26 WILD LIFE PROTECTION FUND 



1919, 5,600 eagles were killed in Alaska for the bounty of 

 50 cents per head. 



The reason for the enactment of the bounty law was the 

 alleged destructiveness of the eagles to game and fish. Now, 

 so far as game and fish are concerned, it is in order to in- 

 quire whether the destruction of eagles for their benefit 

 is any more necessary today than it was 100 years ago, 

 except for the destruction of game and fish that have been 

 wrought by man himself. Usually half a dozen vociferous 

 kickers about the destructiveness of some wild bird species 

 to some one of man's sovereign rights is by many regarded 

 as "evidence" that the extermination of the offending spe- 

 cies is justified and necessary. It is a curious commentary 

 on the contention of some of the people of Alaska, regard- 

 ing their ability to administer the game of Alaska without 

 any aid from the States, that one of their first independent 

 acts is an act of wholesale destruction, of a thoroughly 

 exterminatory character. 



In justice to the minority it should be noted that not all 

 the people of Alaska are in favor of this destruction. For 

 example, we know that Senator D. A. Sutherland is very 

 much opposed to it, and that the last session of the Legisla- 

 ture was asked to repeal the law, but refused to do so. 



"By their fruits ye shall know them." 



V. IS GAME DECREASING IN ALASKA OR NOT? 



There are a great many men who say that the big game 

 of Alaska is rapidly decreasing, and they state their reasons 

 for so thinking. There are a few persons who claim that 

 Alaskan game is holding its own, and is not decreasing to 

 an extent that can be called alarming. We hold that Alas- 

 kan big game is rapidly decreasing. We have sent out no 

 questionnaire on the subject, because our general corre- 

 spondence has seemed sufficient. We will quote here only 

 from the published reports of the hearings on the Sulzer 

 Bill. 



