a score 

 of them. 14 



The board varies in size from three to seven members. 

 It is customary to require that not more than a certain 

 specified number on the board be of the same political party. 

 In some cases there is the additional requirement that the 

 members be chosen from different parts of the state. 15 



The chief factor intended to prevent politics, however, is 

 the long staggered terms of the members, thus making it 

 impossible for the governor to gain complete control of the 

 board in one term. In states where the governor has a two- 

 year term, there may be a board composed of five members 

 appointed for five years, one member's term expiring each 

 year. Thus a governor, in a single term of two years, 

 would have the opportunity of appointing two members out 

 of five on the board. 18 



The defect of the board system lies in the fact that when 

 widely used throughout the state administration, it results 

 in a lack of executive control. Each administrative unit 

 runs its own affairs. There easily may be duplication of 

 effort, waste, and inefficiency. Some of these natural re- 



14 Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, 

 Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, 

 Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and 

 Wyoming. In some states there are two or more boards instead of one. 



15 Delaware, Board of Game and Fish Commissioners of three mem- 

 bers, one from each county of the state and not more than two from the 

 same political party. Revised Code (1915), chap. 13, sec. 225. 



16 Note ex officio Florida State Board of Conservation, composed of 

 Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney-General, Comptroller, State 

 Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Commissioner of 

 Agriculture. Lazvs of 1933, chap. 16178, sec. 735. 



