Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-10
and plants, thus doing the farmer an
immense service in checking the
propagation of troublesome weeds.

and plants, thus doing the farmer an
immense service in checking the
propagation of troublesome weeds.
Little Excuse for Ruthless Killing.
zone excuse often given for bird
killing is the plea that they ravage our
fruit trees and grain fields.
"'Even though there may be few
specimens that take without giving in
return, their depredations are compar-
atively so unimportant,' says DR.. Allen,
that it would be better to protect all
birds without exception, for the sake of
saving the vast numbers unjustly &C.
cused' might say here that the En-
glish sparrow is an exception which
most leading ornithologists think
should be exterminated in as prompt
manner as possible, not to protect our
crops but to protect our native birds.
But this painful duty is the result of
mans unwisdom in importing a foreign
bird to destroy our insect enemies in
stead of saving our native birds to do
the work as they were by nature de-
signed to do it.
Not Only Unitarian Motives.
"But there is still a more important
issue than this. If utilitarian motives
are our highest motives, then farewell
hope, not only for the birds but for hui
mainly as well. So the climax of this
appeal is the humanitarian side of the
question. l call attention to the cruel
methods of the plume hunter. 1t is
done not to be sensational, not to har
row up your feelings, but to inform
those who may not know the terrible
cost of feather decorations.
Cause Great Agony.
| 81 shall quote the graphic words of
reliable eye witnesses. First, just a
paragraph in reference in tearing
| feathers, wings, and even whole skins
! from the writing bodies of live birds.
When the smaller gulls are shot for
their wings, the fowlers, in their haste
do not stop to kill the wounded birds
but wrench the wings off and cast the
birds back to die of slow agony in the
water
Innocents Suffer.
"Egret plumes, or aigrettes, are the
nuptial dress of the white heron. The
plumes appear only during the breed
ing time. and upon both male and fe-
male. Mr. Hudson says that the plume
hunters know that to obtain a good
supply with little trouble, the birds
must be taken when the young birds
are Matched but not yet able to fly.
What does it cost, this garniture OF
death? 1t costs the moral degradation
of the thousands of men, who with gun
in hand learn to hear unmoved the nes-
things piteous cries for the mother
bird. 1t costs the deadening of the
! finer sensibilities in all people whether
men or women, who may knowingly
help on this brutal butchery.
The Demand Causes the Suffering.
"The next question is what can we
do about it? The chief responsibility
4 is with the influential women, the edu-
Gated, the refined, the leaders in social,
intellectual and religious circles. If
women did not buy the birds, they
would no longer be brought into the
market. But every purchase We make
helps to create the demand, helps to
set a price on those innocent heads
and to perpetuate this unholy traffic.
Means of Prevention.
another thing we women can dc
{ and ought to do, is to train our chill
dren along this line. Discourage al
cad Teach them that the egg left il
the nest to become living creature is
far more interesting than an empty
egg shell. They will not be long il
learning that their field glasses brings
the real bird nearer to them than any
young can. Let us be fellow student:
with our children in this delightful
field.
1t Is Needless.
ga strong argument against hunt
i ing for sport, as against bird millin
: cry is that it is absolutely needless
There are countless forms of outdoor
) recreation that can be substituted TO
! this with no real loss to the pleasur
, }seeker. The most serious feature OF
this sport is the subtle debasing effec
upon the hunter. Let us protect thu
} birds not to provide for ourselves
3 low form of pleasure, but for the bird
2 own sake and for our sake in the bes
) and highest sense.
Let Us Rule Kindly.
MAY we all learn to respect tn
sanctity of life. May we never debas
our own life by the wanton and use
less destruction of even the humbles
) mean and cowardly advantage of tn
, creatures that are helplessly With
> our power. 1t was given us to rule
/. over them it is to rule wisely, kindl
i and not to tyrannize. We huma
e creatures are the superior animals or
t ly as we endeavor in all things to d
; justly, to love mercy and to wall
J. humbly with out Cod"
/ The Reception.
. . After the close of the lecture deli'
9 cred last evening by Mrs. Margare
!. Olmstead an informal reception wa
: held at the church. The decoration
q We're as they had been throughout til
!, convention, of roses, carnations, t
!. gether with palms and ferns. Ami
9 these surroundings a most pleasar
;, social hour was passed in closing or