The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-21
PROTECT THE BIRDS.
THEY ACT AS GUARDS OF THE
CROP; THE LOSS LAST YEAR.
Many States Are Enacting Laws for
the Defense of the Feathered Tribe:
National Association of Audubon
Society Is Taking a Hand in the
Matter; Conservation of the In
habitants of Air a Vital Question.
Especial to The Free Press.1

Especial to The Free Press.1
New York, May lS.-Protection of
the insect eating birds, whose destruc
ton caused crop loss of almost a
billion dollars to this country in the
last year, will be made campaign
issue throughout the nation as the re-
suit of a general movement which was
organized in this city today. Backed by
the oranges and other bodies represent
ing the farmers, orchardists, ranchmen
and planters of every section of the
land, the National Association of Au-
dubon Societies in preparing to OBJ
tain from every present and prospec-
tive of the people in every state in the
Union definite declarations of their
stand on this question of the conser-
walton of the bird resources of the
commonwealth. Where the forces of
the milliners have been able to exert
political pressure to legalize their poach-
ing upon the feathered guardians of
the crops, the people will rise this
year to demand that their own inter
ests be- protected, it was declared by
leaders of this new campaign today.
Defeating Bill.
Representing an industry valued at
less than $l2,OO0,OOO, few Broadway
feather dealers have just succeeded in
defeating in this state the Francis bill
for the protection of the insect eating
birds, behind which agricultural in
terests worth over half billion dol
lars were solidly arrayed. In spite of
the united efforts of the $4,000 farmers
represented in the state grange and
the Audubon workers, who were backed
by the press and people of almost
every community in the state, it was
today that the hiring of a
lawyer whose political influence was
undoubtedly used to prevent any open
of the bill on the floor
of either branch of the legislature"
had with other Vaccinations of the
milliners resulted in legalizing for an.
other year their traffic in property that
belongs to the state. AS first step
in the general national campaign for
the birds who guard the crops, the
record of each legislator on this matter
will be submitted to his constituents
and every effort made to secure from
each district in this state representa-
tives at Albany next year who will
be pledged heed this strong demand
from their agricultural supporters.
Laws for Bird Defense.
California, Missouri and Oklahoma
have just been repored as adopting
laws defending their bird crop guards
against the ravages of the feathered deal
ers, which are substantially the same
as the bill which the milliners have
just strangled i'll this state. Similar
laws forbidding the sale or possession
of the plumage, skin or body of the
sect-eating, nongame birds "irrespec-
tive of whether said bird was captured
or killed within or without the state"
are already in force and working for
the protection of the farmers in Iowa,
Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan Mis-
sissippi, South Carolina and West Vir--
glnia. From every other state and ter
ritory in the land communications are
being received at the headquarters of
the movement today urging an i'm
mediate effort to rouse the people to
campaign for their feathered crop pro-
tectors against the forces of the mil
linery interests.
Now Is the Time to Act.
IF the people of this country are
ever going to stop the milliners from
killing the birds that would save them
billion dollars each year if left alive
now is the time for them to act" said
William butcher, president of the Ma
tional Association of Audubon socie-
ties at it's headquarters, l4l Broadway
today. "a disgraceful display of poll
teal pull has this year turned over to
the feather dealers. in this state its
wild birds that have been proved to
save, by fighting off insects, more value
In crops in a few seasons than the
whole millinery industry is worth. Now
we are going to take this great eco
nomic question to the people in this
state and in every part of the land.
We believe that all patriotic Americans
who would preserve their country's ag-
ricultural wealth will join with us to
demand from their representatives
pledge to prevent the milliners from
further profting by the killing of
these insect eating, non game birds at
the expense of billions of dollars to
the crops of the land"