Page 415 - Our Vanishing Wild Life

CHAPTER XLIV
THE GREATEST NEEDS OF THE WILD-LIFE CAUSE AND THE DUTY OF THE HOUR
The fate of wild life in North America hangs to-day by three very slenderthreads,thenamesofwhichyouwillhardlyguessunaided. They are Labor, Money and Publicity! The threads are vSlender because there is so little raw material in them.
We do not need money with which to "buy votes" or "influence," but money with which to pay workers; to publish things to arouse the American people; to sting sportsmen into action; to hire wardens; to prosecute game-hogs and buy refuges for wild life. If a sufficient amount of money for these purposes cannot be procured, then as sure as the earth continues to revolve, our wild life will pass away, forever.
This is no cause for surprise, or wonder. In this twentieth century money is essential to every great enterprise, whether it be for virtue or mischief. The enemies of wild life, and the people who support them, areverypowerful. Themanwhosepocketorwhosepersonalprivilege is threatened by new legislation is prompted by business reasons to work against you, and spend money in protecting his interests.
Now, it happens that the men of ordinary means who have nothing personal at stake in the preservation of wild life save sentimental con- siderations, cannot afford to leave their business more than three or four days each year on protection affairs. Yet many times services are demanded for many days, or even weeks together, in order to accomplish results. Bad repeal bills must be fought until they are dead; and good protective bills must be supported until the breath of life is breathed into them by the executive signature.
With money in hand, good men aways can be found who will work in game protection for about one-half what they would demand in other pursuits. With the men whom you really desire, sentiment is always a controllingfactor. Itismyinflexiblerule,however,inaskingforservices, that men who give valuable time and strength to the cause shall not be allowedtotaketheirexpensemoneyfromtheirownpockets. Soldiers on the firing line cannot provide the sinews of war that come from the paymaster's chest!
Campaigns of publicity are matters of tremendous necessity and im- portance; but their successful promotion requires hundreds, or possibly thousands of dollars, for each state that is covered.
I believe that the wealthy men and women of America arc the most liberal givers for the benefit of humanity that can be found in all the