38 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



men started a popular subscription, no amount being 

 larger than twenty-five cents, each state and territory in 

 the Union being represented, and among the contributors 

 was Theodore Roosevelt ; the watch presented to him has 

 engraved, on one side a grouse with L. A. S. Protect the 

 Game ; on the other side, a beautiful pair of quail and an 

 inscription on the inside, "Presented by the League of 

 American Sportsmen to the Honorable John F. Lacey, 

 the Friend of the Birds, in recognition of his great work 

 in securing the passage of the Lacey Game Bill, December 

 25,1900." 



Major Lacey was a member of the 51st, 53d, 54th, 55th, 

 56th, 57th, 58th, and 59th Congresses. In addition to his 

 important work on the committee on elections of which he 

 was chairman of the sub-committee to decide the Clayton 

 vs. Breckenridge case, he was a member of other impor- 

 tant committees. His labors on the committee on elec- 

 tions show careful and painstaking work, so much so that 

 he was regarded as authority on congressional elections. 

 Even at this early date in his congressional career he be- 

 came active in forestry and mining laws of the country. 

 He secured the passage of a law protecting the lives of 

 miners. The Yellowstone National Park, one of the won- 

 ders of America, had long been set aside as a national 

 park, but without adequate legislation to protect the game 

 therein, but, owing to Major Lacey 's interest, the thou- 

 sands of visitors can now view with pleasure the wild ani- 

 mals of the park. Major Lacey in his apt way has said : 



In that animal republic its citizens have learned that by some 

 mysterious influence the great butcher, man, is a harmless and 

 interesting creature. The children watch the feeding of the gen- 

 tle grizzly, the Ursiis Jwrnbilis of the naturalist. The beaver 

 is again building his dams and setting up his little municipal 

 governments in the great national playground. 



The birds had his constant care. He succeeded in hav- 



