188 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



will make suggestions relative to preservation of the 

 birds that are a value to agriculture. This is merely 

 guesswork on my part, and possibly you think our com- 

 mittee could take under the one head the consideration of 

 the whole question, both animals and birds, and possibly 

 fishes that are ordinarily taken for sport. 



The subject of conservation dovetails so thoroughly 

 one subject into another that it is hard to draw the line 

 into minute sub-divisions. Thus, for instance, the pres- 

 ervation of the forests and reestablishment of a ground 

 cover over denuded forest areas ; preserving a stream so 

 that it can continue to be a trout stream, or affording 

 cover in which birds and wild woods life can live, illus- 

 trates what I mean. My own opinion is that if we can 

 only suggest some plan whereby the national govern- 

 ment can not only afford more protection to wild things 

 but can increase the supply by propagation, distribution, 

 and through setting apart game refuges — something 

 along the line now employed by the United States Fish 

 Commission, it would be well to take that under consid- 

 eration and make a suggestion. The duty of the indi- 

 vidual states along this same line is plain but so far the 

 states have failed to do their duty. The present laws in 

 relation to the protection of game and fish are openly 

 violated. State game laws are not popular. Our high 

 protectionists will go to Europe or Canada and if they 

 find something to their liking and cheap, or a set of furs 

 or fur coat for their wife, they will try to smuggle it in 

 and then boast to their neighbors how smart they have 

 been, if they have gotten through the custom-house with- 

 out being caught. This is just about the same with the 

 game laws; people will boast of having partridge for din- 

 ner here in Michigan when they know it is contrary to the 

 law to sell them. Hardly a city club is without game in 

 and out of season ; game that has been purchased unlaw- 



