ADDRESSES OF MAJOR LACEY 191 



These forest reserves will be permanent: they have 

 evidently come to stay : they are under the care of rangers 

 who look after affairs and the general protection of the 

 timber. These men can also prevent violation of the 

 regulations and game laws therein. Such preserves 

 would soon become popular, because the people would 

 find that a portion of the game would constantly overflow 

 into the outside territory. 



The experiment is now being actively tried in the 

 Wichita Forest Reserve, where I was able to secure the 

 enactment of a law specifically using that one reservation 

 as an object lesson for similar methods in other states 

 and territories. I believe that the success of that pre- 

 serve will lead other states actively to work for similar 

 legislation. 



Perhaps this might be ultimately accomplished by sep- 

 arate bills, say one reserve for each state in which the 

 forest reserves are located. There is a hostility to per- 

 mitting executive orders being made that interferes 

 greatly with securing a general bill ; and perhaps it would 

 be more successful as a practical question to start sep- 

 arate preserves designating the location in each of the 

 states where there is a forest reserve. The same plan 

 could be adopted as to fish protection ; but fish are such 

 rapid breeders that active propagation and distribution 

 will probably be adequate. 



There is another proposition that ought to be tried — 

 and that involves a grave constitutional question — and 

 that is, the protection of the migratory wild-birds. My 

 old friend, George Shiras 3rd, has devoted considerable 

 time to the legal aspects of this proposition. Game lo- 

 cated in any state is the property of the people of that 

 state, and national legislation may not be constitutional. 

 Migratory birds do not belong to any state, and the people 

 of all of the sovereign states are interested in their pro- 



