232 
RECREATION has numbered and to-day 
includes among its contributors some of 
the most distinguished men in the world, 
in various lines. Among these may be 
mentioned: President David Starr Jor- 
dan, of the Leland Stanford University; 
W. T. Hornaday, Director of the New 
York Zoological Park; Ernest Seton 
Thompson, the great naturalist; Stanley 
Waterloo, one of the most successful nov- 
elists of the day; Dr. C. Hart Merriam, of 
the U. S. Agricultural Department; the 
Hon. John S. Wise, ex-M. C.; Capt. W. 
R. Abercrombie ,the well-known explorer; 
Simon Po-ka-gon, chief of the Pottowatto- 
mies; Col. James M. Bell, U. S. A.; Hon. 
W. A. Richards, ex- Governor of. Wyo- 
ming; Dr. Barton W. Everman, Ichthy- 
ologist of the U. S. Fish Commission: 
Gen. John Gibbon, U. S. A.; Mrs. Julian 
Hawthorne; Isaac McLellan; Dr. W. H. 
Drummond; Gen. F. W. Benteen, U. S. 
Aer, James Weir, Jr.; Lieut. Col. Phil- 
ip Reade, iL Sane Prof. L. L. Dyche, of 
the Kansas University; Hon. Be IB: 
Brooks; ‘‘Yellowstone” Kelly, Capt.. A. 
K. Capron, who fell at El Caney; Hon. 
G. M. Bowers, U. S. Fish Commissioner, 
and Hon. F.. W. Mondell,’ M. C. 
Many of myfriendstold me when I start- 
ed RECREATION I could never succeed with 
it; that I would lose all the money and all 
the work I might put into it. Some of them 
gave me 3 months to live, others 6 months, 
and some of the more generous a year. I 
shuddered when I thought of their advice 
and their predictions. I dreaded to act in 
disregard of them; but as every one knows 
by this time I am about % bulldog. I have 
not found satisfaction in acting contrary 
to the advice of my friends; but it has af- 
forded me great delight to show my ene- 
mies I could walk all over their predic- 
tions of failure; and I now, metaphorically, 
spend hours with my thumb to my nose, 
wriggling my fingers in their faces. 

THE ANCIENT DEFENDER OF GAME 
HOGS SHOULD GUESS AGAIN. 
We print elsewhere Secretary Arthur fF. Rice's 
veport of the formation of a League of American 
Sportsmen. ... . The scheme is a beautiful one 
on paper. There is a perennial glamour about 
this visionary plan of a national sportsmen’ s asso- 
ciation. But no practical accomplishment has 
ever been achieved by any of the movements of this 
kind, further than to promote personal interests of 
individuals connected with them. There is no 
reason to believe that in this respect the new organ- 
ization will differ from the others,—Xorest & 
Stream, Jan. 29, 1808. 

Here are a few of the ‘“‘accomplish- 
ments” that have been “achieved” by the 
Le ASS 
In April, 1898, the League securea the 
RECREATION. 
repeal of Section 249 of the Game Laws 
of New York, which permitted the sale 
of game in this state at all times, provided 
the dealer could show that it came from 
some other state. 
Within the 18 months of its existence 
the L. A. S. has successfully prosecuted 
16 men for violating fish or game laws, in 
various states, and has made them pay 
their fines. More than t00 other cases 
have been reported which could not be 
successfully prosecuted because the of- 
fenders lived in remote districts. A letter 
has been written to each of these men, 
stating that complaints have been filed 
against them and that they would he 
looked after if they broke the laws again. 
In more than 75 per cent of these cases 
the men have admitted their guilt, in 
writing, and have promised that if granted 
immunity they would never offend again. 
Six of the leading hotels in New York 
City have been caught serving game in 
violation of the law. A letter was writ- 
ten each hotel or restaurant, stating the 
facts and demanding a written guarantee 
that the offense would not be repeated. 
In each of these cases the manager has 
replied promptly, pledging himself and his 
employees to observe the laws strictly in 
future. 
The correspondence in these cases has 
been published and marked copies sent 
to all the leading hotels and restaurants 
in this state. 
Two circular letters have been issued 
to all. game dealers and cold storage 
houses in the state, and requests made for 
acknowledgments. Many of the leading 
dealers and cold storage men have replied 
frankly, promising strict observance of the 
laws in future. 
One dealer was found offering a carcass 
of venison for sale. He was notified that 
he would be prosecuted unless he quit 
and promised compliance with the law. 
He promptly removed the venison and 
agreed not to offer any kind of game for 
sale again, during close season. 
The same as to another dealer who was 
offering a carcass of caribou for sale. 
The r- ult of this agitation is best epit- 
omized in the report of the wife of a bank- 
er living in Riverside Drive, who gave a 
luncheon to a number of lady friends in 
March last, and who apologized to her 
guests for not being able to serve them 
with a course of quail. She said she had 
sent to every large poultry and game mar- 
ket in the city and had been unable to buy 
quails at any price. It is well known that 
any person could have bought a carload of 
quails in this city in March of the previous 
year. 
In June last the League induced the 
United States Government to prohibit the 
killing of 40,000 to 60,000 seals on the 
- mae 


