Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-09-20
COMMUNICATIONS.


AhC .
To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
Will you please publish the accompany
ing extract from a letter received in cor
respondence from Caroline F. Orne of
Cambridgeport, Mass. 1t pictures very
vividly the disgrace of Massachusetts, in
passing the iniquitous law for the destruc-
ton of the sparrows. Not only does it
cause untold sufferings to birds of every
kind, and harmless animals as well, but
boys trained to such cruelties will, as they
grow up to manhood, bring ruin and devs-
tation on the state and the country. Think
of such creatures as the future lawmakers
and citizens of our commonwealth.
After relating that little incident at
Washington, where Secretary Window
and another gentleman saved the drown
ing little sparrow in the fountain, she pro-
ceeds: t'But oh! how sad it is! Since that
wicked law the boys here band in gangs
and go about the streets with slings and
stones which they use openly and contin-
uously, Notwithstanding the law against
throwing stones in the street The birds
are harrassed and frightened and snatch q
hasty morsel and fly away with notes oi
terror.
The birds of various kinds are on theil
passage now, and no mercy for them. II
does not matter what bird the boys see
they aim at it. And as cruelty is of rapi6
growth, every dog and every cat and every
hen or dove they see is made to fly bowling
or screaming from brutal stone. These
gangs of boys are from eight to nineteer
years old-all bold, brazen, insolent ant
defiant.
These are the fruits of the evil seed sowI
| by the ignorant and thoughtless enemies o
| the useful, harmless sparrows.
What a pity that our governor, an Office
of the Society for the Prevention of Cruel
ty to Animals, did not veto that most un
| just bill!
| A vice president of the society," canno
understand it at all.* l think the onl
hope lies in humane education, and it mus
begin with our lawmakers.
Ny Indignation has been reused severa
times by seeing prizes offered to boys fo
obtaining subscribers to papers or maga
zines, of ''guns to shoot squirrels an,
sparrows and any small creatures"-an'
this in publications claiming to be teacher
of morality and noble living.
Did you see lament for the song spar
row from one who has studied the spal
row for sixty years, and says it is almos
impossible to distinguish it from the Eng
lish sparrowsa Their song at even in tn
coppices of Maine is like the worship of an
gels, and now, in transit, they will be kille
under this cruel Law. No wonder he say
'tit is bitter grief to him" We sa'
beautiful birds of passage to-day in ou
garden, seeking insect food from our tree.
Oh the pity of it! That the cry of justic
and humanity was so unhappily overborn
by the clamor of ignorance and prejudice.
Motel think the governors failure to veto IL
iniquitous law is very easily understood. 1t mu
! have arisen from the fear that if he did n,
please his constituents he would be in danger
| losing their votes. What is the untold agonit
on myriads of birds, and of numbers of harmle
animals; and the Decentralization of countle
boys, compared with his loss of office.
II. A. B. p.