River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-11-03

hut it was soon found that while some people
we're willing to be guided by pleas of human
ity and by stories of the destruction OF the
growing things because of the rapid increase
in insect life, there were others who could not
be reached by any except hard handed meth
DDS.
So it is that the bird protectors not only
have carried on a great work in the education
of children and in moral suasion among the
elders but they have taken cases into court
and have prosecuted wiful and persistent vi
olators of the law, until today the bird protec-
tive laws are as much feared as any other
laws on the statute books. There always have
been some laws against the wanton killing OF
useful birds, but until the men and women OF
the American Ornithologists' union and of the
Audubon society went earnestly at their labors
the laws were laughed at and violated with lln'
punity and almost always with immunity.
Years ago untold thousands of useful ma
tive birds were trapped to be sold as pets In
cages The women of the south COMPLAINED
to the women of the north who were engaged
in bird protection work that their hooking
birds and red birds (cardinals) were being
framed in multitndes because of the demand
by the trade in northern cities for Gagged
songsters. The bird protectors Of the north
took the matter up and in nearly all places
today it is illegal to sell Gagged wild native
American birds.
About fifteen years ago there was week
of zero weather in some of the southern states
The blue bird, which is a northern favor1te,
does not go far enough south in winter to
escape all of the storms of the winter season,
The unusual cold of that winter fifteen years
ago almost annihilated the tribe of bluebirds.
There were only few left to come back to
the northern fields in the spring. The blue
bird however, was protected, and the eff
cheney of the Audubon societys work was
never more clearly shown than in this case,
The blue birds today have recruited theft
ranks under protection and are as numerous
as ever they were.
For years the bird protectionists went
ahead with their work with the treasury at q
low point.
1t always had been hoped that some kindly
disposed person would realize the strength
and beauty of bird protection work and would
give of this substance to the cause The man
known as scientist nor as bird student.
One day, however, Albert Wilcox saw news
paper account of some Of the bird protection
work done by the national Association OF Au-
dubon societies and he wrote a letter asking
for more details. He received the information
that he wanted and he wrote to say that he
was about to make new will and felt SO
much pleased with the work of the society
that he would give it annually during his life
time a considerable of money to be used
in carrying on the work of the association,
and that when he died he would give the soci-
ETY. legacy of 100000 in his will, and, he
added, 81 may not limit it to this amount"
Albert Wilcox died four years ago. He left
$780, 900 to the Audubon society he had
promised and in addition he made the society
his residuary legatee to the extent of one-half
his estate. Today the National Association of
Audubon societies, through the generosity of
Mr.. Wilcox. is placed on sure and lasting
foundation. The bird protective work has been
going for a quarter of century 1t had
all sorts of trials and tribulations, but today
it seems that the friends OF the feathered
kingdom have triumphed in their cause. The
promise is that there will be no cessation of
the work which means so much to the bird
and more to man.