The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-10

starve; and in ether cases the birds are
skinned while yet alive. as this is said 20
preserve the brilliancy OF the plumage.
When one considers that such practices
have not even rs good a defence as that Of
the vfvisectionist-that their object is
merely to cater to the inartistic tastes of
fashionable women-they seem not much
more civilized than an Indian sun dance.
The stiffened figure of bird, stuck in an
unnatural position upon a womar's hat. is
not more beautiful or becoming than
scalp on an Indians war bonnet Both
have certain barbaric picturesqueness.
When this fashion has become thing OF
the past. and the hats of today are pre-
served in museums, future generations may
look at them with a sort of shudderiIg Gu
riosity and fascination. 1t is to be hoped
so. at any rate.
But there is another factor in this sit
uation, which is OF an economic nature
and affects human beings. not sentiment
ally bu. financially. The ruthless slaugh-
ter of native Song birds has had bad ef-
feet on agriculture, which is an industry
employing considerably greater number
of human beings than the millinery bust
ness ever has or ever will. There is no
reason to doubt that the destruction OF
the birds, by removing the chief enemies
Of the insect population has increased tine
expenses OF the farmer, and in some cases
made his business entirely unprofitabie.
When {, man must hire extra laborers 10
hunt potato bugs and sprinkle paris green,
when ne has to buy bug poison by the
gallon. and be constantly on the lookout
for grubs and insects which are determin-
cd en- the destruction of his choice fruits
and grains, his labers are very much in
creased, and his profits liable to be di-
minished The farmers business is one
of precarious income at best. He has to
contend with all the forces OF nature and
sometimes human antagonism as well.
When in addition to drought. flood, rocks.
general poverty of tue land. mortgages,
competition. and other evils, he has to
fight a large and continually growing pop
ulation OF insects. invading every depart
ment CT his domain, he is apt to come cut
at the end of the year with less than he
had at the beginning.
Thus the chain of events is something
like this: An enteTprising millinery firm
offers money for birds which can be OBJ
tanned in the neighboring country. Two
or three farmers boys who are good shots
proceed to earn few dollars by supply
ing this market. 1t does not take them
long to kill OFF most Of the birds Of their
neighborhood by such industrious pot
hunting. Then word goes round in the
insect creation that such and such a
place is free from Objectionable bird
police. and the birds find that The same
place is infested by men with guns. Thus
the town. once reopled with active songs
ters. which fed on insects. comes to be
inhabited By rose bugs, grubs, worms.
grasshoppers, and other lively creatures.
feeding on the farmers fruit and vegeta-
bles. The insects are Of no use to the
milliner, unfortunately, and not so easily
killed as the birds. So it comes about
that farming is Improbable in that sec
ton, and the daughters of the farmers are
forced to go to town and seek employ
ment in milliners' shops. By that time
somebody has conceived the idea of re-
stricting the slaughter of the birds, and
the milliners' apprentices violently pro-
test. Such is the ort-sightedness o.
human nature.