New-York tribune., 1907-11-12

HONEST ANGLERS UNITE
Organize Under Patronage of Mr.
Roosevelt and Mr.. Cleveland.

Under the patronage of President Roosevelt s,a
ex-President Cleveland national association =.
honest anglers was formed last night at the Arns-
tcan Museum Of Natural History The occasgo-
was conference. or convention. OF anglers caueh,
IN a dragnet all over the country.
The meeting was presided over by Or. Henry VA,
Dyke. of Princeton. He spoke the "True Snort.
ing Spirit and ended his address with plea "a,
more sportsmanlike angling and for greater prots,
ton for food and game fishes than has hithe-to
been the case. 1t this plea and the isAA
sprinsing from it, apparently spontaneously for
national protective organization that resulted =,
the appointment OF the first committee to perfect
the body.
After making his speech Dr. van Dyke read n.
letter Of President Roosevelt. which follows:
The White House
Washington. October a.
present at the honest anglers convention hs %
as cannot. write wish you godspeed in you:
vention stand for true sport Of high standard
Of out Of door life and Of natural history and sIs
to any form Of wastefuI destruction. You stand
for the promotion and the support OF laws to pro-
those who keep the law. You encourage the spiri,
of fair play You insist upon doing your fishing
IN straightforward. spOrtsmanlike fashion and voI
IN every way discourage the noxiOus for rec
The latter I consider especialiv iTnpoTta14 ,TS
are few things which naturalist and a spOrtsrna1
wasteful slaughter. To make a very large 6ag
& T,fiutT or OF 6Ser or prairie chicken OF ducks or
to De ashamed and not to boast Sincerely yours
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Before reading ex-President C1eveland's letter r-
van Dyke said that probably other subject eouls
be found upon which the opinions OF the Presfdept
OF the United States and the only other living man
who ever held that office could be expressed with
such unaninty. Ex-President Cleveland wrote.
My Dear DR.. van Dyke: You know so well ths
currents OF my piscatorial thought that need not
assure you of the pleasure il would afford me to
MohCay evening since THIS IS denied me- and since
you are to speak OF the true sporting spirit, may
presentation Of your topic 9u hold bret ' f1 m me me
as wen as thousands OF other anglers?
II anglers are 10 retain honorable place in ths
EFFORT must be - save ffeseIep an5 b eGns.sns
generation from the decentralization OF fishing hog
gerry and to preserve and transmit 10 those who
wholesome limitations which belong 70 their craft
Trey can adopt no motto better descriptive OF What
their design and purpose should be than IS found IN
the following language, taken from the invitation
or anco,r,ya - a.7Cv,+;O,,
which will make the wholesale slaughter cS fsh
GROVER CLEVELAND
DR. van Dyke said that he did not preside at ths
meeting because he had caught more hsh or bigges
fish than any one present, but because his pTO-
fession imposed a strict limitation upon him in
telling fish stories. He said the true sportsman
was who found hts recreation IN a fair and
exciting effort 10 get something that - made for
human Use IN a way JndI Involves some taglSllp,
a little risk good deal OF skill and patience and
plenty OF outdoor life. He said the sportsman
represented what was left OF mans ancient neces-
sity the bow and the spear and the hook
and the line obtain the food which nature had
put within his reach. but not into his possession
Dr. van Dyke then took Up the destruction %
forests. and especially in connection with the
making Of paper TIe said that no cheapness of
paper could compensate for the destruction Of ths
forests. which were the sheItering sources os
springs He contended that the human race would
not profit II all the paper manufactured through
the destruction OF forests were made into school
books
Every sportsman. said the speaker. should favor
good game laws and keep them. He must not bs
greedy and Unsuitable and do for the hsh what tbs
Indian dill for the buffalo said that an angIe-
who would he true sportsman must not be surs
Of landing every fish he hooks Il should not be 4
question Of how many. but of how 70 persuade
reluctant trout from the bottom OF the stream 70
seize the fy. He should not want TO take a large
number Of fish. but fair number IN a fair way.
He said the sportsman to advance beyond his
ancestors must hold himself 10 strict account for
his own game and fish; he be a game
butcher, a fish hawk must take no more than
was necessary for food for the use OF those
about him: must not measure his success by the
number taken. but by the pleasurable excitement
enjoyed and the good done in the development of a
healthy manhood II would also be ar advance on
his ancestors IL the sportsman would recognize ths
fact that has sport for him not necessity but
recreation. and that he should reduce his tackle
ways uncertain.