The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-03-14
MEN SUGGESTED
OTHER MEANS To
PROTECT GAME

Further hearing was had before tho
act TO prohibit the use or the pump or
automatic shotgun I'm hunting birds or
animals in this state
The chief speaker in opposition to the
measure was Thomas A. Marshall OF New
York. who appeared I'm the interests OF
one OF the large gun manufacturing con-
Germs. He said that the law should not
discriminate against the use OF any par
tfcular gun. but tf II was the desire 10
protect game and birds the size OF the
bag which may be killed on any one day
should be limited.
In relation TO the statements previously
made by G.. o. Shields in reference 10 the
use OF the gun. he said that Mr. Shields
was engaged in publishing magazine
which was supported by aims and that
he was In the habit Of going TO Helen
Gould Andrew Carnegie and persons OF
similar high standing 10 secure support
for his magazine because he opposed
the use OF the gun In hunting for birds
lie produced copy OF letter from
President Roosevelt in which Mr.. Shields
Is sharply called TO task for enormously
reporting an interview with the presl-
dent. The letter was as follows:
Sir II appears that you have purported
10 give an extended interview with me In
quotation marks, putting any expression
In th& first person so as TO make me re-
sponslble for both the thought and the
language. This Is inexcusable on your
part. At the time you called on me and
l talked II over informally with you the
question OF the preservation OF game and
OF wild life generally I'm it's various as
poets. I told you explicitly that while you
could state that / was in hearty general
accord with your efforts. you we're not 10
try 70 quote my language, and subse-
quently wrote to you repeating tbs
AS matter OF fact In what purports TO
be these quotations you in no case give
the exact language used. BY pretending
thus TO give 1t and by what you omit, as
well as what you insert that had not
said, you convey on certain points an en-
tirely false impression and you leave me
no alternative but To explicitly repudiate
your statement, which l hereby do.
Had you been content 20 say that YOU
gave the general sense OF what / said.
you would have done what you were au-
thorized TO do. But when you attempted
to give my exact words you not only did
what explicitly told you you should not
do: but you used language which / ex-
plicitiy told YOU was I'm no case accurate
Not one single sentence you quote In as
] said IT. Some OF the sentences are sheer
inventions. Others are inventions In part
and some OF the things / said were omit
ted. IT is unnecessary 10 characterize such
conduct on your part.
Yours. etc.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Mr. G.. o. Shields,
1853 B'dway. Room COL. N Y
Mr Marshall was followed by William
r. Clark. representing another large
firm OF gun makers. This speaker said
that while his firm did not manufac-
ture any OF the arms tabooed by the
act and did not intend 10 do so he and
his hrn was opposed 10 the act on gem
era principles because Il tended 10 re-
trict the gun makers industry and re-
tard the highest development OF the
art
He cited an opinion OF the United States
circuit court TO show that such n law
as was proposed hao been held to be
unconstitutional Both the speakers I'm
opposition to the measure stoutly main
tanned that the guns at which tho Ieeis
lation Is directed, I'm the hands OF an
eHiclent shooter are no more deadly than
the ordinary double baTelled shotgun.
MT Marshall. In answer 10 n question
by Mr.. Morgan OF the committee stated
that he considered the measure as aimed
directly at his firm. as Il was tho
only one engaged in the manufacture
or automatic shotguns
came commissioner Reed OF Kent
county appeared In behalf of the act
He said that ne had only used the g,,p
IN crusade against wild ducks with
decoys, but that it had proved so deadly
mat he had been able TO kill six birds
without reloading the gun.
lie argued that as be had demonstrated
the fact that II would throw 175 peIle,s
OF lead I'm the short space OF two seconds
II was an extremely deadly weapon Sew
erai others spoke in favor OF the meas