Show nn Some Justification for the the 22 22 Bill While a flood of protests have hit the state legislature over the bill which would outlaw the use of 22 calibre rifles in Utah except on established target ranges there is some justification for the bill Some protestors bring up the point that the small rifle is standard equipment on every farm to keep down the inroads of rodents stray cats rabbits etc and with which the farmer can kill a pig or a beef yet we doubt very much if many protests have been voiced by farmers of this area Farmers have been the victims rather than the beneficiaries beneficiaries beneficiaries bene bene- of the for years Thoughtless hunters and irresponsible boys who are not permitted under present law to carry the rifles have done untold damage with their small rifles They shoot at anything that moves including cattle horses and sheep many of which have been killed or wounded wound wound- ed by the leaden pellets from They shoot pheasants and quail out of season and even now while sportsmen and farmers are going to great expense to feed the wild game birds and carry them through this unusual winter reports reports' come in of boys with going into the fields to poach the poor and skinny game birds Farm buildings farm machinery power lines telephone lines pitchfork handles and fences are continually being damaged by the irresponsible hunters Most of these it U seems are boys many of whom are too young legally to go into the fields or anywhere else with the rifles Every year thousands of bluebirds robins meado meadowlarks larks and other useful useful useful use use- ful birds are destroyed py y these They shoot promiscuously in any and every direction with no thought of where the bullets may eventually land Almost any farmer can testify of hearing the whining lead missies flying uncomfortably uncomfortably uncomfortably near while he has been at work in his fields For years there has been a law against firing a rifle within 50 50 feet of any state highway yet road signs everywhere everywhere everywhere every every- where bear mute evidence of violations of this law It seems seems seems' that the 22 law as introduced has little chance of passage but it is to be hoped that some law will come out of the legislature which will make parents entirely responsible for acts of minors who carry guns and which will I give much needed protection to farmers and their livestock and equipment also to game birds and other useful birds including large field hawks Also it is to be hoped that the present fuss about the bill will arouse enough interest that parents farmers game club members business people teachers and others will vill unite with law officials in a campaign to see that vandalism and destructiveness by irresponsible gun i is stopped and violators violators violators vi vi- brought to speedy and deserved justice In this connection connection w let it be ever remembered that mere passage of a law will cure no evil The national congress may pass a law to set a minimum standard of house in which people may live but such a l law w will vill not build the houses That task will be up to the people themselves I So it is with the 22 law No matter what action the I state legislature may take it will be up to the people and I aroused public opinion to see that violators are apprehended and punished We venture to say that unless there is great improvement improvement improvement improve improve- ment in the way hunters behave in the next two years a new anti law will be introduced in the next legislature and will not draw nearly so many pr protests tests as the present proposed law is getting 0 o |