ssion of Congress authorized the
President, when in his judgment it should seem desirable, to set aside
portions of forest reserves as game refuges, where no hunting should be
allowed. The bill passed the Senate, but failed in the House, largely
through lack of time, yet some opposition was manifested to it by
members of Congress from the States in which the forest reserves are
located, who seemed to feel that such a law would in some way abridge
the rights and privileges of their constituents. This is a narrow view,
and one not justified by the experience of persons dwelling in the
vicinity of the Yellowstone National Park.

If such members of Congress will consider, for example, the effect on
the State of Wyoming, of the protection of the Yellowstone Park, it
seems impossible to believe that they will oppose the measure. Each
non-resident sportsman going into Wyoming to hunt the game--much of
which spends the summer in the Yellowstone Park, and each autumn
overflows into the adjacent territory--pays to the State the sum of
forty dollars, and is obliged by law to hire a guide, for whose license
he must pay ten dollars additional; besides that, he hires guides,
saddle and pack animals, pays railroad and stage fare, and purchases
provisions to last him for his hunt. In other words, at a modest
calculation, each man who spends from two weeks to a month hunting in
Wyoming pays to the State and its citizens not less than one hundred and
fifty dollars. Statistics as to the number of hunters who visit Wyoming
are not accessible; but if we assume that they are only two hundred in
number, this means an actual contribution to the State of thirty
thousand dollars in cash. Besides this, the protection of the game in
such a refuge insures a never-failing supply of meat to the settlers
living in the adjacent country, and offers them work for themselves and
their horses at a time when, ranch work for the season being over, they
have no paying occupation.

[Illustration: A BIT OF SHEEP COUNTRY]

The value of a few skins taken by local hunters is very inconsiderable
when compared with such a substantial inflow of actual cash to the State
and the residents of the territory neighboring to such a
refuge. Moreover, it must be remembered that, failing to put in
operation some plan of this kind, which shall absolutely protect the
game and enable it to re-establish itself, the supply of meat and skins,
now naturally enough regarded as thei