Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-08

FLYING LOW.
With these instructive examples be-
fore them the birds Of passage this
year are flying unusually low. There
is n strong trade wind from Porto
Rico which affects the political atmos-
phere In the West and Northwest, in
dicating q storm OF unusual severity
The birds are somewhat wild. There
is q fluttering in the weeds along the
Wabash. and Il Pickering among the
hawks In Iowa foreboding trouble.
Aside from this, there are loud cries
around the head waters of the Missis-
sippi and along the Northern border
The plaintive notes of pewits astray
come from q hundred different direc-
tions.
The outlook is by no means encour-
aging. The only bird who has reached
Indiana in tiptop condition seems to be
Edgar D. Crumpacker. His safe ar
rival is said to have given great salts
faction to eX-President Benjamin Har-
rison and other fowls, alleged to be
sagacious. James e. Watson. who
potted the veteran William S, Holman,
in 1896. took bee line for home sew
eral weeks ago, and made a strong
flight, but was swerved from his course
by the trade wind from Porto Rico,
and became lost In the midst of public
opinion. He secured a denomination,
however. and is confident OF winging
his way back to the House. Other
Hoosier birds are carrying welter-
weights. and it will be more than sur
prising If all return to the coop. There
are only few fedglings among them.
Most are swift of wing, and accustom-
ed to long flights. The eloquent Lam
dis, the sage Overstreet. and the SOL
dierly Steele, meantime. are not be-
yond danger as long as the trade wind
continues to sweep the praries. They
were backed by heavy majorities two
years ago. Hemenway, Faris. Cromer,
and Abraham Lincoln Brick had much
more slender majorities, and may fall
by the wayside. AS for James NJ Rob
inson and his little flock, no Caribbean
sirocco can effect them.
A HAPPY PROSPECT.
In Illinois the prospect is still more
hazy. One of the oldest birds, George
w. Smith. is said to have lost his bear
ings, and is still circling over the Cairo
district seeking a permanent roost.
AS for William A. Rndenberg and 9TH
ers IL is said that the most of them
will secure denominations. but many
wings will be clipped. and no man can
accurately predict the outcome. Only
those who escaped the unhealthy Porto
Rlcan breeze seem to be urtroubled.
I'm Iowa the condition seems to be
worse. The Legislature is squirting
hot water. and some of the birds are
already scalded and ready to pluck.
Joe Lane was paired against the Porto
Rican bill. and came home safe and
sound The four leaders of the flock
are Henderson, Hepburn. Dollivcr and
Hull. All are fortified by large ma
jorities. Buzz the fate OF Lemuel Eli
Quigg, of New York, teaches sagacious
flyers that the heaviest majorities are
by no means a sure protection. Quigg
went into his last campaign with near
ly IL, 600 majority behind him, and went
out of 1t defeated by more than 5000.
Seth Lows pot-hunters ambushed him,
and William Astor Chan.er took his
place.
In Minnesota two aerial machines
avoided The trade wind and reached
home without rumpled feathers. They
ars Joel p. Heatwole. al old typo, and
Loren Fletcher. The others are dart
ing through the woods. confident in
some respects and doubtful in others.
Page Morris is among them, to the
great delight of Charles A. Towne. who