The Minneapolis journal., 1901-03-01
PUSHED TOO HARD
Commission Men Object to Way Fish
Laws Are Enforced.
WARDENS ARE oVER-zEALoUS
So Say the Critics, at Least--They
Also Cite Few
Cases.
wARDENs ARE ovER-zEALoUs

The recent efforts toward the enforce
ment of the game and fish laws of the
state by the game wardens seems to be
stirring things up. There is much Wig
orous talk to be heard in protest, at any
rate.
The conhscation of fish in several re-
cent cases has given birth to a feeling
| of intense dissatisfaction among dealers
| in the twin cities and especially in Min
neapolis. They say the inspectors are
entirely too severe in their views of
what constitutes a violation of the law.
That the state itself sees that the applir
cation of the fish law is being pushed
| too hard is evident to some from the fact
that number of lots recently conhscated
here and in st. Paul have been returned
to the consignees. Yet the dealers aver
that the screws are put on SO tight as
almost to suggest some ulterior motive.
''AlI Is COntraband."
One of the largest dealers here says
emphatically:
In contradstinction from the general policy
of law which assumes the innocence of an Of
fender until his guilt is proved, the present
game and fish deputies work on the basis
that every shipment coming in is contraband,
and number of lots have been seized where
there was no evidence of illegal intent but
where the deputy thought or assumed that
there was something wrong. In such cases
the state turns over the shipment again, but
what of the consignee who has no end of
| trouble to get possession of what is his by
right, and who has no redress against the
state?
Other dealers expressed themselves in
terms even more severe. Levi Longfel-
low of Longfellow Bros. said his house
had no special grievance, but that It
had been put to considerable annoyance
of late. A lot of fish was recently con-
signed to this firm over the Great North
ern AS it failed to turn up on time, an
Investigation followed. The railway COM
pany simply produced receipt showing
the fish delivered to a deputy warden.
There is probably nothing in the law
compelling the deputy or the railway
company to notify a consignee that his
goods are about to be seized, but the
dealer thinks that he has reason to ex-
pect at least this courtesy. Mr.. Long
fellow said: @5
The provision putting the deputies on
salary basis and providing that the revenue
shall go to the state is a good one, but it
seems to us that it is beneath the dignityof
the state to enforce the laws on the assump-
ton that the local produce men are trying to
violate them or to connive at any trickery.
Mr.. Hopkins Talk.
E. F. Hopkins, vice president of the
| Produce Exchange, said:
There seem to be various opinions regarding
the intent Of the game and fish laws, and
every game warden seems to place his own
construction on the law. According to one
OF these wise deputies that fish which few
sportsmen care to pull out of the water, the
| pickeref, is lawful to catch, but unlawful TO
sell. The deputy wardens have within the
past week seized several barrels of crappies,
| their only warrant being the suspicion that
they were caught by fishers having say two
holes in the ice and two poles, instead of one
pole held by the hand.
Upon the appearance Of the shipper.
armed with papers prepared by st.
Paul attorney, they surrendered the fish.
Not every shipper can afford to follow
his fish to market and employ legal coun-
sci to defend his rights