148 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Jan. 28, 1911. 
The Interstate Association. 
The radical changes of policy of the Interstate Asso- 
ciation are worthy of careful perusal. 1 hey are as 
follows: . , . 
The Interstate Association, at its annual meeting in 
1910, materially changed and improved the conditions 
governing registered tournaments. These changes were 
necessary for the best interest of trap shooting. I hey 
will benefit all concerned. 
A broad experience has demonstrated that the regis¬ 
tration of tournaments confers many important advan¬ 
tages to trapshooting activities, but that, if not safe¬ 
guarded and controlled by proper restrictions, it is 
subject to many abuses, petty and serious. lhe pro¬ 
moter, actuated by purely business reasons, is the 
chief offender. For the sport or its advancement he 
care nothing; for the advertising profits, he hungers 
greatly. He complies with all the technical require¬ 
ments of registration, although he himself may be all 
there is of his weakling club. His tournament may 
have only two squads at the outset, which dwindle away 
gradually to a squad or less, the whole a mere farce, 
but nevertheless profitable to the promoter under the 
old conditions. Each succeeding year the mushroom 
club and .the hungry promoter were becoming more 
numerous, and accordingly the Interstate Association 
was expending money for which no return was given 
in the way of promoting' legitimate trapshooting. Yet 
many legitimate attempts at holding tournaments re¬ 
sulted in failure, because the sum total of so much gun 
club effort exceeded the demand for competition, lhe 
majority of shooters have limitations to their purses, 
besides having a limit to their craving for competition. 
There is such a thing as too much shooting, with its 
harmful reactions. , . ,, 
Again, under the old conditions, a strong club hold¬ 
ing a successful tournament oftep made excessive profits, 
which were out of all proportion as compared to the 
effort and expense of holding the tournament. Of course, 
the excessive profits came out of the shooters pockets. 
The most successful clubs were those which used the 
Squier money-back system, which returns a share of the 
profits to the weaker shooters. 
The new conditions will eliminate the undesirable 
features while developing the sport on lines that are 
broad, wholesome and permanent. The matter of good 
sportsmanship is given full consideration. 
Referring more in detail to the changes mentioned, the 
Interstate Association decided that gun club program 
advertising bv its members shall cease from Jan. 1, 1911. 
In place of program advertising, the Interstate As¬ 
sociation has substituted a yearly contribution of $20,- 
000, to be apportioned to State Association tournaments 
and to the tournaments of gun clubs members of State 
associations, as herein defined. These apportionments 
of moneys are to be applied to the Squier money-back 
system of the clubs’ respective programs. 
Thus the moneys which heretofore went to hundreds 
of clubs, weak and strong, will now go directly to the 
shooters, much to their enrichment. Nevertheless, the 
clubs will directly benefit by the changes, since more 
shooters will support the registered tournaments be¬ 
cause of the material inducements offered in the way of 
added moneys, freely contributed by the Interstate 
Association, and because of the greater number of shoot¬ 
ers who will shoot through the entire program because 
of the benefits accruing to them from the Squier money- 
back system, which is fully described elsewhere herein, 
and is part of the tournament agreement. 
At all times there will be a reasonable guarantee that 
when a tournament is registered, it will be worthy of the 
confidence and support of the trapshooting fraternity, 
and will have the dignity and importance incident to 
good auspices. 
Shooters under the Interstate Association’s new policy 
will be encouraged to organize State Associations and 
leagues of gun clubs where none now exist. 
The yearly averages, compiled from the records ot 
tournaments thus registered and standardized, are in¬ 
comparably more valuable than are the averages com¬ 
piled from the data of a multitude of clubs whose 
standards of competitions are loose or non-existent. 
All this in a particular way—in a general way, the 
present requirements of registration make for respon¬ 
sibility, permanency and good sportsmanship, both of 
clubs and shooters. At present the mushroom club and 
speculative promoter have no standing. 
REGISTERED TOURNAMENTS. 
In place of program advertising, the Interstate As¬ 
sociation has substituted a yearly contribution of $20,000. 
In the apportionment of the $20,000 contributed by the 
Interstate Association, the States are divided into three 
classes. A, B and C. 
Class A includes States with a population of 3,000,000 
or over. To each State association tournament of this 
class the Interstate Association will contribute $300, to 
be applied to the Squier money-back system. 
Class B includes States with a population of under 
3,000,000 to over 1,000,000. To each State association 
tournament of this class the Interstate Association will 
contribute $200, to be applied to the Squier money- 
back system. 
Class C includes States with a population of under 
1,000,000. To each State Association tournament of this 
class, the Interstate Association will contribute $100, to 
be applied to the Squier money-back system. 
The matter of population will be determined by the 
census of 1910v 
A State Association in a Class A or Class B State, 
must have a membership of ten or more bona fide gun 
clubs located in ten or more different cities or towns. 
A State Association in a Class C State must have a 
membership of five or more bona fide gun clubs located 
in five or more different cities or towns. 
The Interstate Association, at its discretion, mav exact 
proof of the proper organization of any State Associa¬ 
tion which applies for a registered tournament. 
The foregoing applies to State Associations; or to a 
League of Gun Clubs in a State which has no State 
Association. 
The following applies to individual gun clubs: 
Any gun club, a member in good standing ot a 
State Association or of a league of gun clubs may 
apply for registration. Applications from gun clubs not 
members of a State Association or of a league of gun 
clubs, will not be considered. To each two-day approved 
tournament, the Interstate Association will contribute 
$100, to be applied to the Squier money-back system. 
To each one-day approved tournament the Interstate 
Association will contribute $50, to be applied to the 
Squier money-back system. 
When a gun club applies for a two-days tournament, 
the granting of such application shall depend on the 
attendance at, and success of, previous registered tour¬ 
naments of said club, if any were held. The deter¬ 
mination of whether it shall be a one-day or two-day 
tournament is at the discretion of the Interstate Asso¬ 
ciation. . , . ■. 
Any application for a registered tournament must be 
made not less than ninety days in advance of the tour¬ 
nament opening date, with the exception of the month 
of April, 1911, for which month sixty days in advance 
will suffice. 
The program each day at any registered tournament 
shall be 15 targets, $1.40 entrance, $1 optional sweep- 
stake extra. 
DIVISION OF MONEYS. 
Regular program, Rose system, ratio points 5 3, 2, 1. 
Optional sweepstakes, percentage system, 40, oO, 20 
and 10 per cent., class shooting. Ten entries and under, 
three moneys, 50, 30 and 20 per cent. 
To be eligible for the _ Squier money-back system a 
contestant must compete in all regular program events. 
The optional sweepstakes are separate from the regu¬ 
lar program, and it is optional with the contestant 
whether or not he makes entry for them. The Squier 
money-back system does not apply to the optional 
sweepstakes. 
There shall be no deviation from this program, as it 
relates to the Interstate Association, but special events 
may be scheduled and shot as club events. 
Any gun club holding a registered tournament shall 
give one page of its program, of which the copy shall 
be furnished by the Interstate Association, for pur¬ 
poses of announcing' the amount of money contributed 
by the Interstate Association and for purposes of 
publicity. 
The Interstate Association’s contribution will not be 
paid to any club until such time as such club, holding 
a registered tournament, shall have sent in the requisite 
report of the tournament to the Interstate Association. 
When the fund of $20,000 is exhausted, tournaments 
. will be registered, but without any contribution of added 
money by the Interstate Association. Thus,. it is ap¬ 
parent that gun clubs should make their applications at 
their earliest convenience, even though, their tourna¬ 
ments are scheduled to be held late in the year. 
The Squier money-back system shall be a part of the 
program. It was originated by Mr. L. J. Squier, of 
Pittsburg, Pa. It designates a special fund created for 
the purpose of paying back the losses, or a share of the 
losses, of those amateur contestants who compete in all 
regular program events of a tournament and fail to win 
the amount of their entrance fees, less the price of tar¬ 
gets. All contestants must shoot through the entire 
regular program to gain an interest in this fund. This 
special fund is made up from the added money con¬ 
tributed to the tournament; from the profits derived 
from targets trapped, and from an extra entrance fee of 
$1 per day charged each amateur contestant who com¬ 
petes in all of the regular program events each day of 
the tournament. Any contestant who competes in less 
than ten regular program events each day shall be 
charged 10 cents for each event in which he competes, 
which sums also shall become a part of the special fund, 
but such contestant shall have no interest in the Squier. 
money-back system. Any division of money, such as 
Rose, percentage, etc., can be used for dividing purses; 
in fact, the division of money used does not affect the 
workings of the Squier money-back system. 
The true Squier money-back system calls for a special 
fund derived from all added money, from one cent for 
' each target trapped, and from the total amount derived 
from the extra entrance fee of $1 per day charged each 
amateur contestant. For example: Say that it was a 
two davs’ tournament; that $100 added money was con¬ 
tributed: that 6,000 targets were trapped; that 30 ama¬ 
teur contestants competed in all regular program events 
the first dav and that 25 amateur contestants competed 
in all regular program events the second day. This 
would mean that the special fund would be made up 
from the $100 added money, $60 from the 6,000 targets 
trapped, $30 from the extra entrance fee of $1 paid by the 
30 amateur contestants who competed in all regular pro¬ 
gram events the first dav, and $25 from the extra en¬ 
trance fee of $1 paid by the 25 amateur contestants who 
competed in all regular program events the second day, 
a total of $215. itemized more concisely as follows: 
Ad^ed money .$100.00 
6.000 targets at 1 cent. 60.00 
Fxtra entrance fee first dav. 30.00 
Extra entrance fee second day. 25.00 
Total. $215.00 
Now, further, say that the program each day called for 
ten events of 15 targets each, and an entrance fee of 
$1.40 per event—a total of 300 targets and a total en¬ 
trance fee (counting the $1 extra entrance fee each day) 
of $30 for the two days. Deducting two cents for each 
target shot at, a total of $60 for the 300 targets, and it 
would leave a net cost of $24 for entrance fees to each 
amateur contestant who competed in all regular pro¬ 
gram events for the two days. This would mean that 
each amateur contestant who competed in all regular pro¬ 
gram events of the tournament and failed to win $24 or 
more would be paid back, out of the special fund of $215, 
the difference between what he did win and $24, or his 
equitab'e share of the $215 if it was not sufficient to pay 
back the losses in full. 
Bv wav of illustration, say: 
First—That 10 of the amateur contestants competed in 
all regular program events, and that each of them won 
$24 or more. , . 
Second—That 10 of the amateur contestants competed 
in all regular program events, and that each of them 
won less than $24, their losses ranging from $1 to $-3, 
and that their total losses amounted to $105.25. 
Third—That 5 of the amateur contestants competed 
one day only in all regular program events. 
Fourth—that 5 of the amateur contestants, while pres¬ 
ent both days, did not compete in all regular program 
events. , , 
Fifth—That the special fund amounted to $215. 
This would mean the following: 
First—'That the 10 amateur contestants who each won 
$24 or more would be paid the amounts won by them 
respectively. , , . . 
Second—That $105.25 would be taken from the special 
fund to pay each of the 10 amateur contestants who 
failed to win $24 a sum sufficient to make $24 when 
added to the amount each contestant did win. 
Third—That the 5 amateur contestants who competed 
one day only in all regular program events would be 
paid the amounts won by them respectively, but would 
have no share in the special fund. 
Fourth—That the 5 amateur contestants who were 
present both days and did not compete m all regular 
program events would be paid the amounts won by them 
respectively, but would have no share in the special fund. 
Fifth—That $109.75, the balance left in the special fund, 
after $105.25 was paid to the losers as above mentioned, 
would be divided among the high gun amateurs who had 
competed in all regular program events. 
By way of further illustration say: . 
That 10 of the amateur contestants competed in all 
regular program events and that each of them won less 
than $24, their losses ranging from $20 to $23.50, and that 
thir total losses amounted to $230. 
This would mean the following: 
That inasmuch as the special fund of $215 would not 
be sufficient to pay back the losses in full, the $215 
would be divided by 230 to find what the proportionate 
share of $1 would be; $215 divided by 230 would make 
.9317, a fraction more than 93 cents per $1. Multiply 
each of the 10 contestants’ losses by 93 cents, and it 
would give the amount of his proportionate share of 
the $ 215 - , , , ... . . , 
Contestants are not guaranteed that they will be paid 
back the total amount of their net entrance fees, but it 
is reasonable to believe that they will be paid back in 
full, as the statistical data in connection with tourna¬ 
ments conducted under the Squier money-back system 
shows that in each instance where the added money was 
placed in the special fund there was an amount suf¬ 
ficient to pay back the losses in full, and frequently 
there was quite a large surplus. When there is a sur¬ 
plus, it is divided among the high gun amateurs. 
Professionals are not charged the extra entrance fee 
of $1, nut are charged 2 cents for each target shot at by 
them, and 1 cent for each target shot at by them is 
placed in the special fund. 
The working' out of the Squier money-back system 
means that the less skillful shot can compete in all 
regular program events of a tournament and have a 
chance to win something if he is in good form, and if 
he fail to shoot up to expectations his sport costs him 
the price of targets only. The more skillful shot has a 
better chance of winning larger amounts than under the 
old way of adding a small amount of money to each 
event, because of the increased number of entries in 
each event, thus making bigger purses to compete for, 
and from the possible surplus from the special fund. 
The question may arise: “Where does the gun club 
make on a proposition of this kind?” The question is 
readily answered by stating the fact that there is a 
reasonable profit in the one cent per target which goes 
to the club; that, as a general rule, the number of con¬ 
testants is largely increased; that, consequently, the 
traps can be worked to their greatest capacity and the 
cost of trapping reduced thereby, and that the majority 
of contestants shoot through the entire regular program. 
In addition, the club makes on the proposition by 
sending home satisfied a lot of contestants whp will re¬ 
turn and shoot again. 
Registration as herein set forth applies to United 
States gun clubs only. The old policy is still in force as 
to Canadian gun clubs. 
'Specifications in detail governing registered tourna¬ 
ments under the Interstate Association’s new policy 
may be obtained on application to the secretary-treas¬ 
urer, Elmer E. Shaner, 219 Coltart avenue, Pittsburg, Pa. 
Pahquioque Gun Club. 
Danbury, Conn., Jan. 19. —The Pahquioque Gun Club 
held its annual banquet at the Hotel Green, Jan. 19, 135 
members and their friends being present. All previous 
banquets of the club were surpassed, and the spirit of 
good fellowship was supreme. Zucca’s orchestra fur¬ 
nished the music. Many of the guests joined in the 
choruses until the hall overflowed with melody. 
A half hour before the banquet a reception was ten¬ 
dered to the visiting State officers, thereby affording an 
opportunity to meet the commissioners who work in 
the interests of Connecticut hunters. Also some rep¬ 
resentatives of the ammunition companies were present. 
The large tables .were set in six divisions and were 
beautifully decorated. Pictures of hunting dogs, hung 
around the walls, afforded many delightful themes of 
sport afield. 
American flags were draped about the room in an at¬ 
tractive manner, and deer heads here and there added to 
the beauties of the other decorations. 
The menu was long and appetizing. Charles H. Peix, 
Jr., acted as toastmaster. Sweet song enlivened the 
proceeding's later, and good talks on fish and game pre¬ 
servation met the approbation of the banquetters. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from any 
newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer to supply you 
regularly. 
