THE LEAGUE OP AMERICAN SPORTSMEN. 



311 



enforcement of laws; the formation of the 

 National Game and Fish Protective Asso- 

 ciation and subsequently of the League of 

 American sportsmen, which now has a 

 membership of over 3,000, with divisions 

 in 27 States. 



Thew decision of the U. S. Supreme 

 Court in March, 1896, sustaining the non- 

 export law of Connecticut, removed all 

 doubt as to the powers of States to legis- 

 late for the protection of their game, and 

 has demoralized game thieves and dealers. 



One more law was needed to completely 

 eradicate these 2 classes of game extermi- 

 nators. 



This law was passed by Congress last 

 summer. I refer to the Lacey game bill, 

 the most important and effective measure 

 that has ever been enacted for the preser- 

 vation of game. The most remarkable 

 fact in this connection is the immense 

 amount of work done by a few men. 



The game protectionists of the United 

 States can view the present situation with 

 more satisfaction and hope than ever be- 

 fore. Legislatures have made about all the 

 game laws needed. State Courts and the 

 U. S. Supreme Court have sustained them. 

 But one thing remains in order to increase 

 our game everywhere. That is to enforce 

 our game laws rigidly. Every sportsman 

 who wants to see game increased must 

 take an active interest in the subject; not 

 only in his own State but in every State. 

 Flagrant violations of the game laws are 

 to be found right under the noses of some 

 of our game wardens. Who has known 

 of any cold storage game being seized 

 here in Chicago, during the past 3 years, 

 and the owners of the game brought into 

 court for trial? Every year thousands of 

 game birds are brought to Chicago in 

 violation of the game laws of neigh- 

 boring States. Who looks after it; or 

 who, in Chicago, has tried to assist neigh- 

 boring States in enforcing their game 

 laws? Nobody! 



The League of American Sportsmen 

 has now taken up this business, which has 

 been so shamefully neglected in past years. 

 Mr. G. L. Lehle is the Chief Warden for 

 Illinois. His office is at 810 Schiller Build- 

 ing, Chicago. We have about 60 mem- 

 bers in Illinois and should have 200 here 

 in Chicago. It will pay every sportsman 

 to join it. The membership fee is only 

 $1 a year. The League is doing more good 

 work in New York city than the State 

 Game Commissioner is doing. The mem- 

 bers of the League are expected to assist 

 in all possible ways to protect game dur- 

 ing close season; to discourage the killing 

 of game at all times for commercial pur- 

 poses; to report all game law viola- 

 tions to the nearest game wardens; and 

 especially to aid in the strict enforcement 



of the Lacey law. Let every sportsman 

 who wants to see game increase put up his 

 dollar, join the L. A. S. and help in its 

 work. M. R. Bortree. 



And the American Field, which talks 

 long and loud about game protection, re- 

 fused to print Mr. Bortree's appeal. 



Why? Because the League which he 

 urges sportsmen to join was created by 

 Recreation; because the Field is afraid 

 some of its readers might be induced to 

 join the League, and, incidentally, to read 

 Recreation. In other words, the ques- 

 tion of game protection is, in the Field 

 office, purely one of dollars and cents. — 

 Editor. 



HE LET THE LARK SHOOTER WALK HOME. 



A well known business man in one of the 

 important towns of Nebraska, who wishes 

 to have his name and address suppressed, 

 writes as follows to J. H. Ager, Chief 

 Warden, Nebraska Division, L. A. S., at 

 Lincoln: 



"I see you are on the war path against 

 the game hogs and pot hunters, and I 

 shall assist you wherever I can to bring to 

 earth the miserable scoundrels who go 

 out to slaughter game for the money there 

 is in it. I even have no use for the fel- 

 low who goes out and kills 20 chickens or 

 ducks, to give away to his neighbors; for 

 in my estimation he is no better than the 

 market hunter. I have tried hard to get 

 members for the L. A. S. and have suc- 

 ceeded in making 3 men join. Although 

 we have never seen you, all the members 

 here voted for you, for the good you may 

 do, as well as for the good cause we all 

 serve. 



"On June 29th, 1900, a fellow came into 

 my store with 36 young prairie chickens, 

 not so large as quails, which he offered to 

 sell at Co cents a dozen. I felt like knock- 

 ing his head off; but what could I do? I 

 am in business and have lost the trade of 

 every pot hunter and every market hunter 

 in this county because I raised my voice 

 against spring shooting and the unlawful 

 killing of grouse and quails. 



'T do not allow the fellows with whom 

 I go hunting to shoot birds along the 

 road, such as meadow larks. One fellow 

 would not stop it, and I drove away from 

 him and let him walk home. 8 miles. You 

 will readily see, of course, how difficult it 

 is for me to do anything; but if you had 

 one or 2 men here, privately, I could give 

 them the necessary information, without 

 injuring my business, and would be glad 

 to do so. If you will look on page 200 of 

 March, 1900, Recreation you will get 

 some light on the chicken question. Please 

 bear in mind your efforts should be di- 

 rected to securing the passage of a law 



