Norwich bulletin., 1919-04-16
During 1896 and 1897 the association

During 1896 and 1897 the association was overwhelmed with applica tons for tournaments, d change from the day of small things, and proof that a good thing needs only to be pushed vigorously and it's doings kept in the public eye.
 "In 1898 and k999 continuad growth wa sshown. The association received the Macedonian call from all cardinal points for tournaments, as all sec
 tions had now awakened to the eX- cellence of it's methods, and though tn are were, and always will be, clubs that were quick to pirate it's methods, giving no credit, their action was an acknowledgment of the associations work and methods. Its triumph like a city set upon hill, could not be hid. Everywhere the growth and success of the organization were re- Garded as phenomenal
 ''Th yeaar 1900 marked the intro duction of a new event-the Grand American Handicap at clay targets which proved a desideratum not orig inally contemplated. This year and 1901 were very successful.
 ''Thn grand American Handicap at | live birds was held in Kansas City Mo-, ill 1902, and that the West was fully alive to the departure wus proven by the entry list, there being 1 456 contestants. This list of en- trants would have appaHad any other :! Organization. Nothing resembling it was ever before witnessed. The
 tournament was run eff as smooth 1 ly as the earth swings in it's orbit l everything appertaining to the shoot baing subject to the law of gravita- 1 ton enacted by the management. Someone said it couldn't be done. but
 as the darlly said at the watermelon eating contest, those engagad done gone and done it.
 End of Live Bird Shooting While 1902 marked the highwater mark of entries in live bird competi- tion, it also marked the and of the Grand Amreican Handicap at live birds. Sensational journalism sue ceeded i'll inf1aming a great many people into what they thought was a divine frenzy against live bird shoot ing, and they stirred up legislatures which are often made up and unmade by a clamorous minority, to adverse action. In view of the sentiment it seemed polite to drop the Grand American Handicap at livn birds in order that prejudice might not be aroused in all States, ill many Of WHICH adverse leg Id llOn naO dIreaOS been secured.
 1903, 1904 and 1905 was so great that tha Grand American Handicap at clay targets was not equal to public demand in respect to geographical | sectoins; that is to say, trapshooters 1 had so multiplied in all sections that each of the natural divions of the United. States felt it was compel ant | to support a tournament of it's own
 on the broad lines of the Grand | American. The association arranged
 for these tournaments in 1906.
 The registered tournament idea came through in 1908 When the as i sociation authorized the registration | of tournaments many persons pos sassed misgivings to the outcome of the venture. The idea no doubt la l objectors even to this day but they are overwhelmed in the wake of it's
 success. This is easy to und arstand when one takes a passing glance at 1 the working of the plan. The regis | tered tournament trade mark placed on a trapshooting evant gives the shoot the dignity and importance in cident to good auspices and, as regis tratin canot be secured just for the
 asking, the shoters know that the l methods and | guarantee that the
 competition is worthy of their conf :
 dence and support, The registered tournament plan has put trapshootine on the same plane as baseball. golf tannis and other sports of quality
 Since 1909 many notable achieve ments have been accomplished and
 many knotty problems have been
 solved, but the activities of the as sociation in thnse later years are toe
 well know nfor me to go into detail on them.
 Success Through Fair Dealing
 The success of the Interstate Trap pshooting Association has beer due to good management an dfidelity in it's dealings with sportsmen. Pro gressiveness and liberality have ever
 been it's policy It has popularized
 and brought the highest degree of
 responsibility to tropshooting as a
 gantleman's sport; it has brought
 into action large numbers of new trapshooters-all trained to war fol world freedom. 1-la tournaments have been great schools of instruc- ton mad the rules have gained a na- tional acaptance. The association filled a national need and trapshoot ing in every department has beer | standardized in all that is whole
 some and in all that makes for the best sportsmanship.
 ''Thera will b emore need on en- ergetic promotion of trapshooting ir the future than in the past The
 game supply and game areas are con- stantly diminishing. caused by the
 rapidly increasing population and the croachments of agriculture on thC
 breeding grounds and habitat Of the
 bird and big game the excessive