Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1913-03-22
BIRDS ARE BE-
COMING EXTINCT


The women of the country are en-
titled to great credit for the en-.
actment in the last session OF Con.
gress of a law for the protection OF
migratory birds. In a splendid
speech made by Senator Mclean OF
Connecticut, which can be had upon
application to him he disclosed the
startling fact that because of the
reckless killing of birds for their
plumage and by boys for sport, many
of the different species Of birds are
being entirely annihilated. All the
members of the Idaho delegation In
Congress supported the legislation.
The following letter to Congress
man French indicates the interest
that even the children have taken In
the matter:
Caldwell, Idaho. Feb. H,1913.
Burton L. French, Washington, D. G.
Dear Sir: l wish you would try to
get the law passed to stop the killing
of birds. l am nine years old, and
l want a gun, but / will not kill any
birds but the magpies and crows.
Yours truly,
(Signed) LaVerne r. PhilpOtt
Representative French replied az
follows:
House of Representatives, Wash
ington, d. G. March 9Th, 1918.
Master LaVerne r. Phipott, Cald'
Well, Idaho.
My dear La Verne R. Philpott:
am in receipt of your letter of Feb
ruary 9th recommending the passage
Of a law by Congress for the protec-
ton OF migratory birds, and am
very happy to write you that we
have passed the measure. and it was
approved by President Taft a few
days ago.
am very glad to know that you
have such kind feelings towards
harmless birds and animals, and ]
wish every boy and girl In Idaho
could look at the question as you do.
Why does boy kill beautiful
bird whose young are in the nest In
the tree, and leave the tiny birds to
starve? Why does boy kill harm
less little squirrel, and leave Its
young to perish? Boys who do this
do not mean to be cruel. They just
do not think. | have lots OF boy
friends, and not one Of them Is bad,
but sometimes they are thoughtless
and do things of which they are af-
forwards ashamed.
We do not like great big boy
who pitches on" to a little fellow
and he is not brave. 1t is the same
thing when we try to make sport out
of killing pure, harmless bird and an
imal friends that like to live just as
we'll as we do. 1t is not brave.
Besides that, birds and animals &c
good. will tell you of one instance
King Frederick of Prussia was very
fond OF cherries. Some years age
he became annoyed because he saw
sparrows eating his fruit, and he or
dered them killed. Many other birdi
also lost their lives or were driver
away. The King was punished yer!
soon, for within two years Freder
ticks orchards bore little fruit OF an!
kind. Insects had eaten nearly al
the leaves that were upon the trees
The King then saw the mistake tina
he had made, and brought in man.
birds to make their homes In hi
trees. Soon after this. the trees Dor
fine fruit again.
wish all boys and girls In ldah
could know that most birds and All
mails are Our friends and do us good
Also, II they could know how our III
tie friends love to live, how happ
they are in their nests in the tree
and fields, how much Joy there is i
their songs and strange noises,
am sure the boys and girls would b
their best friends ever after.
i Yours very Truly,
| (Signed) BURTON L. FRENCH