32 WILD LIFE PROTECTION FUND 



some of the gameless conditions that now exist in many 

 portions of our country. It is a measure big enough to 

 deserve the support of large-minded men and women. Its 

 adoption means the making of at least a hundred new pro- 

 tected breeding centers for big game, and an increase of 

 killable game over immense areas. 



In presenting this plan to Congress, a strong effort has 

 been made to keep its details from becoming burdensome 

 to senators and members, at a time when matters of still 

 greater importance imperatively call for action. 



Believing that "the national forest states" west of the 

 great plains, where the great bulk of those forests are, 

 situated, should have the first call in the consideration of 

 this plan, we have been at great labor, and also much ex- 

 pense, to put it first before the citizens of those states, and 

 ask their verdict upon it. 



Instead of conducting a correspondence campaign, the 

 Permanent Wild Life Protection Fund sent its Campaign- 

 ing Trustee in person into Minnesota, and each one of the 

 states west of the plains, except Nevada. The proposition 

 was presented to the people of the West, literally face to 

 face, in twenty-three lectures, and also at great length in 

 the leading newspapers of those states. Criticisms of the 

 plan were invited. The people were told: "This is a plan 

 that concerns you, and it is for you to say whether you 

 like it, and whether you want it. If you say that you do 

 not like it, and do not want it, we will drop it, forever!" 



The people of the West have spoken, — save in Congress. 

 The verdict of the West is that the plan is a good thing, 

 and that the best men and women of the West desire that 

 it be carried into effect. Thus far, so far as we have 

 learned, not half a dozen voices have been raised against 

 it; but opposition may yet be developed. It will be sur- 

 prising if there is none! 



Instead of advising the friends of this cause to write 

 directly to their members of Congress, and thereby involve 

 busy members in long and tiresome epistolary tasks, we 

 have asked all advocates to sign pledges of endorsement 

 and support. These requests have been limited to specially 

 selected citizens, whose names stand for state and civic 

 uplift, and whose names are widely known. 



It would have been an easy matter to have secured the 

 written support of thousands of men whose names would 



