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can be worked together, I would like to have the reso- 

 lution passed as it is here. I have given my experi- 

 ence in my own state in regard to having the two com- 

 missions together. 



Mr. Amsden : I am glad to have this matter 

 brought up in the shape in which it is presented, and 

 I think it would be advantageous for the Society to take 

 a stand on the resolution. I have had some experience 

 in New York State in the matter of legislation — getting 

 good laws passed and bad ones defeated. Going back 

 now to the time when Mr. Whitaker, Gen. Sherman, 

 and Mr. Blackford, I think it was, were made a codify- 

 ing committee on the game laws, and they presented a 

 report which was approved. It went to the Legislature 

 and was so mangled there that it could hardly be rec- 

 ognized ; but, after all, the subsequent legislation that 

 has been carried on at Alban}^ has been brought grad- 

 ually down to their original proposition or report. 



The great trouble we experience at Albany is this, 

 that in the two houses are men who have no knowledge 

 on the question at all, and are apt to be led and influ- 

 enced by their constituents more in favor of liberty 

 than protection. 



This resolution is quite a step in the right direc- 

 tion. I do not expect to see it accomplished immedi- 

 ately, but I would like to see the beginning made in 

 this way in this Society, which is really the head and 

 leader of all our work, and perhaps in time we may 

 bring it about. 



The laws enacted this winter in our Legislature 

 fortunately have been guided and influenced very 

 much by our commission, which had the matter of pro- 

 tection well established in their own minds, and when 

 the matter was referred to them they acted in that di- 

 rection with better results. It is unfortunate that the 

 Legislature should perform their duties in this line in 

 the way they do. There is one thing I do realize, and 



