New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-03-15
FIGHT ON HAT PLUMAGE
MILLIONS INVOLVED.
Millinery and Feather Trades Viii
vigorously Oppose Proposed Lac.

Members of the Eastern Millinery Association
and IT'S counsel, julius Mayer and the Feather
Oeslers' Association, represented by BENJAMIN F.
'1Fener viii tomorrow morning for Albany to
eight the Francis BILL which is an amendment to the
laws Of 1903 for the protection Of wild birds and
uhfch the dealers in and users of feathers and
r5urnage IN general say would kill their business
strip millinery creations of their distinctive deco
-ations and abolish the feather boa Their business
runs into millions of dollars annually.
Another delegation. composed CT William butcher
president of the National Association of Audubon
societies; DR.. Theodore S Palmer Of the Biological
Surrey of the Agricultural Department; Frank NJ
Chapman, Of the Museum of Natural History Of
his city. and Edward Howe Forbush. State Ornith-
oIogist Of Massachusetts VIII go Albany TO favor
TIE bill
The bill. which was introduced by Assem- blyman
James A Francis early in the session. will, accord
ing to one Of the counsel opposed 10 it, wipe out
the plumage business in this state. The vital
feature OF the change is embraced in the sentence
before the last in Section as which says that no
mart Of the plumaEe. skin or body of any bird pro-
tected by that section shall he sold had in pos
session for sale irrespective of whether said bird
was captured killed within without the state"
Il IS this prohibition in quotations that Will be bit
terly fought
There IS another change, in conformity with the
foregoing. In section 2l the present act provides
that wherever in the act the possession Of fish
game or the flesh Of animal bird or fish is pro-
hbited. reference is had equally 10 such fish,
or flesh coming from without the that
taken within the state but amended the word
game wherever II is omitted and the pro-
vision IS made TO include animals, birds. or the
skin plumage or any parts of birds That clause
without the state" is the red rag that excites the
opposition.
That part Of section 2I as il read was
fought for through the courts for the National As
ISOLATION Of Audubon Societies by Mr.. Mayer when
he was the Attorney General. and he established
its constrtionality. Now he will be opposed to the
association.
Mr. butcher said yesterday that the change
en absolute necessity to make the law OF any &C
count. Without it the wild birds would be prac-
ticaly without protection Prosecutions had failed
tine ana time again because il was impossible for
the counsel for the association 10 prove that the
birds or their skin plumage, had come from
this state The defence was always that they had
come from abroad from some other state and
as after artificial treatment, most feathers looke1
alike those accused of violating the law were
uniformly acquitted.
Nj Forbush Of Massa chusetts, and DR.. Palmer
will be the strong cards for the bill. MIR. Forbush
can tell how eager the wild birds 10 eat the
gypsy moth and how the lack Of birds in his state
enabled the pest TO devastate many Of the great
elnls Of which Massa chusetts has always been
proud. Dr.. Palmer has much information regard
ing the value Of wild birds TO the farmer. saving
his CROPS from the numerous predatory insects that
begin work as soon as the first new growth appears
above the ground. and the first blossoms appear
on the fruit trees.
Mr.. Mayer and Nj Feiner will say that a great
and growing industry. employing many thousands
OF persons viii be wrecked II the bill IS enacted
The native pIumage that enters into the trade, one
Of the counsel said yesterday, a negligible
quantity. The imports the mainstay of the
business and the bill hits that part Of the trade as
vel as the domestic