492 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Dec. i6, 1905. 
chased consisted of three bulls from the Goodnight 
herd of Texas and eighteen cows from the Allard herd 
of Montana. One of the bulls was turned out with the 
wild herd on Pelican Creek with a view to introducing 
new blood in that herd, but he wandered away from 
them last winter and died on the edge of Yellowstone 
Lake near the Thumb Station. The increase in this 
new herd has been exceedingly encouraging, and, in- 
cluding the three calves which have been caught up 
from the wild herd, it now consists of forty-four ani- 
mals, which is more than double the number with which 
we started. 
“The beavers are certainly increasing rapidly 
throughout the park, and to-day the signs of their work 
can be seen along every stream. These exceedingly 
interesting and valuable little fur-bearing animals have 
■become almost extinct in the greater part of the United 
States, and should it ever become desirable to restock 
any section a sufficient number of these animals can, 
with the permission of the Interior Department, be pro- 
vided for the purpose. 
“The bears are about the only animals that the summer 
tourist cannot fail to see, and they are always a great 
souce of amusement and interest to them. It is a difficult 
matter to make some of the tourists realize that the bears 
in the. park are wild, and that it is a dangerous matter to 
trifle with them. The black and the brown bear are ex- 
ceedingly afraid of the grizzly, and with good cause, for 
they will kill and eat the young of the black and the 
brown whenever they can get hold of them. It is said the 
grizzly will also eat its own cubs, and for this reason 
the females always desert the males when they have 
their young and keep away until the cubs are large 
enough to take care of themselves.” 
New York League. 
Annual Meeting of State Organization of Sportsmen and 
Incorporated Cinbs. 
One hundred and twenty-nine delegates, chiefly repre- 
senting clubs incorporated for the protection of fish and 
game, attended the annual convention at Syracuse on 
Dec. 7. Most of the delegates gathered the night before, 
and much of the preliminary work was done at that time. 
Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner James S. Whipple 
attended the business session and was warmly welcomed. 
This is the first time in years that the Commission has 
been represented by ain'body but the secretary, Mr. 
Whish, who is an individual member of the League, and 
the event was highly gratifying to the men who are hon- 
estly trying to preserve the fish and game of the State 
from destruction. A number of well known scientific 
men and sportsmen from various parts of the State 
joined the League at this meeting and took part in the 
proceedings. New York city was represented by Pro- 
fessor Hornaday, the Curator of Bronx Park, President 
Anderson, of the Camp-Fire Club ; Robert B. Lawrence 
and John Christopher O’Conor, each of whom took an 
active part. 
The keynote of the meeting was struck by President 
Hiram K. Wicker in his opening address to the delegates. 
“We are assembled,” he said, “to consider what is best 
for the sportsmen of the State and for the people.” He 
asserted that the game law, although now in the best 
shape it has- been in years, has nevertheless too many ex- 
ceptions and should be made a general law. He advo- 
cated fast steam launches for the protection of the upper 
Niagara and the St. Lawrence rivers, and more protec- 
tors to look after the enforcement of the laws. 
Commissioner Whipple, whose method of speech is 
straight from the shoulder and much resembles President 
Roosevelt in this respect, gave an off-hand ten-minute 
address that fairly electrified the convention. He was 
not only given an unanimous vote of thanks for his ad- 
dress but was also made an honorary member of the 
League and received a pledge of the hearty support of 
the members in his efforts to remedy existing evils. The 
motion to make him an honorary member was made by 
Mr. Mowry, of Syracuse, who said that the sportsmen 
of the State are to be congratulated in at last having a 
Commissioner who is in accord with their purposes. 
The address of Commissioner Whipple was certainly 
strong enough to warrant all that was said and done by 
the delegates after hearing it. He declared it most im- 
portant that the Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner 
should make the personal acquaintance of every man who 
is interested in the preservation of the forests and the 
protection of fish and game. He asserted that no Com- 
missioner could hope to be successful in the administra- 
tion of his office unless the hearty support of organiza- 
tions such as those making up the League is given him. 
He urged the organization of protective clubs wherever 
any now are lacking, and the incorporation of such clubs 
and their final affiliation with the League, to the end that 
concerted action may be had on legislation. “Intelligent 
newspaper support,” he said, “is most necessary in order 
that the people may be rightly advised and that public 
opinion may back up such efforts.” He expressed the 
earnest belief that the majority of our people are deeply 
interested in such work as the incorporated fish and game 
clubs are doing. Speaking on this line he said : “I in- 
tend to act on this belief that the people want forest, fish 
and game preservation, and to follow it all through my 
official life. I mean to give the people a square deal.” He 
concluded by pointing out the evils arising from squat- 
ters on State land and from trespasses, and pledge^ him- 
self to get rid of the one and put a stop to the other. His 
remarks were very frequently interrupted by applause. 
An important feature of the meeting was the report 
of the Committee on Law and Legislation, which was 
made by the chairman, Mr. C. H. Slowry, of Syracuse. 
He said the committee had been very successful in pre- 
venting the passage of bad legislation but had not been 
able to get as much good legislation as was desired. He 
advised concerted action to get proper men on the fish 
and game committees in the coming Legislature. In con- 
clusion he roundly denounced Maj. T W. Pond, the 
former Chief Game Protector, for playing double with 
the League and secretly opposing bills which he had 
voted to support in the meeting previous to the session, 
The hill for ^ditional protectors and the bill to give cer- 
tain special protectors the right of eaareh were beaten 
through Maj. Pond’s connivatice, Mr. Mowry asserted, 
and he offered written and other evidence in proof of it. 
Former Assemblyman F. C. Wood, of Fulton and Hamil- 
ton county, was classed as Major Pond’s associate in de- 
feating legislation favored by the sportsmen of the State. 
Considerable time was devoted to threshing out the 
bills which the League is to urge in the coming session 
of the Legislature. The Law Committee reported again 
those of last session calling for ten additional protectors; 
for fast power boats for -the- protection of the St. Law- 
rence and the upper Niagara rivers; for the right of 
search to be given to special protectors employed by in- 
corporated clubs or by boards of supervisors ; for pro- 
hibiting the possession or sale of grouse and woodcock 
during the close season, except for the first , ten days' of 
December in order to let dealers dispose of their stock. 
'L'here was no debate over these measures, and they will 
be again urged. Other legislation favored by the League 
was as follows : 
Providing that wildfowl shall not be sold or offered for 
sale during the close season: This was offered by Mr. 
J. C. O’ Conor, of New York- city, who asserted that the 
law is openly violated on Long Island where ducks are 
shot and hawked about the, streets without regard to the 
statute. Mr. R. B. Lawrence, of New York city, op- 
posed the proposition on the ground that the law is a 
dead letter and that it would be better to extend the open 
season to March i for ducks. In his remarks Mr. 
O’Conor charged Senator Allds with having held up his 
anti-cold storage bill, after it passed the Assembly, and 
thus preventing action on it, in the. Senate. ■ 
Prohibiting the use of repeating shotguns. This was 
repudiated by the League last year and its reintroduction 
stirred up the sportsmen. The measure was vigorously 
assailed by Mr. Mowry, of Syracuse, who urged the 
League not to go on record as opposing improvements 
in firearms. He favored limiting the shooting season and 
the number of birds to be taken, but said, “Don’t let us 
try to limit the efficiency of the guns we use.” Mr. W. 
T. Hornaday said that M'rr'R. B. Lawrence, of New 
York city, who proposed the-bill, had anticipated him, as 
he was about to offer something of the kind himself. He 
defended Mr. G. O. Shields, Jwho had been attacked as 
the father of the measure, which it was said he used to 
get even with certain manufacturers who refused him 
advertising. Mr. Hornaday said the friends of bird life 
believe the time has come to limit the effectiveness of 
guns used in its destruction. Mr. J. H. Foray, of Syra- 
cuse, said' he believed the Legislature can provide how 
game shall be taken, but he questioned the wisdom of 
such action as the League was being urged to take. Per- 
sonally, he favored setting a limit to the bore of the guns 
to be used. President C. R. Skinner, of the St. Lawrence 
River Anglers’- Association, feared the League would lose 
the respect of very many sportsmen if it took such action 
as was proposed. In spite of all the opposition the ma- 
jority in favor of the law was large. 
Repealing the law permitting netting in Cayuga Lake. 
The reason is that the fishermen take all the fish they 
catch, without regard to the law. There was considerable 
discussion of the netting evil and Mr. Foray, of Syracuse, 
wanted legislation to make the possession of a net on or 
near the shores of waters where netting is prohibited pre- 
sumptive evidence of intention to violate the law. His 
idpa was to have the net thus found destroyed at once. 
x\cting Chief Protector Worts warned the members that 
such legislation would meet hot opposition in the Legis- 
lature and said that when Monroe county got such a law 
the lawyers held it was unconstitutional. Mr. R. P. 
Grant, of Clayton, said the United States Supreme Court 
has decided that a protector may seize and destroy such 
a net, and the matter was then dropped. 
Game preserves were briefly discussed and the League 
adopted a resolution offered by Professor Hornaday, re- 
questing the representatives in Congress to favor the ap- 
propriation needed to fence in the Wichita Reservation 
so that it may be safe for the herd of buffalo which the 
New Y*ork Zoological .Garden has offered to the Gov- 
ernment in the hope of preventing the extinction of the 
animal. It was asserted .^hat President Roosevelt favors 
the proposition. Another resolution adopted was offered 
by Mr. A. A. Anderson, who was for five years superin- 
tendent of Yellowstone Park. It favors in the same way 
the creation by the President of game refuges in all the 
preserves owned by the Government. 
The League finally took up the suggestion as to en- 
larging its membership and usefulness. An aggressive 
committee on organization was finally appointed and in- 
structed to hustle. It was also decided to- have the next 
convention end with a banquet. Proposed improvements 
in the fish and game laws were discussed informally with 
Commissioner Whipple, who pledged his support to- the 
I. eague and received its pledge of support in return. It 
was agreed that there are too many 'special laws and 
that a uniform law would be better if it could be had; It 
was recognized, however, that the law, as it stands, has 
grown up gradually and that many decisions have been 
rendered by the courts affecting it. For these reasons 
any general revision will have to be undertaken carefully. 
The officers elected - and committees appointed at the 
close of the session were as follows : 
President — Hiram K. Wicker, of Lockport. 
Vice-President — J. H. Considine, of Elmira. 
Secretary — Ernest G. Gould, of Seneca Ealls. 
Treasurer — A. C. Cprnwall, of Alexandria Bay. 
Legislative and Law Committee — C. H. Mowry, of 
Syracuse ; W. S. Gavitt, of Lyons ; R. P. Grant, of Clay- 
ton ; J. R. Panning, of Rochester; J. P. Rapalje, of 
Buffalo. 
Organization Comrhittee — R. B. Lawrence, ' of New 
York city; J. H. Forey, of Syracuse; E. A. Bowman, of 
Medina ; W. H. Thompson, of Alexandria- Bay ; Llewel- 
lyn Legge, of Binghamton ; John D. Whish, of Albany ; 
J. P. Rapalje, of Buffalo. 
Mr. Aaron Mather, of Bridgewater, was retained as 
head of the Auditing Committee, and Mr. James Annin, 
Jr., as head of the Committee on 'Biology. Watcher. 
In introducing Commissioner Whipple, President 
Wiclcer said that the presence of such an official was not 
only a most unusual but a most welcome innovation. 
Commissioner Whipple replied : 
“If my presence is an innovation at this convention, 
I am glad of it, because m the business in which I am 
now engaged unusual things must be done if we want to 
succeed in the work. (Applause.) 
“I am glad to be here. It was difficult to get away 
from Albany at this time because of a highly important 
meeting of the River Improvement Commission, but an 
adjourmnent was secured and I came. I deem it very 
important for the^ Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner 
to nuike the personal acquaintance of as many men in 
ilie .Slate as he can who are interested in the protection 
of our forests, our fish and our game. It is much better 
to know who you are working with than to work with- 
out such an acquaintance, and no Commissioner can be 
successful, in my judgment, unless he has the hearty 
support of such men as you who- make up this conven- 
tion. (Applause.) It seems to me that there are two 
elements which alone will make my department the suc- 
cess I wish it to be. These are the backing of the honest 
sportsmen of the State, men like the delegates here from 
the incorporated clubs to protect fish and game through- 
out the State, and the intelligent support of the news- 
papers. The newspapers, if they act intelligently, can 
render very great service, but it is a terribly bad thing 
to have them spread a false impression abroad. Public 
sentiment is everything, and no matter how good a law 
is, if public sentiment is against it, then it is a nullity. 
That is why nev'spaper reports should be accurate. Take 
a case in hand, the Raquette Lake matter, where one 
squatter is to be ejected from State land. Through erron- 
eous reports of the situation the public mind has been en- 
tirely misled as to the true facts. In a paper to-day I 
have just read a communication from a citizen who as- 
serts that I ought to do exactly what the Constitution 
of the State says I can’t do, and nobody must do — that is, 
grant leases. The papers say we are removing twenty-five 
squatters when the fact is we are ejecting but one, and 
his case is so flagrant that a Commissioner would not be 
fit to hold office unless he took cognizance of it.” 
(Applause.) 
Commissioner AVhipple then gave a running sketch of 
the trespass cases and of the suits brought under former 
commissions, and said that the case of Carlin was so 
aggravated that but one thing could be done. “Carlin 
built his largest building in defiance of an injunction for- 
bidding it,” he continued, “and his contempt of court 
encouraged every squatter in the woods. It was my plain 
duty to tell him to get off, and I did it. The sheriff of 
Hamilton county was called upon to eject the man, and 
that is all there is to the case, yet erroneous newspaper 
reports have created a sentiment among the people that 
is decidedly harmful to their best interests. I believe 
that the people of the State to-day are deeply . interested 
in the preservation of our forests, our fish and our game, 
and I intend to act on this belief all through my official 
career. (Applause.) The Governor wanted me to hold 
this place under his administration and appointed me to 
it. Once in the business I mean to do a good job. (Ap- 
plause.) I may make mistakes, my ideas may not agree 
with those of other people, but I mean to do the best I 
can. (Applause.) I know the value of the work of such 
a body as this League. Stop such work for ten. years, 
and strike our protective laws from the statute books, 
and you would not have a deer, a food fish or a game fish 
left. There would not be a single animal or bird to- hunt 
either for food or pleasure. There would not be a fish 
left worth mentioning. From a commercial standpoint, 
it would be disastrous. 
“But even such a disaster would be insignificant in 
comparison with the destruction of the forests of the 
State. Destroy plant life and animal life will have to go, 
water courses will dry up and great hardships will pre- 
vail. People do not yet realize the immense value of our 
forests. But when you consider that 800,000,000 feet of 
timber was legitimately cut in our State forests last year 
— more than all that was imported from all of Canada— 
you can see what is coming and how necessary it is to 
stop all illegal cutting. It stands the people in hand to 
buy every acre of forest land they can get (applause) and 
it is an imperative necessity to keep what we have left. 
The man who wilfully cuts a tree belonging to the State 
is as great a criminal as the man Avho holds you up on 
the highway with a revolver. (Applause.) You may 
think this is a strong statement, but if you do you will 
change your minds in years to come. (Applause.) 
“If trespassers have not stopped cutting timber yet, 
they must stop it. You will hear it said that a trespass 
was caused by mistaking the line and cutting just over it. 
In my administration cutting over the line will mean get- 
ting into State’s prison. I honestly believe we have 
stopped this illegal cutting down of our forests, and- I 
mean to keep it stopped. (Applause.) I mean to see 
that the people get a square deal. (Applause.) At the 
same time individuals must have fair treatment. Under- 
stand me, we are not after the poor man who chops up 
a dead tree to get wood to warm his cabin, even if that 
tree is on State land. I have every sympathy for such 
a man, and we are not. after him. The fellow we want 
is the rich man who violates the law, cuts the State tim- 
ber for commercial purposes and then defends his tres- 
pass with a lawsuit. In all these cases we try not to be 
technical. We try to use common horse sense, just as we 
would in matters concerning our own property. I don’t 
pretend to be an expert on all the matters connected with 
my department, but I do pretend to be a reasonable man 
with a disposition to do right. (Applause.) All we want 
is an application of plain common sense to the adminis- 
tration of public office. (Applause.) 
“I know the value of the woods, for I have lived in 
them and my good health, at my age, is due to that fact. 
My advice to men who would live long is to- get into the 
forest, go hunting and fishing. It will not only make 
them physically well but it will make them better citi- 
zens. As I said before, I come here to get acquainted.' I 
believe in organizations such as this. I wish every county 
had its incorporated club to protect fish and game and the 
forests, and that all such clubs could meet in convention 
like this. Then the legitimate demands of the true 
sportsmen would meet with the attention they deserve, 
and all the people would be better for it.” 
At the conclusion of his address Commissioner Whip- 
ple was given an unanimous vote of thanks by the League 
and made an honorary member as an evidence of the ap- 
preciation of the delegates. 
THE MANY-USE OIL 
prevents rust. Lubricates perfectly; 6oe. can, 26<J. — Adv. 
