222 RECREATION. 
facture of such murderous’ weapons. 
Neither should any sportsman use the so- 
called pump gun in pursuit of game, as 
slaughter is condemned by all men of 
sound reasoning. 
When I think of the vast army of shoot- 
ers with modern weapons, and the rapid 
depletion of the game supply, owing to lax 
laws or the non-enforcement of existing 
ones, I really long for the old muzzle loader 
to re-appear, and with it the covers teem- 
ing with game as in olden days. 
Let sportsmen use the pump gun at the 
trap if they so desire, but let us make every 
endeavor to prevent its use, both by law 
and public sentiment, when game is to be 
pursued. All can foresee the inevitable 
result as regards our game supply, unless 
such action be taken. 
There is absolutely no reason for the 
existence of pump guns, and the placing 
of automatic guns on the market is noth- 
ing short of crime. Let us work for laws 
that will allow any officer to arrest all per- 
sons found with an automatic gun in their 
possession, or better still, laws to prevent 
the manufacture of such weapons, 
Even the former course would stop this 
nefarious business. After public sentiment 
became thoroughly aroused the repeating 
gun would meet the same fate. There 
should also be laws preventing spring shoot- 
ing everywhere, and shortening the open 
seasons in fully half the States in the 
Union. 
Down with the automatic gun; down 
with the repeating gun; down with every- 
thing everywhere that does not savor of 
gentlemanly sport. 
Edward H. Goodnough, Allston, Mass. 
I heartily approve your protest against 
the manufacture and use of automatic shot 
guns, and earnestly hope that every Ameri- 
can naturalist and every lover of wild life 
will do likewise. I intend doing everything 
in my power to help secure the passage of 
laws to prevent the manufacture, sale and 
use of such engines of destruction as you 
have described. Automatic shot guns be- 
long in the same class as the punt gun for 
ducks and dynamite for fishing. 
This is no time to mince matters. Peo- 
ple who are not in favor of the protection 
of the few wild creatures now remaining 
are, necessarily, against it! I believe in 
decent sport; but not in wholesale slaugh- 
ter. The American people are not so hard 
up for something to eat that every hunter 
should need to annihilate every covey of 
birds that rises before him. Surely, every 
true sportsman and every person, young 
or old, who is interested in American birds, 
will be in sympathy with your warfare 
against automatic guns, and I hope the 
most of them will rally to your support. 
W. T. Hornaday, New York City. 
I am glad you have entered a crusade 
against the manufacture and use of auto- 
matic shot guns for killing game. It can 
not be possible that any real sportsman will 
look with favor on this attempt to gain so 
great an advantage over the birds, which 
now are put to their extremities to avoid 
death at every turn. It seems too bad that 
men will be so unmindful, not to say cruel, 
in their efforts to slay these fast disappear- 
ing beauties of creation. It is bad enough 
that men kill as they do, but to add weap- 
. ons that are so destructive, just for slaugh- 
ter, is barbarous. 
Our Legislature does not meet until 
1905, but this matter will be brought before 
our association in January, and we will 
work actively to keep such guns out of this 
State at least. 
E. C. Farrington, Sec’y, 
Maine Sportsmen’s Fish and Game Ass’n. 
Augusta, Me. 
I note that the Winchester Company in- 
tends to manufacture an automatic gun. 
We do not want it. We have plenty of 
murderous weapons now, though they are 
not so deadly as the automatic gun would 
be. Following is copy of a letter I sent the 
Winchester Company: I hear you are mak- 
ing preparations to manufacture an auto- 
matic gun. No sportsmen who are inter- 
ested in the protection of our fast diminish- 
ing game will use any such gun. We have 
repeating, double and single guns by the 
thousands, yet you wish to make a weapon 
that is far more murderous. If you man- 
ufacture such a gun you are doing an un- 
fair business, and all real sportsmen know 
it. I would not use such an arm if you 
would give me one. 
Albert Shelley, Madelia, Minn. 
I have read your editorial in RECREATION 
against the use of automatic and magazine 
guns; also draft of. bill to be enacted 
against their use. I find here a strong sen- 
timent among the better class of sportsmen 
against the use of these 2 murderous inven- 
tions, considering the condition of the game 
at the present day. Some of the duck- 
shooting clubs are beginning to taboo the 
use of these slaughter machines in hunting 
game, and I do not think there will be 
much opposition to the enactment of a law 
prohibiting their use. John Sharp, 
State Fish and Game Com’r., Salt Lake, 
Utah. . 

THEY ADVISE WINCHESTER. 
r Spokane, Wash. 
Winchester Repeating Arms Co., 
Dear Sirs—I noticed recently a news item 
in one of our foremost progressive sports- 
men’s magazines to the effect that you are 
about to begin the manufacture of an auto- 
matic shot gun. While it is not my pur- 
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