Feb. t9, 1898.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
14 9 
was called upon to state what he needed in the way of a 
better fish law in Illinois. He replied that he was doing: 
pfetty well as it was, and did not grow enthusiastic over 
the idea of aid. He said that the State Commission had 
gotten its present law inch by inch, through a 
term Of years, not "by asking- any sweeping meas- 
ures, and that the law was kept on the statute 
books by means of a broad way of enforcing it, 
An attempt to enforce it to the letter might cause its 
repeal. He said he had vyorked fifteen years for the in- 
terests of the angler, and at last found" he was wrong, 
and had come to consider the importance of the interests 
of commercial fisheries. He spoke for the carp and 
other coarse fish, saying that under no natural .condition 
were the game fishes found to exist in a relation of 
more than 15 per cent, to the coarse fishes. To increase 
the latter increased the former. Dr. Bartlett approved 
uf the new fish law with its .size-limit on fish. He also 
favored the pet idea of President Nat H. Cohen, that 
no fishing should be allowed within 400ft. of any dam 
from April i to July i. He spoke of great destruction 
of spawn-laden bass he had seen caused by hook and line 
in the spring. He had seen one rod kill 150 bass in one 
da.y, and had known a lot of boys to take 1,400 black 
bass on hook and line. We needed a close season, cover- 
ing; the spawning season, but this was hard to establish 
for. so long a State as Illinois. Dr. Bartlett did not 
believe in paying wardens by ji "blood money" system 
of fines. He admitted, on Mr. Kelly's question, that the 
Commission allowed net fishing under the iCe, against 
the laAv, but said it was only for coarse fish, and Was 
done under the supervision of a State deputy, whose 
pay came fi^otn the fishermen. He gave further instance 
of the odd Western view of the law and its enforcement 
by admitting that the Comniission tolerated i^in. mesh 
nets, against the law, but said that if they lived 
up to the law the market fishermen would be 
injured. He believed that the best waj'' was to 
have an understanding with the market fishers. The 
latter had about i.ooo men in their association, and that 
this association Would vote for a law imposing a license 
of $100 for each firin. this fund to go for the use of 
protection. During his speech Dr. Battlett was plied 
with questions, and this but served to show his thorottgh 
familiarity with his work. In the matters of knowledge 
of fish, of fish conditions, of getting legislation, the arria- 
teur sportsmen of the Association are babes and stick- 
lings compared to this veteran, and I imagine he felt 
glad when he discovered no disposition for extensive 
tinkering with the law. 
President Cohen, of the State Fish Commission, was 
also called upon, and spoke of the question of spring 
fishing at dams, which he hoped to see stopped. Not 
all the destruction was caused by nets. 
Mr. Thompson said that at Spring Lake he had seen 
5,ooolbs. of fish taken at one haul of a seine, and nearly 
all were game fish, none of which, big or little, were re- 
turned to the water. 
Mr. Cohen was cheerful and well posted. He spoke 
of the great numbers of young fish which could be taken 
from the overflow waters, where they were cut off after 
the spawning season. "There are millions of these game 
fish, if we could save them," he said. Mr. Organ asked: 
"Why don't yoxL save these game fish, and not the carp? 
I think that your I3in. carp is entirely too long." 
"Shall we, then, move all the market fishers off the 
Illinois River?" said Mr. Cohen. 
"Yes," said Mr. Organ, "or give them bass instead of 
carp." 
Mr. Cohen said that if the Commission had money 
enough it would put eight difTerent crews to work during 
the two fall months which were the right time for sav- 
ing these young fish in the overflow. Mr. Cohen then 
put his motion prohibiting dam .fishing in the spring, 
which was carried as above stated. 
Legislative Committee Work, 
Mr. Shaw moved the chair appoint a committee on 
legislative action for the purposes of drafting and pre- 
senting a bill. Mr. Hough asked consent to ofl^er under 
that head the following motion: 
"That the chair appoint a committee of three, chosen 
from divergent parts of the State, for the purposes of 
drafting a constitutional and legally approved bill in 
accordance with the sense of the Illinois State Sports- 
men's Association, and with discretionary powers to 
further the interests of such bill as shown in this meet- 
ing. These three members to choose one representative 
to address the Interstate Wardens' Committee, and to 
ask conference with that committee on matters of pro- 
]iosed game laws for the Northwestern States. 
"It is made an advisory part of this motion that the 
chairman of said Wardens' Committee is Senator J. Her- 
bert Green, Milwaukee, Wis.; other members, Mr. S. F. 
Fullerton, executive agent, St. Paul. Minn.; Mr. A. L. 
Lakey, Kalamazoo, Mich.; Mr. E. H. Short, Van Wert, 
O.; Mr. C. E. Felton, Chicago, 111,; Mr. George E. 
Bowers, State warden, Fargo, N. D." 
Mr. Shaw said he had no objection to the above mo- 
tion as a substitute, provided that the committee held to 
the wishes of the present convention as expressed in 
their resolutions. He would oppose anything tending 
to prohibit spring shooting. The motion was carried, 
but still being suspicious of anything coming from the 
upper part of the State, Mr. Clark, of Peoria, introduced 
a resolution of instruction to the committee on legisla- 
tion, by which said committee was advised to ' oppose 
any measure looking toward the prohibiting of spring 
shooting. Of course this was passed. It should now 
be clear to the framers of the Interstate wardens' bill, 
as well as to the general public, that the Illinois State 
.Sportsmen's Association is plainly on record in favor 
of spring shooting, and will do all possible to withdraw 
this State from the league of united and wise action in 
regard to one important question. Should all the other 
Northwestern States stop spring shooting — as they all 
are sure to do before very long — and should Illinois stay 
out, still sh-ooting in the spring, and still operating her 
cold-storage houses, we shall see the old instance of one 
State doing more harm than six others can do good, 
for the loophole will be bigger than the law. Have the 
gentlemen of lower Illinois ever stopped to consider 
this? Have the}"- ever stopped to consider what would 
be the effect on the duck supply, provided that not a 
bird in the Northwest eGuld he sent to market: in the 
.spring? These gentlemen say that they get no shoot- 
ing except in the spring. Are they sure that a general 
stopping of shooting would not bring them back the 
days of fall shooting, far more enjoyable than those of 
spring? LTpon still another question it might be well for 
our Southern members to take thought. They seem to 
believe that the men of upper Illinois are not sincere, but 
selfish as themselves. They think that the Chicago shoot- 
ets '.'skip over the line into Wisconsin and Indiana" in 
tht 'spring. In this I think they are much mistaken. 
Some do so, but many of otir best sportsmen do not. 
They are in favor of laws prohibiting spring shooting 
not only in Illinois, but also in Wisconsin and Indiana. 
They will join the sportsmen of lower Illinois in laying 
their guns in the Spring, and thus prove that their posi- 
tion has not been ofte of selfishness, but of sportsmanship. 
Non-Resident Licenses. 
State Warden Loveday was called on, lie said he be- 
lieved in a good, stiff non-resident license, with a smaller 
one for residents. He thought outside shooters would 
not object. He himself would not object to such a 
license. Mr. Leopold, of Burlington, la., took up the 
question of non-residents who owned property in Illi- 
nois. Dr. Bartlett said he would like to see a good, fat 
tax on a good many non-residents. Mr. Shaw made a 
motion "That all non-resident shooters pay a license of 
$5, excepting members of chartered gun clubs, who shall 
pay the same tax as a resident shooter." On motion of 
Mr. Scholes, Sec. 4 of the list of resolutions was changed 
to read in accordance with this motion. 
Fands. 
Mr. Leopold asked what should be done about funds 
for tlic committee work. Mr. Strell offered a motion 
which was finally carried in this form: "That the chair 
shall appoint a finance committee of five, with full power 
to act, same to solicit an individual donation of $1 from 
each club member, the fund so raised to be used to fur- 
ther the objects of this meeting." 
Mr. Organ said that there were 25,000 sportsmen in 
Illinois, and if each wotdd give $1 we could carry any 
bill we wanted to in the I^egislature. (Laughter.) "I 
have been there, and I know what it means to fight for 
a game law. We have the hardest fight ahead of us Ave 
ever had. As to spring shooting, when a man runs for 
the Legislature in this part of the State he is first 
sounded on spring shooting. If he is opposed to it, he 
don't get elected." 
Mr. Strell moved the appointment of a standing com- 
mittee of promotion and publicity to send out circulars 
setting forth game protective ideas. His paper would 
disinterestedly print 25,000 circulars. 
Votes of thanks were passed in the usual way, and 
the meeting adjourned on call of the chair. The chair 
will within five days announce the appointments for the 
several committees above specified. Any vacancy on a 
committee will be filled by vote of remaining members. 
It is likely that the committee on legislation will have 
for two members Mr. Shaw, of Canton, and Mr. F. S. 
Baird, of Chicago, the member for lower Illinois being 
not vet determined. 
Feb. 12.— Chairman Abner Price announces the fol- 
lowing as his appointees on the committees established 
by action of the Illinois State Sportsmen's Convention 
at Peoria: 
On Legislation— Chairma.n, W. H. Shaw, of Canton; 
F. S. Baird, of Chicago; Daniel Raum, of Peoria. 
On Finance— R. B. Organ, chairman, Chicago; E. 
Hough, C. S. Wilcox, Chicago; Chauncey M. Powers, 
Decatur; G. N. Portman. Peoria. 
Publicity and Promotion — George W. Strell. chair- 
man Chicago; T. M. James, Pekin; Thomas Marshall. 
Keithsburg; J. 'li. Barber, Pittsfield; James Norris, 
Anna. E. Hough. 
1200 BovcE Building, Chicago, 111. 
Iowa Items. 
Nevada, la.— In bur little city this winter there were 
displayed in the show windows of McCutchin's book 
store and Briggs' drug store the heads of two great bull 
elk. During the latter part of last October there ap- 
peared in these columns the notice of four of our best 
citizens leaving for Montana on a big game hunt. The 
heads were trophies of the hunt. The party consisted of 
Hon. J. F. Reed, Dr. C. E. Hoag, John M. Wells and 
Dr. F. S. Smith. The game secured was as follows: 
John M. Wells, two bull elk, two deer; Dr. C. E. Hoag, 
three deer, one goat; Dr. F. S. Smith, one bull elk; 
Flon. J. F. Reed, one bull elk, one bear, one goat— a 
total of four elk, five deer, one bear and two goats. The 
members of the party appointed Hon. J. F. Reed as 
scribe to write up the story of their hunt in detail. Mr. 
Reed promised some time ago to send in his manuscript 
to Forest and Stream. If this should catch his eye 
(he is at present somewhere down East), I hope he will 
send on his "copy" soon, as there are many of his friends 
who would like very much to read the history of this 
successful hunt. 
The measurements of the two heads which were on 
exhibition in this city were as follows: 
Wells' elk antlers, from burr to tip of left antler, meas- 
ured 4Sin. ; diameter just above burr, lo^in.; diameter 
above bez tine, 8in.; spread from tip to tip, 33in. These 
horns, while not of great length or spread, were very 
heavy in the beam. 
Smith's elk antlers, from burr to tip of left antler. 47in. ; 
diameter above burr; ioj4in.; above bez tine, 6^in.; 
spread from tip to tip, 39in. 
Is it not about time S. H. Greene, of Portland, Ore., 
was writing up his experiences of the past season with 
rod and gun? John C. Briggs. 
The Right to Bear Arms* 
St. Louis, Mo., Feb. it, — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Your Man in the Clock Tower preaches evil doctrine, 
to Young America. He interprets the word "mihtia" 
in the Second Amendment to the Constitution as though 
it were synonymous with "national guard." There was 
no national guard when that amendment passed. The 
word "militia" meant then, and means now, the entire 
body of able-bodied citizens of the age of eighteen and 
under forty-five (with certain exemptions, not restric- 
tions), whether organized for military purposes or un- 
organized. Every such citizen of the United States has 
an inalienable right to carry openly any weapon suitable 
for mihtary purposes. lie may not carry dirks, slung- 
shots or other weapons intended only for private ven- 
geance. The several States control all military bodies 
other than troops of the United States, and can deny 
the privilege of drilling and parade to any armed bodies 
of men; but they cannot prevent the individual citizen 
from carrying military weapons at his pleasure. 
"The right to bear arms is a natural right, not created 
or granted by the Constitution. The Second Amend- 
ment means no more than that it shall not be denied 
or infringed by Congress or the other departments of 
the National Government. * * * ^ which should 
prohibit the wearing of military weapons openly tipon the 
person would be unconstitutional." — Black, American 
Constitutional Law, 1895, PP- 403-404; supported by ci- 
tations of rulings. 
I know nothing about the disposition of the Man in 
the Clock Tower; but I do know that any attempt to 
depriv^e a Missourian of his arms while he was peaceably 
engaged in minding his own business would result in 
a first-class funeral. The Man says: "Once start the 
matter of restriction going in a legislative way, and no 
one could forecast where would be the end." 
The end would be civil war. Horace Kephart. 
Notes from New Brunswick. 
To a man up a tree on a nice, clear winter's day the 
indications at present are that this Province will make 
a creditable display of its game resources at the Sports- 
men's Exposition in Boston next month. Hon. Albert 
T. Dunn, Surveyor General, and Mr. L. -B. Knight, 
Chief Game Commissioner, are giving their best atten- 
tion to the subject, a liberal Provincial grant has been 
secured, and no effort will be spared to make the under- 
" taking a success. Moreover, Hkewise, Dr. Heber Bishop, 
friend of the human race, has been down here on one of 
his swooping flights and stirred up the animals, to wit. 
a happy family of moose, two bears and a "lucifee." all 
of which have been headed for the Boston show. These 
are no post-mortem effigies or nightmares of the taxi- 
dermists, but real live specimens fresh from the men- 
agerie of nature. Moreover, also, one Henry Braith- 
waite is at this moment delivering curtain lectures to an 
audience of caribou on his farm at the Crooked Dead- 
water, and trying to persuade them to send a delegation 
to the exhibition. The big moose which Henry, with the 
assistance of Billy Chestnut, captured so cleverly in 
December last, was brought out in excellent shape and 
is now being embalmed by Mr. Garhall, of St. John, to 
form a part of the display. This moose stands nearly 
7ft. high at the shoulder and has an antler spread of 5iin., 
with twenty-four long points. It is to be hoped that 
the directors of the show will impress upon elderly gen- 
tlemen wearing long whiskers the necessity of keeping 
a respectable distance from the caribou at meal times. 
Propinquity is a prolific source of mastication so far as 
the caribou is concerned. Frank H. Risteen. 
Fredbricton-, Feb. 9, 1898. 
Carolina Ducks. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
January duck shooting was not so good as usual at 
Currituck, OAving, we think, to fhe very mild weather. 
We noticed large flocks of redheads heading north yes- 
terdajr, and we think they were saying good-by to us for 
this season. We saw this week a perfect redhead in 
color, but a perfect canvasback in shape. I suppose it 
was a cross between the two species, but never saw any- 
thing like it before. 
Quail are still abundant, in eastern North Carolina. 
While rabbit hunting on the farm of the Hon. Pierce 
Hampton last week, with foxhounds, in addition to 21 
rabbits and 2 opossums Ave bagged 16 quail. A rabbit 
hunt Avith Bob Flora's hounds is fun indeed; He lives 
at Shawboro, N. C, on the Norfolk Southern R. R. 
This is also a good quail countr}^ Currituck. 
THE MAN IN THE CLOCK TOWER. 
Do you, Avise reader, ever 
look down on people? Not 
in the sense figurative, 
Avhich has its source in a 
fatter pocketbook, or a 
better suit of clothes, or 
riding in a cab instead of a 
street car, or any one of a 
million other things, but 
literally, as one whose line 
of sight is always along 
perpendiculars. The whole 
aspect of things changes. 
There is a general flattening 
of all objects on the earth's 
surface. Men walking di- 
rectly underneath seem to 
be composed largely of a 
black disk which is carried 
about by a pair of 
intensely foreshortened 
legs which are supported 
by robust feet. Horses 
have much the appear- 
, ance of Persian jugs Jy- 
ing on the ground side- 
Avise, and all vehicles for purposes of transportation 
appear to run very close to the ground on small wheels. 
Along Broadway, as far as the eye can see, there is a 
steady current of hats bobbing and squirming along, and 
quite as steady a counter-current bobs resolutely in the 
opposite direction. At the intersection of every cross 
street where the currents of hats cross each other, as 
also do the street cars, drays and other vehicles which 
fill the streets from morning till night in numbers which 
almost overflow the street limits, the solemn march of 
