Therefore the fact appears that the society is national in character, both in sentiment and area of habitation and organization. It appears that its purpose is salutary in its design and in harmony with the Constitution of the United States. The Judiciary Committee is of the opinion that the charter sought should be granted, with the following amendment: Strike out section 2 and renumber the other sections in conformity with this amendment. PROTECTION OF GAME IN ALASKA, ETC. FEBRUARY 1, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. BRICK, from the Committee on the Territories, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 25032.] The Committee on the Territories submits the following report on the bill (H. R. 25032) to amend an act entitled "An act for the protection of game in Alaska, and for other purposes," approved June 7, 1902, and recommends that said bill be passed. Under present conditions no license or other restriction being placed upon anyone wishing to hunt in Alaska, except the time of hunting, and the number of animals that may be killed, the destruction of game under the present law has not been greatly diminished and Alaska has not been in any way benefited by such killing of game. While the bringing out of trophies has been almost entirely prohibited, the slaughter of game has continued. This bill amends the act of June 7, 1902, in the following essential particulars: First. In section 2 the open seasons are altered slightly to accord with the necessities of the case, as shown by the experiences of the past four years. Second. In lieu of the present permit system under the Secretary of Agriculture is substituted a license system under the governor of Alaska. The governor is authorized to issue licenses, to employ game wardens, to make rules and regulations for guides on the Kenai Peninsula, and to expend the money collected from licenses in the protection of game. No appropriation has ever been made for the enforcement of the Alaska game law. The present bill, it is believed, will remedy this defect by providing a system of licenses, without appropriation. It is believed that a sufficient sum will be raised in this manner for the employment of wardens at a few points where most needed, as on the Kenai Peninsula. The license system has already been adopted in 36 States and Territories of the United States and in all the provinces of Canada. Compared with the usual fees in regions affording big-game hunting in any degree comparable with Alaska, the schedule of rates in this bill is not unusually high. No license is required of a resident of Alaska, and such resident can ship trophies upon the purchase of a shipping license at a price varying with the number and kind. The license fee for residents of the United States not residing in Alaska is $50, as in Wyoming, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. The license fee for foreigners is $100 in Manitoba. To ship moose on the Kenai Peninsula a special license, costing $150, is required. In view of the fact that the largest moose in the world inhabits the Kenai Peninsula, and that it is one of the most sought after of all big game animals and that a single head commands high prices, from $250 to $1,000 and upward, the cost of this license is not excessive. The principal effect of the proposed change will be to open up Alaska to sportsmen under the license system, and it seems to your committee that this should be done. While under the proposed bill a limited number of trophies may be brought out upon the payment of a license, yet this privilege is carefully guarded by requiring the license and a copy of certain affidavits required by the bill to be filed at the customs office at the port from which such trophies are to be shipped, and this privilege is further guarded by most stringent requirements of any common carrier transporting such trophies. Commensurate penalties are provided for any violation of the act. The governor and the Delegate from Alaska have indorsed this bill, and Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Biological Survey of the Agricultural Department, who knows perhaps more about the game and the game conditions of Alaska than any other man, earnestly favors its immediate passage. It has been carefully prepared and thought out, after painstaking investigation and deliberation by the author of the bill, the Hon. W. E. Humphrey, of the State of Washington. DAM ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. FEBRUARY 1, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. STEVENS, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 24817.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 24817) to amend an act entitled "An act permitting the building of a dam across the Mississippi River in the county of Morrison, State of Minnesota," approved June 4, 1906, having considered the same report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the indorsements attached and which are made a part of this report. [Second indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The object of the accompanying bill, H. R. 24817, Fifty-ninth Congress, second session, is to extend the time for commencing and completing a dam authorized to be built across Mississippi River by act of Congress approved June 4, 1906. The act required that the structure should be commenced within one year and completed within three years from date of approval, and the bill proposes to extend this time about one year. So far as the interests of navigation are concerned, I see no objection to the passage of the bill by Congress. A. MACKENZIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. [Third indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, January 29, 1907. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, inviting attention to the foregoing report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. O ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, Assistant Secretary of War. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( REPORT 1 No. 7108. { DAM ACROSS SNAKE RIVER, WASHINGTON. FEBRUARY 1, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. CUSHMAN, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 24928.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 24928) authorizing the construction of a dam across the Snake River, in the State of Washington, by the Benton Water Company, having considered the same report thereon with amendment and as so amended recommend that it pass. The bill as amended has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the indorsements attached, and which are made a part of this report. Amend the bill as follows: On page 1, in lines 9 and 10, strike out the words "at a point to be selected by the said company, its successors or assigns." [Second indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. With a slight amendment, indicated in red thereon, I am of the opinion that the accompanying bill (H. R. 24928, 59th Cong., 2d sess.) to authorize the construction of a dam across Snake River, in the State of Washington, will make ample provision for the protection of navigation interests, and I know of no objection to its favorable consideration by Congress, so far as those interests are concerned. A. MACKENZIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. [Third indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, inviting attention to the foregoing report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, and to the accompanying copy of amended bill referred to. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, Assistant Secretary of War. |