14 GAME BEFUGES. 



as the professional hunter decreases in number and orderly condi- 

 tions are established. The wonderful increase in game in the State 

 of Maine has been cited before this committee as an argument for 

 this bill. It is the strongest argument against it. The protection 

 and the increase of game in Pennsylvania has been referred to. 

 The States will and do — those of them who have natural game 

 country within their borders — gradually, sometimes, but certainly 

 in all cases, develop a healthy public sentiment in favor of game 

 preservation, resulting in a reasonable increase of game within their 

 borders. I venture to say that the deer, which at one time no 

 doubt became quite scarce, have for a number of years past been 

 increasing, or at least not decreasing in numbers, in the wooded 

 parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota. 



And I think that is also true in Michigan, and our friend, Mr. 

 McLaughlin, knows more about that than I do. 



But assuming for the sake of argument that the people of a State 

 were not specially interested in the protection and increase of game 

 within their borders — it is a matter over which they have jurisdic- 

 tion, according to the courts — why should the Federal Government 

 attempt to invade a domain over which it has no jurisdiction? There 

 are many of the States which have not always given that protection to 

 human life as against mob violence which we think they should, but 

 no one is using that as an argument in favor of the extension of Fed- 

 eral police authority. There are several classes of people who favor 

 this legislation. There are naturalists and game lovers who, never 

 having considered questions of government and jurisdiction and who 

 being impatient because the States do not do everything that they 

 would like to have them do at once, forthwith seek this short-cut of 

 Federal authority. 



That has got to be fashionable in these days, not only in this regard 

 but as to other matters. A man gets the impression that a certain 

 community does not travel as fast as he believes it ought to travel in 

 matters within the jurisdiction of the State and the jurisdiction of the 

 local authorities, and he comes down here to Congress and asks his 

 Member of Congress to introduce a bill fixing it all up through Federal 

 legislation. He says "Let the strong hand of the Federal Govern- 

 ment do it." 



There are good people who, being interested in the preservation of 

 game, favor on general principles the plans proposed in the name of 

 game preservation without indorsing or even taking the trouble to 

 investigate the details of the plan. That is true of some people in my 

 State. They have indorsed this Hornaday plan without knowing 

 fully what it means. They are in favor of game preservation. As 1 

 told you the other day, I have never received a communication from 

 a citizen of my State asking me to oppose this bill, but I have received 

 a number of communications asking me to support it, mostly from 

 people who do not fully understand what its effect would be, but sup- 

 port it because they are told it means some help in game preserva- 

 tion; and, second, and more important, that it is claimed that the 

 Federal Government will appropriate for taking care of the game and 

 save us the expense. Some. people seem to be willing to sell their 

 State birthright for a very small mess of Federal pottage. 



There are Federal officials having to do with forest reserves and 

 matters pertaining to game life who are naturally anxious to broaden 



