Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-04
AUDUBON SOCIETIES
WHY THEY ARE NEEDED AND
WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISH.
Organized to Prevent the Ruthless
determination Of Ours Feather
w. ed Friends.
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How. frequently we hear The expression
"a freak of nature" II ct thsre is absolute
Nv no truth in that eSIrazstn; for n ofa f1t
cn,,,d .possibly be IesEs kish, han ma :
lure If we think ot1ef on 0e essina It:
is because we have glaqcett-faerely at ehe
surface of things; If We 60 deep enough we
shall find that nature issnexer eapricious;
for every single effect there is good and
SUFFICIENT cause, and precisely the same
cause will produce precisely the same ef-
feet, every time In the perpetual struggle
for existence, in which we are all engaged
men. rattlesnakes and three-toed woodpeck-
ers alike, every act We. do has DEFINITE re-
sult-a definite effect on our chance OF sur
yjval Nature has no fayoTltes; man 10
of no more consequence to her than pun
frog or a nne-banded armadlilo. Ii ne goes
out to meet tiger, armed with DIG game
rifle, and if he is cool headed ana gooa
shot. the chances are that he will Kill the
tiger: if he goes unarmed, the Tiger Will h1iA
him lust as sure as eggs are eggs
Man has to seriously consider theh, I'm
der what conditions he is most likely TO sur
vive In the case of the personal encounter
with a tiger rifle was one OF the cohu'-
lions; where ne is confronted with enemies
against which a rifle is not enectVe, otliH ,
conditions are necessary. IL Is WEI
known fact that the welfare OF lne peop.s
dependent on the success OF the SeVeIai
crops of grain and vegetables and fruits,
and anything which tends TO make THESE
CROPS a failure must be cembatted as an
enemy not only of the agrlculturlst, put Oh
the nation.
Allies in the Fight.
Among the most dangerous of these enc
mics may be included hooos' orous nus,
MANY species of insects, many species OF
agriculturist had to depend entirely upon
his own efforts, even with the aid OF gum
to keep these enemies in check. he'd have
no time for agriculture, and the enemies
would not be checked to any appreciate
axtent after all He must therefore depend
to a large extent upon certain, allies TO hght
his enemies for him and it would seem that
as matter of ordinary common sense, net
to mention common decency ana Fairness,
that he in turn should do all In his power
to save these allies from Destruction.
In fighting the first two OF THESE eheAles
man has no more powerful allies than. the
forests, which tend to prevent Dolh Hooo
and drought. Against all the others men
toned the strongest allies are the plfus'
and it is for the purpose OF seeing mat this
great army of unpaid workers-so!dleTs, II
you nke-get something approaching Iai
play that a great society has arisen, Win
branches in many states. MOST approprl-
ately IL is CdllGQ the AuuuDUi AooSASeJ'
the great John James Audubon who de-
voted his life to the study of American
birds and quadrupeds, but chieny 10 lhe
former, of which he has left hundreos ol
powerful descriptions and hundreds OF won
derful drawings as a worthy monument TO
his remarkable ability tireless energy ana
magnificent courage. ~
There is no money in belonging TO an Au-
dubon Society; this organization Is COM
posed of men and women who are willing
to work without remuneration for cause
they believe to be good, in the interest OF
the entire nation.
For Serious Work.
The Audubon Society is not fad; it was
not organized, as SO many societies are, by
people who had nothing else to do; On the
other hand it is composed chiefly of busy
people, who are not too busy. however to
recognize the great benefit the human race
derives from birds, or to raise a hand to
prevent the unnecessary destruction OF It's
benefactorS.
The founding of the Audubon Society
was made necessary by the rapid settlement
of our country by people who had not peen
taught the value of birds, and who could
not believe that the enormous feathered
population of a hundred years ago could
ever be diminished And with reasonable
care there would have been no appreciate
dminution for long time to come But
birds of all kinds were slaughtered without
the slightest thought for the future-this
one for food, that one for the milliner, until
species after species has become extinct or
nearly so. This work of destruction was
assisted materially by those who made ex-
tensive collections of eggs, bird skins or
mounted birds. and by those who captured
song birds to be put into cages. 1t was
seen by certain thoughtful persons that I'M
less halt was called many sections of the
country at least were going to be practi-
cally birdless, and that the entire country
would have to pay the penalty. So, the Au-
dubon Society was organized and is now q