Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03

by the INSCRIPTIONS, so as to act only M
penalty upon honest men Moreover.
ious man of unlimited means from buyinr
ms own way into ONCE There Is a very
radical measure which would, I believe
! work substantial Improvement in our
system or conducting a campaign al
| though l am well aware that II will take
some time for people SO to familiariz,
themselves with such a proposal as to be
willing to consider its adoption. The
need Tor collecting large campaign funds
would vanish if Congress provided an an
preparation for the proper and legitimat
expenses of each of the great national
parties. an appropriation ample enough
to meet the necessity for thorough organ
ization and machinery. which requires "A
large expenditure of money. Then the
stipulation should be made that no party
receiving campaign funds from the Treas
ury should accept more than a fixed
amount from any Individual subscriber
or donor: and the necessary publicity
for receipts and expenditures could with
out difficulty be provided.
There should be a national gallery of art
established In the Capital city OF this
country This il important not merely to
the artistic but to the material welfare OF
the country; and the people are to ba
congratulated on the fact that the move
ment to establish such q gallery Ia taking
definite form under the guidance Of tho
Smithsonian Institution. SO far from
there being a tariff on works OF art
brought into the country. their importa-
ton should be encouraged in every way.
There have been no sufhcient collections
Of objects OF art by the government. ana
what collections have been acquired are
scattered and are generally placed in un-
suitable and imperfectly lighted galleries.
The Biological Survey.
The biological survey is quietly work.
Ing for the good of our agricultural in
terests, and is an excellent example Of
government bureau which conducts origi-
nal scientific research the findings Of
which are Of much practical utility. For
more than twenty years II has studied the
food habits OF birds and mammals that are
Injurious or beneficial to agriculture. hor-
ticulture and forestry: has distributed IL
Illustrated bulletins on the subject and
has labored to secure legislative protec-
ton b9ll-Hseyil. Which has recently oyer:
spread the cotton belt OF Texas and 70
steadily extending its range, is said to
cause an annual loss Of about 100000.
The biological survey has ascertained and
given wide publicity to the fact that at
least forty-three kinds of birds prey upon
this destructive insect. It has discovered
that ffty-seven species Of birds feed upon
scale-insects-dreadede enemies OF the fruit
grower. 1t has shown that woodpeckers
as q class. by destroying the laryae o.
wood-boring insects. are 80 essential to
tree life that II Is doubtful if our forests
could exist without them. 1t has shown
that cuckoos and orioles are the natural
enemies OF the leaf-eating caterpillars
that destroy our shade and fruit trees:
that our quails andgparrows consume An
nually hundreds Of tons OF seeds of nox-
ious weeds: that hawks and owls as a
class excepting the few that kill poul-
try and game birdS are markedly bene-
fetal, spending their lives n catching
grasshoppers. mice and other pests that
prey upon the products Of husbandry. 1t
has conducted field experiments for the
purpose Of devising and perfecting simple
methods for holding in check the hordes
Of destructive rodents-rats, mice, rab-
bits. gophers. prairie dogs Ind ground
squirrels-which annually destroy crops
s worth many many millions Of dollars: and II
destruction of wolves and coyotes on the
stock ranges Of the west resulting during
the past year In an estimated saving OF
cattle and sheep valued at upward Of .
million dollars.
1t has inaugurated a system of inspec-
ton at the principal ports of entry on
both Atlantic and Pacific coasts by means
Of which the Introduction Of n0xious
keeping out the mongoOse and certain
birds which are az much TO be dreaded
as the previously Introduced English spar
row and the house rats and mice.
In the interests Of game protection II
every state In the Union. has striven to
promote uniform legislation In the several
states, has rendered important service I'm
enforcing the federal law regulatingin-
terstate trafiic In game, and has shown
how game protection may be made to
Yield large revenue to the state-a reve-
nue. amounting I'm the case OF Illinois to
$l28.OO0 In single year
The biological survey has explored tho
faunas and fieras Of America With refer
ence to the distribution Of animals and
plants: 1t has defined and mapped the
natural life areas-areas In which, by
reason OF prevailing climatic conditions.
certain kinds Of animals and plants occur
and has pointed out the adaptability of
these areas to the cultivation Of particular
crops. The results Of these investigations
are not only OF high educational value, but
are worth each year to the progressive
farmers Of the country many times the
cost of maintaining the survey, which, II
may be added. Is exceedingly small.
recommend to Congress that this bureau.
whose usefulness Is seriously handicapped
by lack OF funds. be granted an appro-
with the Importance of the work 1t 10
doing.
Ocean Nail Service.
I call your especial attention to the un-
satisfactory condition Of our foreign mail
service. which. because Of the lack of
American steamship lines, IL now largely
done through foreign lines. and which,
particularly so far as South and Central
America are concerned. is done in q man
rier which constitutes serious barrier to
the extension of our commerce.
The time has come. In my judgment. to
set to work seriously to make our ocean
mail service correspond more closely with
our recent commercial and political de-
vefopment. A beginning was made by
the ocean mall act Of March 3, 1891, but
even at that time the act was known to
be inadequate in various particulars. Since
that time events have moved rapidly in
our history. We have acquired Hawaii,
the Philippines and lesser islands in the
Pacific. We are steadily prosecuting the
great work of uniting at the isthmus the
waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific. To
greater extent than seemed probable
even a dozen years ago. we may look to
an American future on the sea worthy Of
the traditions Of our past.
AS the first step in that direction, and
the step most feasible at the present time,
recommend the extension of the ocean
for some years free from successful crit
ic.sm OF its principle and purpose. 1t
was based on theories of the obligations
of q great maritime nation. undisputed In
our own land and followed by other ma
tons since the beginning of steam navi-
cation. Briefly those theories are. that
It is the duty of frst-class power SO
far as tlraCficahl4 Tn carry Its ocean mails