The Portland daily press., 1889-02-09
THE PEST OF THE CORN FIELD.
Thlrty-ThIrd Degree Farmers Make
Him a subject of oratory
And Vote a Bounty Of 10 Cents a
Head to His Executioners.
wit, Wisdom and EIoquence In the
Maine Legislature.
Especial to the Press. ]

Especial TO the fress.l
AUGUSTA. Feb. S.-The farmers of the
House of Representatives (and every men,
Der was farmer today, INDUCED In crow
hunt. They made it very hard day indeed
for the crow. Scarcely friend did the poor
bird have They branded him as a robber,
thief, assassin, general enemy Of mankind,
put a price upon his head, and prescribed his
friends so that even they turned against him
on the final vote. The bounty bill is as fol
lows in its principal section. 1t will be OBJ
served that it is very liberal, and will no
doubt be more of god-send to the idle fell
lows who tramp around In the fall with guns
over their shoulders than to the farmers or
the State:
bounty of 10 cents for every crow killed 10
any town in this State, betS cen the LIST day of
March and the first day of November OF each year
shall be paid by the treasurer thereof to the per-
son depositing, in lots Of ten or more, the heads
Of the same, such treasurer. The treasurer
shall Immediately destroy such heads by fire.
Farmer Pattangall 1882, Of Pembroke,
came up first to move that the bill be indef-
nitely postponed. He campioned the cause
Of the crow in graceful speech.
Farmer Hovey of Pittsfeld, opposed.
Farmer Hoyey is the youngest member Of
the House. but he went at the crow with a
speech that the oldest debater might have
been proud Of. Mr.. Hovey is bright young
lawyer and he only farms occasionally in
cases like this.
Farmer Hail c. Burleigh, wanted to strike
out the last two words Of the bill which re-
quires the town treasurer to destroy the
heads by fire, and he moved such an amend
ment.
Farmer Wakefield, 1897. of Bath, next
arose to propose the following amendment:
That all these heads be canned, and furnish
ed to the hotelkeepers at Augusta free of
cost [Uproarious laughter
Farmer Allen, of Mercer-"There has
been considerable fun over this measure, but
there Is after all more of good in 1t than any
other measure that might be passed in favor
OF the farmer. You appropriate money for the
farmers college and do good many other
things that the farmers do not thank yon
Tor. Here is measure the farmers will
thank you for passing. In Mercer the crows
are terrible pest, and are so thick that they
can be shot by man riding in wagon"
Farmer Foster, of Stetson, said he intro
duced the order which had led to this bill.
The crows were awful marauders in Chester
vile, pulling corn and potatoes and eating
large quantities Of apples, having an
especial liking for the finest grated fruit.
Farmer Taylor of Unity was against the
bounty system. He thought If crows were
SO thick as the members were telling about
the farmers could shoot enough to satisfy
themselves without the stimulus OF a
bounty.
Farmer Turner, of Somerville, wasin favor
Of the bill 1t would be great benefit to his
constituents. for the crows were undeniable
pests.
Farmer French of Chesterville, said the
gentleman from Unity seemed to think that
1t was an easy thing to get up in the morning
and shoot dozen crows or SO; but he re-
minded the gentleman that to do this it was
necessary to get up as early as the crow
did.
Farmer Cloutier, 1889 lof Lewiston, arose to
champion the crow. Said he: II think the
crow is the most important bird that we
have. Every farmer looks in the spring to
see his coming in order that he may know
when to plant his crops. Then the crow is
comes in broad daylight singing a beautiful
song, [laughterl and he goes right to work
pulling the worms. What If he does pull up
a few hills Of corn in doing this good? Now
In State where we dou't even hang for
head of the crow. Why man can shoot all
the crows he wants to without punishment,
and you want to pay him something for do
ing it."
Farmer Barker 1881 said there were good
many men who are always talking about the
.,
when the farmer wants relief of this kind,
ridicule the measure in every way in their
power. Mr.. Barker said he was not a farm
or, and did not know much about crows, but
he thought this bill, asked for by farmers
from all parts Of the State and reported from
the agricultural committee, should have re-
spectful consideration. He proposed two
one to reduce the bounty
live cents, and the other to make October the
limit instead of November.
Farmer Z. p. Cole of Brooklyn. said one of
the principal things his constituents wanted
him to do was to get bounty on the crow,
who was most pestifer0us fellow down in
Brookly. He pulled corn, dug potatoes,
stole the ripened corn and grain.
The amendment striking out the words
''by fire" passed.
Then Farmer Pattangall 1881 said he had
been convinced by the argument of Farmer
Barker 1882 and would withdraw his motion
to postpone indefinitely.
Then Farmer Cote of Biddeford, attacked
Farmer Barker's five cent amendment He
said that under that amendment man
would have tC shoot 20 crows to earn a dol
lar. That he thought would be altogether
too hard way to make dollar.
Convinced by this logic Farmer Barker
1897 at once withdrew his five cent amend
ment.
Then Farmer Curtis of Perkins attacked
the October amendment, saying that crows
did as much damage in October as any other
time, and Farmer Barker 1882 at once with
drew that amendment also.
Farmer Robie, who was about to oppose
the amendments, arose and said this was all
he wanted.
Farmer Talbot 1882, of East Machias, then
said that in his long experience his consti-
tuents had long been accustomed to refrain
from giving him any instruction, trusting
rather IN his judgment to do what was right.
Now KNOW" said he, in this case no
haff fhor 10 fob fhs Ho&&
of the Agricultural committee. ! know of
no blped better able TO plead its own cdtuS
than the crow. don't propose to plead for
it. The last thing that happened before |
came away was the visit to my house of
neghbor who asked me to do all l could to
get bounty on crews. They had pulled out
his potatoes and were pest generally. |
hope this will pass"
Farmer Forrest Goodwin, 1887, Of Skowhe-
gan, moved that the vote be taken by yeas
and nays, and the motion was carried by a
marrow vote as some OF the members seemed
victory for the friends of the bill, the vote
being as follows:
Farmers who voted yeas
Adams of Belgrade, Achorn, Allen of
1891, Bennett, Berry, Bird, 1881. Brooks,
1897, ,p Chapman; clason, Issol; ClossoR, Cole,
Dame, Dane. 1897, Danforth. Dickey, Dineley,
Doe, Doe, ERgeI [FssssSl Ferguson; Field. Fiske,
Frees G4 Gordon SSss GrRas fsePfS e Ra
lowell, Hamilton, Hanley, Harrington, Hawkins,
of Mars Hill, Holbrook, Hoyey, 1887, Hutch
ins, Jordan of Webster, Jordan of Waltham joy,
Keegan, Kneeland, Lamb, Linnell, Littefeld,
Michaud, Mitchell, Moore, 1881, Morrill,, Morse.
Moulton of Parsonsfeld, Moulton Of Wales,
Murch, Nash, Nealey, Newcomb, Newton,
Pattangall, 1897. Peaks, 1881, Pendieton, Per,
kins, Plummer, Poor, Pottle, Purington, Race,
Record, Robie, Robinson, Ross, Shaw. Sheahan
sweetzer, Taylor 1881, Taylor, Thomas,
Thurlow Tilton, Turner, Tyler, Yickery,
rem Of Deer Isle. Weed, Wentworth, Wheeler
Whitten of Lee, Whitten of Portland, Wilbur,
Winter, Wing, Wiswell, 1887, Woodsum.
Farmers who voted nay-Chaplain, Cloutier.
T33ol Cook Edqecomb, Eells, Fox GIover