134 



RECREATION. 



is called to the matter, in order that the fish may 

 be released and allowed to go on upward, and 

 the provisions of the law be complied with. 



ANSWER, 



I referred this to Professor M. J. Elrod, 

 Chief Warden of the Montana Division of 

 the L. A. S., who is also President of the 

 Stale Board of Fish and Game Commis- 

 sioner^ ^.nd he replies as follows : 



M : ^^ula, Mont. 



Dear Sir — The tews of this scace jpp^ar, 

 without careful scrutiny, good enough; but 

 are full of loopholes, and are evaded in al- 

 most every court. There is not a dollar of 

 appropriation at the disposal of the State 

 board, either for its own expenses or those 

 of wardens. The expenses of the commis- 

 sioners have so far been paid by them- 

 selves — even to postage. 



We have a State warden, Mr. R. A. 

 Waagner, a member of the League, but the 

 amounts received from fines are all he has 

 to work on, and he can not be expected to 

 pay expenses out of his own funds. He has 

 not received a dollar of salary. He has 

 pushed offenders hard, has made many ene- 

 mies, all for the love of the cause, and 

 without any remuneration. The law pro- 

 vides that county commissioners shall ap- 

 point a warden in any county on the pe- 

 tition of ioo tax payers. The next section 

 states that they may vacate the office when- 

 ever in their judgment a warden is not 

 necessary. The result is that in this great 

 State, as far as we can learn, there are but 

 2 county wardens, one at Helena and 

 one at Butte. But since the State warden 

 can not hear from county wardens in either 

 of those places it looks as though there 

 was no one in the State to defend the game 

 except private citizens, and few private citi- 

 zens are doing that kind of business. The 

 State is too thinly populated, and men can 

 not afford to make enemies of their near 

 neighbors when game is plentiful and 

 neighbors are few. 



From this you will see we are powerless. 

 It is easy to send out reports of violations 

 of the law, and to make complaints ; but 

 if the complainants do not swear out war- 

 rants against the offenders no action can be 

 taken. 



This condition is to be deplored. We are 

 waiting patiently until the Legislature meets 

 again. If it will not help us out of the 

 difficulty by passing needed legislation, we 

 can do nothing but trust to the few who are 

 willing to enforce the laws, for without 

 money, wardens can not be had, and with- 

 out wardens the game will be poorly pro- 

 tected. 



The League wardens are doing good 

 work, but they can not do it all. 



M. J. Elrod, Missoula, Mont. 



A PROGRESSIVE CLUB. 



I enclose you a circular letter that was 

 submitted by the directors of the Cadillac 

 Commercial Club to the members. Out of 

 115 members over 80 replied favorably, 

 thereby carrying the resolution by a large 

 majority. 



The club is composed of over 100 busi- 

 ness and professional men and was organ- 

 ized for the purpose of advancing the best 

 interests of Cadillac. 



I also enclose you one of the notices we 

 b^-v* oosted in the most public places in the 

 city. 



We \iave not yet been called on to pay the 

 reward, much as we should like to ; but the 

 results from having the notices posted have 

 been far beyond our expectations. Our 

 action has caused a commotion among a 

 certain lawless class here, and I am in 

 hopes it will be the means of stopping all 

 illegal fishing in the near future, in this 

 vicinity. 



I enclose stamps for the Lacey watch 

 fund. 



Willis J. Cornwell, 

 Prest. Cadillac Commercial Club. 



The circular and notices referred to are 

 as follows : 



$25 REWARD! 



Is offered by THE CADILLAC COMMER- 

 CIAL CLUB for each conviction under the 

 statute for the violation of the Fish Laws in Lit- 

 tle and Big Clam lakes. 



Under the law, fishing by any other means 

 than with a hook and line is prohibited. Minnow 

 fishing is also against the law, and will be pro- 

 ceeded against the same as other offenses. 



C. E. RUSSELL, Secretary. 



To the Subscribers to the Cadillac Commercial 

 Club Fund: 

 Dear Sir — At a regular meeting of the directors 

 of the Cadillac Commercial Club, the following 

 resolution was adopted: 



Whereas, The objects of the Cadillac Commer- 

 cial Club, as stated in the articles of incorpora- 

 tion, are to advance the interests of Cadillac in 

 every way, and whereas, it is now well known that 

 our< fisheries are being devastated constantly by 

 open violations of the fish and game laws, and 

 whereas, it is the sense of this Club that our 

 fishing must be preserved in order to induce out- 

 side patronage, therefore be it 



Resolved, That the President of the Club be 

 authorized to appoint a committee empowered to 

 prepare a circular letter explaining the situation 

 to the members and asking them to vote on a 

 proposition to pay a reward of $25 by the Club 

 for each and every conviction secured under the 

 statute, to the end that Cadillac may become 

 known as the best fishing point in Northern 

 Michigan. 



We enclose you postal card. Please record your 

 vote, sign and mail promptly to the Secretary, as 

 it is the desire of the directors to take the matter 

 up at once if a majority are in favor of it. 



We wish to say in connection with the above that 

 the directors have already taken up the matter of 

 stocking the lakes with pike and black bass, sev- 

 eral thousand bass having been planted last year, 

 and they have applications in now for pike and 

 bass which they expect to get this summer. It is 

 the intention to make application each year and 

 in a few years we can have as good fishing as can 

 be found anywhere ^ in the State, providing the 

 illegal fishing that is now being done the year 

 around is stopped. . Unless this is done it will be 



