The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-16

to sneer. He would also agree to an English
sparrow bounty Of cent head.
Senator Poor again rallied for the crow,
making gallant charge.
Senator Collins heIe declared in despair
that the Senate did not seem to know much
about crows. Rising In flight OF oratory,
said he: "Did any OF you ever plant an acre
of corn and see the crows pull 1t all up? mol
You are lawyers and dwell in cities, and
know nothing of the hardships of the poor
farmer. l am in favor Of no close time. l
am in favor of killing the crow; and If you
knew as much about the crow as do, you
would be. Why, l know Of two acres Of pota-
in Aroostook that the crows dug up, and
those those wO acres had potatoes ssnsnS %ere all
Gentlemen, you are lawyers mostly, we are
the sturdy yeomanry Of the country The
crows won't let us rest day or night and
then they get our crops. Relieve us. The
House that has Just passed that bill Is Is q
corn when they see it. But they have con-
sidered us farmers; and this body should do
the same"
Senator Haines- Now gentlemen this is
not only intended to do away with the crow,
but TO give the farmers the benefit of the kill
ing: The law is fixed so that the bounty comes
ON In April when the farmer has nothing to
do but kill OF his crows before beginning
the spring work. Now, If you take Of the
close time the fellows on the sea shore will
farmers. This bill is intended to protect the
farmers. Let us kill our crows"
Senator Libby said he would adopt the
suggestion of. the gentleman from Water
vile and would Withdraw his amendment,
and substitute another giving bounty Of
one cent on the head Of every English spar
row. Il do this" said Mr.. Libby, I'm good
faith. The sparrow Is not only nuisance
per Sc, but his example Is bad On the COM
munlty. He encourages fighting ia the COM
mil 10. L. k..1
children who collect on the curbstone to
watch his combats. The gentlemen from
the country do not seem to realize what a
nuisance the English sparrow Is to us In the
cities. And If the Senate will adopt this
amendment will support the bill"
from Cumberland.
1t was voted that when the vote on Sena-
tor Llbby's amendment be taken it be taken
by yeas and nays.
Senator Hinekley arose. He said there
seemed to be some misapprehensiOn as to the
habits Of the festive crow on the sea coast.
Now II the gentlemen were laboring under
an apprehension that it was easy to kill
crow on the sea coast they were mistaken.
A man and boy, with all the appliances
get two on the sea coast. We want to get
rid of the crows anyway we can, and am
not in favor of that close time. | believe
the English sparrow should also be killed
ana am In FAVOR OF the amendment OF the
Senator from Cumberland.
Senator Collins here said IL the amend
ment was in good faith he would agree to it.
He was in favor Of exterminating the spar
rows.
Senator Heath said If the sparrow amend
ment was adopted he would support the
bill. Scientific men were all agreed that the
sparrows were driving out the song birds
and the insect birds. The English sparrow
today is doing more than the crow to harm
the native birds. think lawyers do know
something about scientific facts as well as
farmers do, and lawyers know what hard
work Is, for the last ten years will put my
hours of work against the hours of work of
any farmer in the State.
Senator Libby here informed the Senator
from Somerset that he was acting in good
faith in the sparrow amendment.
Senator Walton said he would withdraw
his imputati0n that the Senators from Cum
berland and Kennebec were not acting in good
faith and admit that they were now convert
ed to the crow bounty bill, although he did
think their conversion knocked the c0nver-
sion OF st. Paul higher than a kite. Laugh
ter.]
Senator Poor made another effort to abol-
lsh the ''clOse time" clause. He had heard
from the Senator from Sagadahoc that the
crow was game on the coast as well as on
the farms, and he thought the dsherman's
boy should have chance as we'll as the
farmers boy.
The sparrow amendment was adopted 27
to 3 only Senators Freeman, Nash and Frost
voting nay.
An amendment was then passed to make
the title read for sparr0ws as well as crows
and the bill passed to be engrossed.