Page 125 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

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SLAUGHTER BY ITALIANS
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any state,—thus far. Six of her game wardens have been killed, and eight ortenhavebeenwounded,byshooting! Finallyherlegislaturearose in wrath, and passed a law prohibiting the ownership or possession of guns of any kind by aliens. The law gives the right of domiciliary search, and it surely is enforced. Of course the foreign population "kicked" against the law, but the People's steam roller went over them justthesame. InNewYork,werequirefromanalienalicensecosting $20, and it has saved a million (perhaps) of our birds ; but the Pennsyl- vania law is the best. It may be taken as a model for every state and provinceinAmerica. Itstextisasfollows:
Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be unlawful for any unnaturalized foreign-born resident to hunt for or capture or kill, in this Commonwealth, any wild bird or animal, either game or otherwise, of any description, excepting in defense of person or property; and to that end it shall be unlawful for any unnaturalized foreign-born resident, within this Commonwealth, to eitherownorbepossessedofashotgunorrifleofanymake. Eachandeveryperson violating any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a penalty of twenty-five dollars for each offense, or undergo imprisonment in the common jail of the county for the period of one day for each dollar of penalty imposed. Provided, That in addition to the before-named penalty, all guns of the before-men- tioned kinds found in possession or under control of an unnaturalized foreign-born resident shall, upon conviction of such person, or upon his signing a declaration of guilt as prescribed by this act, be declared forfeited to the Commonwealth of Penn- sylvania, and shall be sold by the Board of Game Commissioners as hereinafter directed.
Section 2. For the purpose of this act, any unnaturalized foreign-born person who shall reside or live within the boundaries of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for ten consecutive days shall be considered a resident and shall be liable to the penalties imposed for violation of the provisions of this act.
Seciion 3. That the possession of a shotgun or rifle at any place outside of a building, within this Commonwealth, by an unnaturalized foreign-born resident, shall be con- clusive proof of a violation of the provisions of section one of this act, and shall render any person convicted thereof liable to the penalty as fixed by said section.
Section 4. That the presence of a shotgun or rifle in a room or house, or building or tent, or camp of any description, within this Commonwealth, occupied by or controlled by an unnaturalized foreign-born resident shall be prima facie evidence that such gun is owned or controlled by the person occupying or controlling the property in which such gun is found, and shall render such person liable to the penalty imposed by section one of this act.
Other sections provide for the full enforcement of this law.
It is now high time, and an imperative public necessity, that every state should act in this matter, before its bird life is suddenly attacked, and serious inroads made upon it. Do it NOW! The enem}^ is headed yourway. Don'twaitforhimtostrikethefirstblow
Duty of the Italian Press and Clergy. —Now what is the best remedy for the troubles that will arise for Italians in America because of wrong principles established in Italy? It is not in the law, the police, the court and the punishment. It is in educating the Italian into a knowl- edge of the duties of the good citizen ! The Italian press and clergy can do this ; and no one else can do it so easily, so quickly and so well
Thosetwopowerfulforcesshouldenterseriouslyuponthistask. In every other respect, the naturalized Italian tries to become a good citi-
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