The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-05-11
BIRDS AND GAME
THEIR GREAT VALUE TO THE
PEOPLE OF THE STATE.
What the Audubon Society is Doing
and Why 1t Is Doing It-A Good

and Why 1t Is Doing It-A Good
Work.
The plan of the Audubon Society
embraces the saving of the insect
eating birds Of the country, protec-
ton Of enough game 70 insure per-
petuity, and the protection of fish
in order that the supply may not be
wiped out.
Taking for its authority on crops
the United States department of ag-
riculture at Washington, D. c., (the
accredited authority in this country i,
the Society finds that insects inflict
damage on the crops and forests OF
the country each year to the extent
of hundreds Of millions of dollars.
Last year the department put the
figure at above one billion dollars.
The department attributes this, in
the main, to the destruction of the
insect-eating birds of the country.
How fast such slaughter goes on is
hardly realized by the avearge man.
One hundred and fifty million birds
are used up each year in the feather
trade of Europe. That means enough
birds to stock six States equal in
area to Massachusetts. Seven mil
lion robins were accounted
for as having been killed
in a single season in the. South two
years ago. The white heron, once
common, is about gone. Cardinals,
nonpareils, bluebirds, mockingbirds,
in short. every bird that flies. are
slain in vast quantities annually by
irresponsible gunners. When the en-
tire country is brought to realize
the value of the insect-eating birds,
public opinion will stop the slaugh-
ter. This is the first part of the
Audubon plan.
The readers of this paper know
the value of fish as food supply,
and should therefore welcome any
intelligent protection of them. This
rart of the Society's dnly was laid
ON it by the General Assembly of
South Carolina. The Society has
sought to discharge that duty. The
protection of game in such a way
as 70 insure a permanent supply is
tie third part If the Society's du-
ty.
There are one or two observations
in he made here for the beneti. Of
friends ofsthe cause. These must he
understood before action can he
fruitful in results.
First of all, any protection of game
must call for mutual concessions
among sportsmen. No man can have
everything exactly as he wishes 1t
and still enjoy the benefit Of protec-
tive legislation. Everybody must
give up a little in order that all may
have more. This is too often for
gotten.
In the second place, it must be
remembered that long seasons work
in favor Of the pot-hunted and pot
fisherman and against the working
man. The idle pot-hunter can go
every day; the business man cannot,
That ought to be easy to see, but
many sportsmen do not see it.
In the third place, while there are
as many theories as to how game
should be protected as there are
sportsmen, there has been but one
plan that worked in practice and that
plan is the Audubon plan-that Is
the plan of enlisting men to join
an organization pledged to see the
laws enforced. Put game protection
in the hands of the ordinary consta-
bulary of State and there never
will be Cat least there never has
been) any projection accorded to
game. There must be an intelligent
organized protection, directed by
wholly disinterested parties. There
YOU have the Audubon Society.
Last year, with total working
capital of s4,1SS.59, the Audubon
Society of South Carolina, convinced
hundred men of violating the game
laws. Probably not that many men
have been convicted by the State
itself for fifty years, although the
laws were on the books and the con-
stables had all needed power. The
rest of the States have had similar
experiences.
So it. makes no difference how
much money the State might devote
to protecting game, game will lack
protection until the sportsman joins
the ranks and puts that much of his
shoulder to the wheel.
1t Is not hard to find the reason.
Men who violate game laws are most
" good fellows in sense. Their
friends do not wish them prosecuted
although believing in the law as an
abstract proposition.
Just there the Audubon Society
draws a sharp distinction. 1t does
believe in prosecuting and. The bet
ter the fellow, the harder it wishes
to hit him. IF leniency IS ever
shown 1t is extened to helplessness
and ignorance, never to power and
high connections. In drawing 4
game law the prime object with the
Society is to save the game, not to
nacify some prominent sportsman
who wants a week or so longer for