destruction of American field sports for the common masses would be felt 

 as a national calamity, as the proper indulgence of the passion for out-door 

 recreation has done much to foster and maintain the spirit of independence, 

 the manly vigor and remarkable courage, which is recognized as a charac- 

 teristic of native-born Americans. With the gradual passing away of a 

 love for or opportunity to indulge in field sports, there springs into exist- 

 ance the passion for more debasing pastimes, as indicated particularly in 

 many of the large cities and their vicinity, where gambling, pugilism, and 

 other so-called sports too often take the place of honorable out-door recrea- 

 tion, to a certain degree. 



A careful historian once asserted, giving ample proof for the state- 

 ment, that modern nations excelled in arts, sciences, and agriculture, as 

 well as in oiher vocations of peace and war, in proportion as the young 

 men exhibited a tendency to indulge in the sports of shooting, fishing and 

 other manly amusements of the field. Upon the sportsmen of America, 

 therefore, devolves the duty of maintaining for future generations the sup- 

 ply of game birds and animals, which have, in the past, been so recklessly 

 destroyed without thought of future consequence. Public sentiment has 

 been aroused against the wanton slaughter of game, and it is believed that 

 the efforts of local clubs and state organizations formed to enforce the 

 game and fish laws will have the effect of preventing the extermination of 

 valuable species, particularly in view of the fact that a strong National 

 Game, Bird, and Fish Protective Association has bjeen organized, during 

 the past year, to co-operate with local associations in this direcdon.. -^ 



104 



