Woodville Republican., 1903-02-07
"FRIENDs" OF THE BIRDS.
Not One OF Their Destroyers Can he
Brought 90 Acknowledge That
They Are Guilty.


The pot hunter insists that he kills
the birds for use; to fill long-felt
want, to feed the sick, and that it is
entirely scriptural to do so. He de-
clares that to do this Is much less
wanton and cruel than to hunt them
down and shoot them for sport, for
fun, merely to see the feathers fly
and the birds fall, says the Galveston
(Tex.) News.
The boy with traps catches quail
to sell for money to, buy Christmas
doings or more useful articles. He
claims that he has no other means OF
securing what he wants or needs, and
that he traps on the land which his
father owns. He asserts a property
in the birds thereon akin to the prop
erty right claimed in the chickens
and geese.
The sportsman, who glories in his
ability to bring down every bird,
claims that he is the only true friend
the latter has. At one grand tourna-
ment in Kansas City he slew enough
pigeons to pigeon the world. As he
sees it, the pot hunters who shoot
on the ground fowl which he could
so deftly and neatly bring down from
the sky is miserable, worldly and
greedy fellow, unable TO appreciate
the joy and glory of genuine sport.
AS he sees it, the boy with traps
gives the birds no chances for their
| lives.
The woman who carries about upon
| her head the remains of many feath-
cred songsters insists that they were
all killed before she bought them.
She would not dream of fastening
live wingsters down upon her hat,
albeit she worked along in that di-
rection some years ago when she
wore upon her beautiful shoulders
/ the live chameleon. In time she may
| decide to use live birds upon her hat
when she would create d futter in
society.
| As matters stand the bird has no
self-confessed enemy. The person
who wears the wings as ornaments
loves the beautiful aerial jewellers.
| The individual who shoots the bird
is the birds devoted admircr. The
| fellow who eats the quail on toast is
fond of the quail. 1t is apparent that
most of us love him largely because
Of the pleasure we find in shooting
him, in selling him, in eating him, in
wearing him upon our hats.
Under such circumstances nothing
but rigid laws, based upon stern me-
cessity, are going to save this friend
of which so many are so fond II
the bird actually consumes the boil
weeyil, the green bug, or other pests
which threaten the crops and the
prosperity of the people, and If the
farmers arise in their wrath TO put
an end 70 the slaughter Of the deni-
zens of the air for fun, sport or for
commercial purposes, then something
may be done TO protect and save at
least part Of the birds. 1t is going
TO require general and sturdy pop
uIar demand to accomplish this.
A great many people belieye in
their heart of hearts that the Al
mighty created and bewinged these
creatures as targets for them TO
shoot at. Others 20 to church with
the conviction that they are honoring
highly the memory Of the songsteTz
whose bright plumage adorn their
hats. Still others fancy that the
quail or the dove was let down In the
sheet with the four-footed beasts
seen Ivy Peter, and that it would be
sinful not TO kill and eat until there
Is not a feather left. Considering all
this, 1t Is safe to reassert that the
very first thing to do 70 gecure ade.
quate protection for the birds is TO
prove that it is absolutely necessary
to save them as means OF protec-
J ting ourselves.