profit by the widest possible distribution of these protected
areas. Each section of the State is entitled to the benefit to be
derived from their presence in its vicinity. Moreover, and I believe
that this is a consideration of no slight moment, the creation of many
small refuges, not too close together, would obviate one great
difficulty which threatens to wreck the entire scheme. There have
appeared signs of opposition in certain quarters to the creation in the
various reserves of game refuges by Federal power on the ground that
this would be to surrender to the Government at Washington authority
which should be solely exercised by the State. In a certain sense it is
the old issue of State rights. Where this feeling exists it is adhered
to with extraordinary tenacity, and it is as catching as the measles;
just so soon as one State takes this stand, another is liable to raise
the same issue. They are jealous of any power except their own which
would close from hunting to their citizens considerable portions of the
forest reserves within the confines of the State. Their claim is that by
an abuse of such delegated power, a President of the United States
might, if so inclined, shut out the citizens from hunting at all in the
forest reserves of their own State. This argument is not an easy one to
wave aside. Should, however, the size of the individual refuges be
limited to four townships each, and the minimum distance between such
refuges be defined, one grave objection to these refuges would be
overcome, and the citizens of the various States would cooperate with
Federal authority to accomplish that which the sentiment at home in many
instances is not at present sufficiently enlightened to demand, and
which by reason of party differences the State legislatures are
powerless to effect.

[Illustration: TEMISKAMING MOOSE.]

Having elaborated in one's mind the idea that a Game Refuge, in order to
be a success, should be about ten or twelve miles square, the question
arises, how near are these to be placed to one another? If they are
established at the beginning, not less than twenty or twenty-five miles
from each other, it seems to me that the exigencies of the situation
would be met. It is not our purpose, in creating them, seriously to
interfere with the privileges of hunters adjoining the forests where
they are established. On the contrary, all that is wished is to
preserve the present number of the deer, or to allow the