Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-20

ssanehlp have aeeeAae0 the9e e1oeqp ard
resef saw sNo b1r1s oax e tesnev
~ away- 1hey ~ ki,led q ~ tfs1|
ehee. u \ Hese c1uei 10 - this than ~
spssa1 paissa evs, yosf fsRntng laad and
aecoy an uurdsf tAe p,er cfeuf A.
buk thsee hAs been rsvalessA ct fsehae
IN rs9ard "a thai sane csou. h was al
Win IL ths hlsekesa dye ia 1851. Tsday
1 hear h talksd al assssd thas b h . esA-|
tlsnan Areessd il eenvsaeisnAl hlack, 81
ftieal 70 the fnx0aR. scAveeeef u he
Ae1ds and shsy v1sA tAag - nsvef veoed
10 iscospoe,se zach I ~ On ~ slntutes q
cur Stais a16 yst 4 has NJ eeen rtpea2sd.
Tbs ssns hunsns secisC hat i = jsal-
ouaiy Ruaadirg all ~ week end ~ eeshls
sua iendef bisds in ~ Sat9 has net zen
hs to utees ! sinels pesesst
ssainst the Yoisoning OF the esos,
Look over the Ssase tseAsurefs bookp, and
there il noshing on them but CROW, cros.
CROW, hesds b. the tens, hundreds and
tAessaBds presented and ne bounty paid en-
them. Nov. let me briefly sumnaxise.
They pFesens sentiment and rest The nefits
Of THAR case on that. No Afxu0ents are
offered. DO facss adducsd. We. on the
ether hand. represent an organisation that
win protect Ill soets Of game from Ill sorts
Of cruelty and vaatoness. We have de-
sire to feed, shelter and prasec. the doves.
We agree no. to shoat them for 10 months
Of the year. We will BE- kind to them and
protecs them, aud. Mr.. Speaker. think
that II this same poor. dumb pigeon could
have q voice here today he would say that
he would prefer to live in luxury than to Be
born and reared In poverty and in disgrace
and to die an ignominious death - . tramp
and vssrant. laughter aud applause.
Mr.. Stesrns Of Caribou-I do not pro-
rose to insult the intelligence of the mem
bsrs q this House By makirg an argument
ayAinet what l regard ~ . moot frantic
attempt Of the gentleman from Lewiston
10 present here case which has absolutely
70 merit. The gentleman from Lewiston
ia his remarks Of yes.erday suggested that
he had been successful In several cases
upon this hoor and that he had been urged
by his friends not to espouse that palticu-
lar cause, or that side OF 1t, because II
might be unsuccessful. Now, suggest to
the gentlemen of this House that IL he had
listened to the advice Of good friends on
this matter be would not have presented
the case that he has. He says that this 10
q question Of sentiment on the part Of
those who oppose this law. and By his
frantic gestures. his talk, his argument,
would impress upon our minds that il 10
weak for US TO have sentiment. II 10
weak it 10 weakness from which I pray
God l may never recover IL recovery
would lead me to vote for q measure
which its very friends admit 10 for the pur-
pose Of sfofding pleasure. II will require
mrso than frantic gesture. more than
so,1s, more than denunciation to induce
me to say that sentiment 10 not properly .
matter for our consideration here. Do the
gentlemen of this House understand, in iss
bald and naked character, the nature Of
this proposition? Let me call your stten-
ton TO it for one moment because, 10 my
judgement, it 10 the only argument that
dis case needs and the only answer to the
eloquence that has been wasted. There is
nov upon the statues law which pro-
vides that pigeons shall net be shot cut of
X trap. The purpose Of the petitioners 10
to repeal that law so that there shall be
absolutely no restriction upon the wanton
aud willful desire Of persons to take the
lives Of innocent doves for their own graf.
ifcstion. A understand the case
presented by the gentleman from
Lewiston there 10 no proposition that these
pigeons shall be shot for use, but simply,
SIS understand his argument
Mr.. Nobie-If the gentleman will pardon
me will cay. Mr.. Speaker. that every pair
OF birds that has ever been shot from
trap has been marketed in Boston.
Mr.. Stearns-That WAS the unimportant
part Of the case that you left out, - l un-
derstand it. am glad 10 be informed that
there is some little exeuse for this practice
that IL 10 matter of consequence to these
members Of clubs tina. they may realize
something out of these pigeons by shooting
them and sending them to the markets.
The gentleman from Lewiston says that the
spirit Of the true sportsman il Immediately
aroused when he sights across his piece and
shoots at the fiying bird, and lie doesn't
understand why gentlemen object to that.
Nov, il 1t requires the spirit Of sportsman
to appreciate the destruction Of the helpless
captive, tame. sffectionste, never fearful
ct man, then pray God that may never
have the spirit Of = sportsman. He says that
it is called cowardly and devotes . great
portion of bis argument 10 the discussion of
that point. / say it is the sense of all re-
ined humanity that it 10 cowardly and
appeal to the sense Of this House upon that
very question. Compare the dove with the
game bird, and the argument Of the gentle
man doesn't hold. The dove il not game
bied. The dove is domestic 10 its instinct,
has lived with man for generations and Is
not afraid of him. You can no more com.
pare him with the wild bird Of the forest
than you can compare the domestic animal
with the wild beast. Now. in conclusion.
let me simply ask yon--I am not ashamed
,,f nd l, - &,
my judgement, will not be ashamed Of it
to regard this as question Of senti-
uaent of which we are all proud. Let il
not be said that within three days we
bave passed . bill which provides that
all the school teachers in this State
ANAL devote 10 minutes Of each week to the
teaching Of kindness to animals, and then
complete paradox that 10 shocking to
humanity, shocking to ell the finer senti-
menss Of our being, by repeating q law
which was passed for the purpose of pro-
tectiDg the most innocent of all the animals
on this earth.
Mr.. White Of Bsngor--I do not intend to
answer the gentleman from Lewiston in any
particular except in one state ment that he
has made in regard TO sporting clubs. The
gentleman from Lewiston is able and
eloquent, and II he had q good cause it
would be worth going good way to hear
him. I am very sorry that he has arrayed
himself on this matter as be has here today.
Now, l belong TO apoYting club in my
city. They have lust such rules Is he has
told about. have talked with members
Of that club and failed to fnd one Of
them that wjshed 10 have this law repealed.
| never saw pigeon shoot, but they have
clay pigeons and glass balls to practice
with and thar say it is sll they ask for snd
all they require. Now say, ss the gen.
slemsn from Caribou says. that IL 1t 10
sentiment it 10 the tight sentiment. il il the
sentiment Of the ladies' and gentlemen Of
the whole State that this Law should re-
main upon the statute book 40 it il, and
X certsiniy hope and believe
ihat there is hardly gentleman in
this House wh1 would want to vote
for the repeal Of this act, 20 that
think IL requires no eloquence Whatever
to prove 70 the members Of this House their
duty ia relation to 1t.
Mr.. Porter Of Bsueoy--I stood up q
moment ago and heard my friend shouting
out 'Q1astisn ~ after he had been talking
half an hour upon this matter. I don't
think Is was in very good tssts.
Mr.. Nobel beg the gentlemsn's par.
don.
Mr. porter-I stated the other day that l
didn't see any merit in the bill, and have
listened very attensively 70 the remssks OF
"a q