The morning call., 1893-02-10
NIMRODS AROUSED.
Don't Like the Proposed
Game Laws.
OPINIONS OF LOCAL GUNNERS.
The Majority of Our Sport-Loving
Citizens Object to the Emeric
and Flint Bills.

.ASs6C e % ing great cutlery over
~ NlA0 the introduction into
NANGf-x Va the Legislature of two
~ NY @8C "a amendments to the
~ -<B present game law,
E--===1N s7sS@ known respectively as
MSS<%Z%S<%s2 the Emeric and the
S&EANS>NS&EzSS Flint bills.
It is usually claimed
that the bills are in the interest of the small
class of rich sportsmen. and discriminate
materially against those who are not able
to afford the luxury of gun clubs.
A CALL reporter has secured the opin-
ions of several well-knOwn sporting men on
the subject. and as will appear the majority
of those opinions are not by any means
favorable to the amendments.
The reporter found Ramon L. Wilson,
the prominent young nimrod, at his office in
the Mills building. Mr.. Wilson expr essed
himself substantially as follows:
Il am in favor of that clause prohibiting
the importation of any game into this State
from other parts Of the country during the
time when the killing OF such game against
the State law. As it stands no ~ the burden
OF proving that contraband game sold Ia
our markets was not killed in this State
rests with the prosecution, and it is an I'M
possibility to find just where each bird was
shot, and il wOulG involve the most acute
detective work. Game-dealers would find il
very easy matter TO resort 10 lying.
Il believe also that there should be an
open season for deer Of two months each
year for year or two. ana then If we find
The deer are becoming scarce let the next
Legislature take action in the matter.
"As to the proposition that fOrbldS shoot
Ing on tide lands / think 1t is in accord with
all the inViolable rights Of property, and
that it should be enforced. No man has any
more right TO go on another's land for the
purpose Of shooting game than he has TO
walk into his back yard and shoot his dog.
ut seems to NE very good feature OF
the bill is that which proposes 10 pay foe
of $40 for every pOacher arrested. Nothing
can be got without paying for 1t nowadays,
and ii strikes me the best way to get the
game laws enforced is TO pay for enforcing
them. Though not we'll acquainted with
these amendments, am in favor of most of
the clauses"
Ed" Briggs, the genial cigar-dealer.
takes a very different view of the case from
The foregoing Said he: This pet meas
uIe of Mr. Emeric's is aimed directly
against city spOTtsmen and their interests.
1t is one Of The consequences of that states
mans sudden acquisition OF wealth and
aIistocratic notions. | have no particular
fault 10 fluid with the clauses of the bill, ex-
ceptlng those which prohibit shooting on
uninclosed land aud favor county tax on
guns.
Il would have an open season tor deer.
That clause which has reference TO paying
Sherifs $40 apiece for proplscuous arrests
is absurd. | should think that the man who
proposed il was at the time in jOcular
frame of mind and wanted 10 nave some
fun with his fellow legislators.
''On the whole / don't consider either the
clauses OF EmeTlc's or OF Fllnrs bills very
worthy OF consideration"
J. q. Chesley, the cashier of the Chronicle,
when questioned on the subject, said:
N rpQUirp1
for preserving our game.
People are not IN the habit of shooting
on land where the owners are known TO
object to ii, aud IL seems unnecessary to
forbid cunning on swamp land where own
ers DO not care whether ii is trespassed on
or not. | consider the clause which advo-
Gates the payment of $40 for the arrest Of
suspected persons by County Sheriifs an
imposition. a short open season on deer
seems 10 me proper.
1T looks to me as If these amendments
were severe IN discriminating against the
poorer class of citizens. who enjoy days
sport just as much as their well-to-do
fellows. No. [ do no. favor the new bills"
Mr.. Murdoch, prominent in sporting and
banking circles, who Is ex-tlsh Comnis-
siouer, expressed himself as on the whole
IN faver of the bills. Said he:
81 have given careful study to these
amendments, and / consider they would
make excellent laws for the preservation OF
=
pass | believe that in two years every
SPORTSMAN in California will be delighted
with the result. The only means can see
for making the enforcement Of cur game
Laws effectual is contained in that clause
which makes it q matter Of financial adYan-
tage for Sheriff 10 arres; the yiolatoTs.
1T appears 10 me that these bills are very
carefully framed, and yuu'il find that large
proportion OF those Interested Will be in
favor of them"
Z. T. Allen, spoke ON the subject as fol-
lows:
Il should certainly object to the clauses
In these bills which make 1t legal to tax
citizens having guns IN their possession. it
is un-American in every sense, and would
furthermore be very oppressive tax TO the
many poor farmers OF the State who are
| compelled 10 keep guns.
II believe every man should be allowed
to shoot on the tide lands of the State and
! that we should have few months open
season for deer in the early fall. 1t doesn't
seem to me that these bills are worthy Of
! becoming laws"
Mr.. StackpOo was engaged at his Office Ia
| the Appraisers building but found time 10
! give the reporter a summary Of his views on
! the subject. lie said:
These bills are merely senseless reiter-
! ations OF our existing game LAVE. 1t would
| be well for the interests of the sporting
! fraternity could some clean-sweeping meas
/ ure Tor the protection OF our game be intro
| duced. but II seems unlikely that such will
| be the case this session.
Tine license clause, which forb DIS gun
| ming In any county except your own is
| particularly absurd and stands framed In
such manner as to defeat lis purpose 1t
gives man the right to shoot in an adjon-
| ing county, provided he can secure written
invitation to do so from landowner of that
county. Now, ii would be the easiest thing
| in the world for man owning say a fifty
vaTa lot in Alameda County 10 issue written
invitations for every sportsman in the State,
and they could go over and clean out the
whole section way down TO Milpitas.
THE whole idea Is ridiculous, and besides
these features there is the very evident fact
OF discrimination against the poor man.
/ do not fayo. these amendments in any
way"
C. D. Ladd, the Kearny-street gundealer,
Is also much opposed TO the bills.
81 consider them an imposition on the
public" said he. Their evident purpose
is to exclude all city people from parlicipa-
ton in legitimate sport This proposition
to place direct tax OF from 81 up to S25
on every gun would be an incaeuable
burden on the farmers and ranchers of the
State. all OF whom find a gun an absolute
necessity.
The whole bill is framed In the interest
OF few rich land holders, and will be sup