Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-07-23
KNOCKOUT FOR THE
SPRING SHOOTERS
Money to Enforce Migratory
Bird Law Will Be Provided
by Congress.
HARD ON K. O. CLIQUE

1t is announced in Washington that
the appropriation for enforcement OF
the Federal Migratory Bird Law has
been passed by congress. This is
distinct setback for the interstate
Sportsmens Protective association OF
Kansas City, who have been putting
up fight against this law, which
means so much benefit to all classes
of the community. The opposition
has been chiefly conferred around few
special sporting interests whose
sport" was interferred with by the
regulations made by the Department
of Agriculture.
Law Increased the Game.
The Federal Migratory Bird Law
passed in 1918, was great step for
the preservation of our migratory
birds. Regulations under this law,
made by the Biological Survey at
Washington, forbade the killing OF
song birds at any time, but permitted
the shooting of wild fowl as game
and for food under reasonable restric-
tons. The longest open season pos
sible for the preservation OF the birds
were given. These regulations gave
better shooting, more birds that came
earlier and stayed later in the fall
because they stopped the spring
shooting which would soon destroy
all birds and which had already great
ly reduced the numbers. Sportsmen
and market gunners agree that the
present regulations have greatly in
creased the game and the legitimate
opportunities of the hunters.
Opposition is Busy.
There is, however, opposition to
the closing of spring shooting in the
middle Mississippi valley, Kansas City
and St. Louis being the centers
whence various types of indictments
have sought to regain spring shoot
ing. Systematic work is being done
by predatory interests" from liquor
dealers to bankers, to use the sport
ing privilege to transform wealth in
to special privilege and this into poll
teal influence. The ignorant gunner
is misled by the boasts of these men,
and the hospitality of shooting clubs
is used by "the man higher UP" who
wishes to swap ducks for votes. The
system now permeats Kansas City and
St. Louis and claims to control game
legislation at Jefferson City and even
befogs national congress at Wash.
ington. Every type OF personal
pique and political animosity is mar
shalled to support feeble and falla-
cious arguments and to discredit the
Biological Survey and nullify its regu-
lations.
What Kansas City Wants.
Plainly stated, the chief argument
put forward by the Interstate Sports
mems association of Kansas City, is
that if an association has once leased
place for shootinh purposes, it has
the right to shoot ducks "at the only
time they are there" regardless of the
nations laws to the contrary, and if
this claim Is questioned they bring to
its support all the power Of great
wealth and political organization.
What they want to do is to shoot
ducks in the spring when they are
mated and breeding, because with the
dry weather Of latesyears ducks have
not come to their private shooting
places in sufficient numbers in the
fall. In spite of the fact that shoot
ing in the spring will soon bring about
condition when there will be no
ducks left, spring or fall, they put
their selfish desires above the COM
mon welfare. rt pfc.
True Sportsmen for Law.
The great majority of voters and
the personal friends and we'll wisher
deplore the results of the systematic
campaign of transformation which
has so misled their congressman as to
the opinions and desires of the ma
jority Of their constituents and the
true continent-wide interest of the ma
ton.
1t is plain case where the interests
of few individuals who desire to
perpetuate special privileges to shoot,
must be curtailed for the benefit of
the public. There can be no question
as to the wisdom of supporting the
federal law protecting migratory
birds, and the state and federal Of
ficials entrusted with this duty.