Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-08-13
WARM DISCUSSION
Prscipitatsd BY the West Virginia
Game Laws.
OHIO SPORTSMEN CLAIM IT IS I'M
FAIR AND WHEELING GENTLE
MEN ARE HELD RESPONSIBLE
THE LATTER CLAIM THE MEAS
URE THEY FATHERED WAS NOT
THE ONE ENACTED INTO STAT
UTE LAW.

Ohio sportsmen who have been in
the habit of spending part of the
hunting season each fall among the
mountains and streams of West Viz
ginia, have been greatly put out by
the law passed by the last Legislature
which practically excludes non-resi-
dents from gaming privileges in this
State. The law referred to requires
non-residents to pay license of $Z5
which, as stated, is looked upon as pro-
hibitory. 1t appears some OF the
sportsmen upon this side formulated
law and petitioned the Legislature TO
pass it. but they say the matter was
dropped and another law entirely diff
ferent than the one suggested was en-
acted into statute. These parties say
they never intended a law so drastic az
the one now in existence, and further
more, they disavow all responsibility
for it. However, that may be. The Ohio
sportsmen, as stated, are considerable?
irritated by the present state of affairs
and discussion is being carried on up
OF the subject through the American
Field. In this current number of that
Journal DR.. D. w Boon, of Bellaire,
sharply criticises two well known gen.
tlemen or this side of the Ohio, and
the reply will be awaited with no small
degree of interest by sportsmen on eth
er side of the river. Dr. Boone's let
ter taken from the Field is given be-
low:
BELLAIRE, o.
Editor American Field:-I see that
Messrs. G. 0. Smith and H. H. Nc
Weigh take exceptions to my article in
the American Field. I do not wish to
place the sportsmen of West Virginia
in false light, but to get at facts as
near as possible.
Mr. Smith had been asked on several
occasions if there was license charged
nOn-residents for hunting in West Viz
gfnia. He said not that he knew of.
and thought the report all a mistake.
Mr.. Smith stuck to the above until a
few weeks ago, when D. H. Darrah, of
Bellaire, O., showed him q copy of the
game laws of West Virginia. What
looks strange to a nonresident is, that
they should abandon their petition so
soon and not know what manner OF
legislation those backwoods Solons had
given them. Mr.. Smiths conversation
with Mr. Darrah and myself showed
that he was ignorant of the law that
had been passed. With the trouble of
getting up petition their energies
seem to have died.
Of course, it was only happy CO.
incidence that this masterpiece of Iegis-
lation was enacted on the opening up
Of of oIr I
give your negligence, gentlemen.
Mr.. H. H. McVeigh says the true
sportsmen, who keep dogs and guns for
hunting the smaller game, had nothing
to do with the law" | agree with Mr..
McVeigh that no sportsman would have
nything to do with such a law. AS it
now stands it shows the earmarks OF
selfshness. These gentlemen acknow-
ledge to signing a petition, but there
their labors ceased. Whose duty was it
to know the destiny of this petition,
the men who signed it or those who
did not? l think the gentlemen feel
grieved over the passage of such law,
but it is there just the same, and it
will be stigma on them and others in
their State until it is wiped from the
statutes.
Ohioans are glad to know that Mr..
Smith and Mr.. McVeigh have been so
generous in stocking Ohio with quails.
We presume, however that they have
killed their quota of quails west of the
Ohio and will be content to hunt in
their own State, making the generous
bag of twelve quails a day.
One question, and | am done: Is a
law constitutional that taxes a non-res-
ident and does not apply with equal
force to a resident of the State? The
injustice of such tax is more becoming
to some despotic form of government
than to a republic like ours. Will
someone versed in constitutional law
give us an opinion through the columns
of the American Field?
d. w BOONE