58 WILD LIFE PROTECTION FUND 



of Alabama, appeared, made a strong argument in favor 

 of the bill, and filed a brief. 



September 5 — The House Committee on Agriculture, on 

 the recommendation of its sub-committee, reported the Hay- 

 den bill to the House with an amendment striking out the 

 words "with the approval of the governors of the states," 

 etc., and inserting in place thereof the words "with the ap- 

 proval of the respective states by a joint resolution of the 

 legislatures thereof." (Report No. 1189.) The bill then 

 took a new number, H. R. 17381, and on September 8th, it 

 was placed on the "Calendar for unanimous consent," as 

 No. 363, in charge of Mr. Reilly. 



That amendment seemed to us unnecessary, and also very 

 detrimental to the working of the act, by reason of the enor- 

 mous difficulty involved in ever securing any complete legis- 

 lation, on any subject, from any state legislature. While 

 there was no reason to dread hostile action on the part of a 

 legislature to a given program, the endless rigmarole in- 

 volved in securing favorable action during a short legisla- 

 tive session will, if adhered to, practically kill the whole 

 plan! 



We filed with each member of the House of Representa- 

 tives a letter of argument and appeal against the amend- 

 ment. We took the ground that if a state governor cannot 

 be depended upon to protect the interests of his state from 

 whatever baneful effects might accrue from making sanctu- 

 aries for the increase of big game, then the states should 

 adopt a commission form of government at once. The idea 

 of a state being umvilling to trust its governor in matters 

 of that kind surely will be regarded by most citizens as a 

 distinct novelty. 



The full text of the letter, sent by me on January 8, to 

 all members of the House of Representatives, except Mr. 

 Mondell, is as follows : 



To All Members of the House of Representatives : 

 Gentlemen: — 



There is a possibility that the Hayden game sanctuary bill 



