Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-02-05
TARIFF TO BAN BIRD PLUMEs.
Farmers, Fishermen, Women Unite
Only Bird Butchers Object.


Backed By farmers, sportsmen and
women,s clubs in every section of the
country. officers of the national associa-
ton of Audubon societies have demanded
of the ways and means committee of Cen
gress an opportunity to urge a prohibitive
tariff on egret feathers.
Opposing the monied interests of the
millinery wholesalers, whose inroads on
the valuable bird life of New York, Lou
isiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Oregon and
California have already forced these states
to pass laws making contraband the sales
OF these plames, the national Audubon
delegation will ask that they be excluded
from the whole country in the interest Of
everyone dependent upon its agricultural
prosperity.
The federation of women's clubs and
organizations of grangers IN almost every
state, as well as the Campfire club, the
New York geological society, the Long
Island sportsmen's association, the Ameri-
can game protective association and other
bodies OF sportsmen, have pledged their
support to this movement.
Data, compiled from scientific observa-
ton OF flock of the few herons that still
survive the wholesale butchery of profess
sionai plume-hunters in an Audubon
breeding rookery in Florida, is being per-
pared to demonstrate to Congress that
these rare birds are considerable factor
in the destruction of field mice, gophers
grasshoppers and other agricultural pests
While in some few instances they have
been found to devour an occasional trout.
their regular diet is proved to consist
principally of minnows, suckers and
other useless fish, as well as water snakes
that are known to destroy great quantities
of trout eggs and valuable young fish.
Other proof of the natural need of farmers
and fishermen for the beautiful birds that
the milliners have have almost driven to
extinction will be presented by representa-
tives of these interests.
Following the recent introduction by
Senator Root of resolution empowering
the President OF the United States to cali
an international congress on bird protec-
ton, representatives of the world powers
actively engaged in saving the rare species
t1dt rs DtilS lnttI
plumes are now expressing to the Audu-
bon organization their support of this
movement. While the whole globe is at
present secured for these trophies, taken
from butchered mother birds for market
here, tariff ban would do much toward
saving the beautiful heron from world
wide destruction, it is asserted.
with the people OF the United States OF
almost every class united to support US in
asking Congress to bar from our country
the aigrettes OF the unfortunate heron, we
expect to meet the big millinery interests
in sole opposition before the congressional
committee" says I. Gilbert Pearson, sec
rotary Of the national association OF
Audubon societies.
1.-The slaughter of these useful and
beautiful birds is commercial matter
only to the men who sell their scaips in
those states where the shameful traffic is
not already forbidden by law. Congress
should certainly recognize the sentiment
and interest of the whole people, who ask
il to end this Importation as a matter of
humanity as we'll as economic and agri-
cultural benefit