The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-28
IT Has NO FISH Law
M1NNESOTA'S NEW GAME LAW
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CARE
LESSLY DRAWN.
TIM BYRNES so BELIEVES
AND HE IS THE COUNSEL FOR THR
STATE GAME COMMITS
SION.
5ENsE FIGHT IS UP TODAY.
There VIII BE n Lively hattie foy
License on Some F1sh-POpn-
lated Shores

In spite of all the care that the 1eeis.
Iature took with the big game and
hsh law, it appears that a Woodchuck
got through almost as big as the hill
itself. There was some discussion when
the OIL was UP as to whether or not
the title should read for the preserva-
tlon' etc, of the game and fish "of the
state OF Minnesota" 1t was argued by
some that this should be added as the
ooard would have no Jurisdiction of
game from outside, without violating
the Interstate commerce act.
On the other hand it was argued that
whether or not those words were COM
prised in the title, the courts would
hold that the law only applied to the
game of this state, so that the title was
immaterial
A question has now arisen, however.
as to the right Of the state, under the
present law, to take steps toward the
regulation OF the pursuit Of fish in in
ternauonal waters. The assumption is
that game found in this state is the
property Of the state, even though it
may have come in by aerial or other
routes from adjoining states
There seems to be some question,
however, whether or not the state NAV
enforce this as to fish Caught in the
waters of international lakes and rivers.
which practically, of course. applies
principally to fishing on Lake of tha
WOODS. Hitherto, the state has re-
celVed large revenue from the sale
or net licenses on the American shores
OF Lake of the Woods Now, however
1t Is given out that the Baltimore Pack.
ing company, of Minneapolis. which
has dealt in the fish thus taken almost
entirely, will sell fish taken in inter-
national waters without regard to the
claims Of the state game and fish COM
mission, and in fact, T. E. Byrnes, at
torney for the commission, yesterday
advised Executive Agent Fullerton that
IN his opinion. the commission was
helpless to prevent the sale Of fish
taken in such waters
Indirectly at least this internreta-
tlon OF the law practically effects the
purpose of the entire measure so far
as hsh are concerned, for unless a
poacher is caught in the act Of taking
fish from Minnesota inland lakes. there
would seem to be nothing to prevent
MN from maintaining that the fish
were taken in international waters. and
thus escape any penalty. This, among
other topics, will be likely to precipitate
a bitter disagreement at today's meet
ing OF the game and fish commission in
the Fire and Marine building The an
nual allotment Of fishing grounds ia
the big companies will be made and
licenses will be issued for pound nets.
There are eight applications for pound
nets to date. as follows: Minnesota
Fish company, fifty nets; Sandusky
Fish company, fifty nets; Baltimore
Packing company, fifty nets; H. P. AS
mus & Son, ten nets; Coffee Brothers
q Co., twenty-five nets; Charles Zittel.
ten nets; John Haas, fourteen nets:
Bcstdet Brothers, twelve nets. or the
foregoing concerns all are believed to
be "on the square," save the Mime
sofa Fish company, which is. accord
ing to the belief Of members Of the
commission, simply a blind for the
baltimore Packing company. Under
the law no one company can operate
to exceed fifty nets in Lake of the
Woods. The Baltimore company has
applied this year for it's fifty, as usual.
but would be glad to operate at least
fifty more. Executive Agent Fullerton
said yesterday he had no doubt thai
the Minnesota Fish company had been
organized in order to give the Balti-
more company this extra privilege. In
fact one Of the stockholders in the
alleged company, a man who IS very
close TO Mr.. Fullerton, politically and
personally, finally admitted when press
ed for an answer, that he had gone into
the deal for consideration. It was
the belief Of the men who were respon-
sible for the new company that Full
lerton would yield a point when he saw
that his best friends were interested.
But in this they were mistaken. Out
Of list Of about eight stockholders in
the Minnesota Fish company four or
five were, it is believed, selected because
ecutive agent. The battle will lie fought
out today. At it's last meeting the
game and fish commission agreed that
the Minnesota Fish company was O
make-believe, a blind" a straw COM
pany, and voted to allow 1t to select
it's fishing grounds latter all other ap-
plicants had been satisfied" If this
ruling is adhered to, the company will
not be able to do much for the BaIti-
more company, which Is understood to
be back Of it.
The stockholders mentioned in the
application of the Minnesota" COM
pany are: G. r. Heneage, Of Duluth;
A. L. Warner, E. E. Fisher, w. T.
Brown, w. L. Frazer and Il. A. Goth
arin, Of Duluth, and C. G. Nielsen, a
more or less famous caviare dealer Of
Sandusky, o.