Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-14
BALANCE OF NATURE.
Destruction of Certain Animals l,
Soon Repented.

Destruction of Certain Animals Is
Soon Repented.
1t seems that the grounding is un-
der the ban in Illinois. A bounty has
been put upon the head of the animal
that on Candlemas Day each year tells
us whether winter is to pass or to lin
ger. Col. Watterson of the Louisville
Courier Journal comes to the defense
of the grounding. He bespeaks con-
sideration for it in the name Of Ken
lucky. He might bespeak considera-
ton for it in the name Of humanity.
The grounding Of Illinois and the
west generally Is the woodchuck Of the
the eastern states. 1t Is charged
against him that in digging his home
he throws gravel UP over the surface
of the ground to an extent that in
lures the farmers prospects Of raising
crops. The grounding Is also accused
of being a prowler in the vegetable
garden, and it is said that the early
cabbage that should go to the farmers
table is sacrificed to the appetite Of
the unbidden guest in the field.
We hold no brief for the grounding
but 1t is pretty well known that nature
keeps the balance of things even.
Not many years ago the Pennsylvania
legislature passed law giving a boun-
ty to every man who killed a hawk.
The thought of the legislators was
that If the hawks were killed the poul-
try industry Of the state would thrive
three-fold. The price put on the head
of the red shouldered, the red tailed
and the broad winged hawks resulted
in a thinning Of the ranks Of the pre-
datory bird family and In the deple-
ton Of the treasures Of most Of the
counties of the keystone state.
After Pennsylvania had spent $780,
900 in payment for hawk scalps the
farmers Of the state suddenly found
out that the rats and the squirrels
were eating up their crops unchecked.
They tried to stem the tide Of destruc-
ton but failed, and then they called
on the lawmakers to make life possi-
BILE again for the hawks. The. red
shouldered, the red tailed and the
broad winged birds had lived mainly
on the animals that were preying on
the crops Of the agriculturist. the
farmer found 1t out a little late, but
he found it out in. time to save the
hawk family in Pennsylvania from ex-
tinction.
Out in Kansas a few years ago the
western redtailed hawk was abundant.
About once every six months the red
tail would pick up chicken and the
act aroused the owner Of the chicken
to anger. The lawmakers Of Kansas
declared the redtall an outlaw and put
a price on his head. There were SO
many redtailed hawks killed that the
count was lost. Coincident with the
killing Of the birds the plague Of prai-
rie dogs increased and menaced the
very means Of livelihood Of the ma
jority of the Kansas dwellers. They
called on the biological survey Of
Washington to help them out Of their
trouble. The scientists sent this pre-
scription: Repeal the law placing a
bounty on hawks" This was done,
and since that time nature has kept
the balance even.
All this perhaps has comparatively
little to do with the grounding Of Ili-
nois, but 1t may be said that the leg
islators who would pass laws intended
to interfere with the workings Of Moth
er Nature are taking great chances.
Confessedly it is not known just what
place the grounding or the wood
chuck, as you will, holds III natures
system Of economy, but that 1t holds
place is we'll assured. 1t is more
than possible that the propaganda for
the preservation of. the natural re-
sources Of the country includes the
groundhog-Chicago Post.