194 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



' ' Where there is no game law in existence a request to 

 the thoughtless, who simply kill game and birds for the 

 pleasure of bringing them down, often curbs them." 



Since its organization the league has successfully pros- 

 ecuted eighty-one cases of violation of game laws. The 

 most important of these was the conviction of a Fulton 

 Market game dealer who was fined $1,000 for selling quail 

 out of season to the American steamship line. The dis- 

 position of this case had a remarkable effect on game 

 dealers everywhere. Dealers who had up to that time 

 defied the law ceased selling and notified market hunters 

 who had standing orders for all the game they could kill 

 and smuggle into the market that they had concluded not 

 to sell or receive any more in the close season. 



An important victory of the protection of game and 

 song birds was the passage of the Lacey bird bill, largely 

 through the efforts of the league. Introduced in Con- 

 gress by the Hon. John F. Lacey, of Iowa, the bill was 

 passed and signed by the President, although opposed by 

 powerful influences. 



