San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-30
GAME PROTECTION.
GIVE CREDIT TO WHOM CREDIT is
DUE.
Bold Attempt to Steal Somebody's
Thunder.

10 the Dally LIGHT:
For some time past / have been
reading with considerable interest
several announcements to the ef-
feet that the San Antonio Gun club
proposed to go into the game pro-
lection business with renewed
vigor and energy.
Every week for the past two
months there has appeared in the
columns Of the Express startling
statement that the gentlemen
sportsmen" who compose the MEM
bership of the club have girdled
up their loins, spat on their hands
and nerved themselves with big
nerve for the purpose OF annihilat-
ing, at one fell swoop every market
hunting individual In the state.
Judging from the tenor OF the
articles Aforesaid, a casual reader
would naturally infer, that there
is but one fountain head to the
stream of game protection, and
that 1t is located right in the mid
die of the directory of the San An
tonic Gun club. But such Is not
the case. Not that l want to say
that the San Antonio Gun club is
not in favor of game and fish pro-
tection-not at all. But desire to
announce that "there are Others"
I say that the San Antonio Gun
club has not done solitary thing,
either during the past or the just
previous session OF the Legislature
to influence the lawmakers at
Austin to pass the laws necessary
to further protect the fish and
game of Texas.
Two years ago Mr.. John Gilbert,
Of Houston, formerly of San An
tonio), organized the Harris Coun-
ty Game Protective association,
which organization put an effectual
stop to chicken shooting out of
season. This organization, togeth-
er with the representatives from
Harris and Bexar counties, and
your humble servant, caused
new game bill to be prepared and
presented to the Legislature, and
that bill was defeated by only
seven votes.
II the great San Antonio Gun
club had then resurrected the
dormant desire to "protest Bob
white" il they had swallowed Ger
tain prejudices and put their
shoulder to the wheel, and brought
to bear all the pressure they could
at that session of the Legislature,
then we might have succeeded in
our efforts.
Again at the last session, 1 con-
ferred with our able representa-
tive Mr.. Blair and gallant Perry j.
Lewis, and the result was the In.
deduction of a game bill which
passed both the House and the
Senate. The Senate had agre ed by
vote to adjourn at a certain time,
and the official clock had been
turned back one hour in order to
allow sufficient time for the en-
grossment of q certain bill. Sena.
tor Lewis addressed the chair,
Nieut. Gov j ESTER and asked that
the clock be turned back another
half hour, in order to validate the
game bill, and he made brilliant
appeal to the chair, which was de-
MED with the remark that he
"did not think the bill of
sufficient Importance to tho people
of Texas to warrant such pro-
cedure."
Not one member OF the San An
tonic Gun club thought even of
offering a measly resolution thank
ing the representatives of Bexar
county for their gallant services in
the line of game protection. The
Hons. Perry Lewis and r. +. Blair
were entirely overlooked and to-
day with supreme arrogance the
"oracle" OF the San Antonio Gun
club announces that they propose
to protect the game; that they
propose to organize the gun clubs
OF the state, and that they together
will prosecute the question to a
successful issue.
Had the San Antonio Gun club
then poured its volley in the right
direction, then it might have re-
suited differently. Ii these "promi-
nent men," composing its member
ship, had spoken then, the result
would have been different.
During all these efforts to enact
the proper game laws the only
body in the state that raised a fin
ger was the Texas State sports
mems association, and it did
1t through the writer. Not
letter was received by either Mr..
Blair or Senator Lewis on the sub
ject, from anyone else.
Now, what is all this buster
about? Why this sudden and tar
dy burst OF Indignation at the vio-
lations OF the game law. Do the
blusterers see that the Legislature
of Texas is nearly ripe for the pas
sage of game law? And do the
gentlemen desire to step in and ap.
propriate somebody's thunder? 1t
looks like it.
But then, IL all this buster will
only result in some good, l will say
"amen, "but 1 am very much afraid