The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-07

TIE spo-tsrnsn OF Seattle are up In arms
against The passage o. the McAtea bin re-
viSing the game laws Ta}S bill was pre-
pared BY Marshall X Smell, Of Tacoma. as
chairman o. committee appointed al the
second annual meeting Of ne Washington
STATE SportsmeG's Associate ton. but II 5
Gained By local members that Snell has
acted as dictator IN the matter. utterly
ignoring the voice and sentiments Of King
county men interested IN saca matters.
TIE zntazoniSm 20 Smell ass been slowly
coming 20 a climax. and when Il was
learned through sns columns OF the Post
Intslhgencer yesterday morning that the
bill had passed 20 Us third reading in the
house there were loud protests Active
measures are being taken % send q repre-
sentative 10 Olympia 10 profess gainSt the
passage CT the bill in its present form. and
in The meantime &. B. Yandell. acting in
behalf % ali King county spoEtsmen, has
sent the following letter 10 Scion I.
Williams:
Some time in October last the Wash
ingion State Sportsmen's Association for
the Protection of Fish and Game net IN
Tacoma ana appointed a committee TO
draft amendments 70 the present game
laws. 10 b submitted for adoption 20 the
present legislature. The committee Was
composed OF three members. Marshall X
smell, of Tacoma. being It's chairman.
The committee was instructed 10 dT&ft
ms amendments anu sA1UlN lltA 10 kfsS
association and the sporfSmen thrcUghou
the state for approval Mr.. Smell, without
consultation with other members or the
committee or with any individual. quail
fled 10 assist him, has made a draft and
L has now passed 10 its third reading be-
fore the house.
This bill Was introduced by Mr.. Nc
Aztec at the request OF Mr. Smell. When
the draft OF the bin was completed a copy
OF the same was forwarded TO he sports
mems Association in this city. meet
ing was called. the bll was discussed and
amended so that il met with the require
ments OF game protection in tails state.
Instead OF acting upon The amendments
or giving them any consideration, Mr.
of his authority, ignored these amend
ments and has now presented the bill IN
It's original form, as above referred 10.
Il am requested, in behalf OF the sports
men of this city, TO make an emphatic
protest through our representatives from
this county 10 the adoption OF the bin as
presented. Ii Is not in any sense OF the
word an Improvement upon the game
laws az they now exist, and many clauses
of the bill are perfectly absurd; / refer
more particularly 10 the clause specify
Ing the open season upon quail and ducks.
There Is TO reason why the closed season
for quail should be extended 10 1850. A
law protecting these birds for i've years
from March, 1890 has just become mop
abundance 10 warrant their being taken
for many years 10 GENE without exter-
mination. The duck shooting season as
proposed by this bin will close on the lst
OF January. Ducks are a migratory bird,
frequently not arriving in this part OF the
country until November or December. and
never mating for breeding purposes ear
lier than the ist of April. 1t Is the desire
of sportsmen throughout the state that
the quail season open upon October the
LIST (the birds frequently not being able 70
fly a. the time that this bill permits their
being taken) and close January the 18th.
tha open season for ducks should be from
the 18th of August until the LIST OF April
''If you VIII give this matter your atten-
ton and oppose the efforts OF Mr.. Smell
in having this bill enacted into law, you
will earn the appreciation OF every true
sportsman in this vicinity. l write you
al the request OF the Sportsrnen's Asso-
citation, comprising about forty members
In this city, and they urgently appeal to
you as one of our representatives to as
sist 10 the extent OF your ability in pre-
venting the bill passing your body. IL
you can succeed IN having IL re-referred
TO the committee we viii attempt 10 send
repres entatives TO Olympia 20 confer with
them with a view OF having the bill
amended 10 suit existing conditions.
There IS not. / assure@you. selfish mo-
tive upon the part OF any individual con-
nected with this association. and our only
interest In this matter Is TO subserve the
best interests Of game protection"