Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-04-26
THE BIRDS AND THE CHINESE

opening our arms to the scum Of Europe,
OF whom we make citizens in indecent
haste, when they know less of Republican
institutions and their responsibilities
than the Father of Lies ,nows of truth
Kate Fields Washington.
Taking the above for text the bril-
liant editor of the Salt Lake Tribune
pens the following striking allegorical
editorial, as beautiful in its imagery
as it is apt in its application at the
present time when the whole Pacific
coast is waiting anxiously for the re-
enactment of the Chinese exclusion
law:
Did the gifted editor of Washing
ton ever hear the story of the birds
1t was of i'm an island i'm a far off sea.
There was much sunlight there, and
there were larks and robins and linnets
and nightingales and orioles and turtle
doves and all manner of singing-birds.
Among the Test was a wise old owl and
one evening just as he was getting up
and other birds were about to retire. he
called convention to discuss the situa-
ton, and made speech before the con-
vention which ran something like this
Ladies and gentlemen: Things have
got to an unbearable pass on this island.
so lazy race of people never before con-
gregated together. 1t is singing, singing.
singing in the sunlight from dawn until
evening. The homework is illv done.
Mrs
the rest neglect their families and their
household duties, and meeting on a limb
in the shade, they sing the whole after
noon away. Mr.. Lark, Mr.. Robin. Mr.. !
Nightingale and Mr.. Turtle-dove have all |
grown so trifling that they do not half
build their nests, and even Mr.. Yellow !
hammer has grown to be as improvdent |
as though acorns could be gathered all |
the year round. | move for reform. | |
am told that in an island far across the |
sea there is little brown bird called the
sparrow, who is always at work. who never
gets to loafing with his neighbors. who is
the soul Of thrift, who never gives I'D the
contract of building a nest until it is fin
ished, whose patience and faithfuness
would be an example Of good to all. Since
we have been here we have permitted the
wren, the blackbird, the hooking bird
and whole host Of other birds. not so
thrifty even as ourselves, to come among
us, so our country Is being overrun with
them. | move that we send an embassy
and invite the little brown bird to come
and live with us, to practice with us, for
an example for our children, it's thrift,
and its industry and to give to honest
labor that responsibility which belongs to
1t. Further, l am told that this little
brown bird lives exclusively on worms
and bugs and flies, which otherwise would
destroy the fruit which grows spontan-
eously for u.s.
linen the nightingale in reply sug-
gested that the community was getting
along well; that it had plenty of food;
that 1t had time to cultivate the arts:
and pointed out how much the robin
and the lark and wren had improved
In their music since they reached that
island that even some of the black
birds had become white-or, at least
their children; and that the tendency
in that free land was toward advance ]
ment. But the nightingale was
frowned down by the solemn owl. and
when the matter was put to a vote the
owl carried it, and an embassy was
sent far away over the sea to invite the
little brown bird to come aud make its
home on the island.
After awhile the first delegation
came. When they asked for quarters
they were given an outside tree I'm the
forest, and sure enough they went to
work with will they had their nests
built; they worked early, and work,
work, work was the order of the day {
until just as the sun was setting. when S
they would congregate in their tree {
and talk over the affairs of the dav and v
make plans for the next day. And so '
things went on for good while, until
finally pair of robins who were i'm the ?
n axt tree were found to be moving one P
and when asked what the v
matter was, they insisted that, while I
hey were willing to admit the thrift.
he economy and industry of the little .
'rown birds, there was something =
bout them which they could not bear !,
hat they interfered with their songs, :,
nd that they were not careful about y
he reserved rights of others that they :.
i'd not wish to have any confusion or =
rouble, they were going to the other :,
de of the forest. The robins said =.
lrther, in whispers, that another rea- -