Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-07-30
Correspondents.
A Plea for the Birds.

full, heaIthful and productive as possible,
and to keep it 80, have found that the
milliners who carry in stock the plumsge
of wild birds for hat trimmings are do
ing more to encourage the determination
of our wild birds than any other force.
These dealers in imported feathers wish
to keep the market open for the sale, Of
the plumsge OF a few OF our rare birds
that the Audubon societies are endeavor-
ing to protect.
few desperate families in the South,
who value neither their own lives nor
those OF other persons, insist on shooting
up these colonies every year. The white
heron is one of the birds most discussed
at present. IL bears the beautiful plumes
for which il is killed during tho nuptial
season. 70 obtain these plumes the skin
is torn from the back OF the mother bird
while she is still feeding young in the
nest, The nestlings die OF hunger and
thirst in the burning sun. The cries OF
the perishing young, the odors OF the de-
caying birds testify to the horrors of the
traffic.
The plume-hunters often tie a wounded
bird to stake in the sun so that its cries
will attract other birds. Persons have seen
the great ants eating the eyes out OF birds
thus rendered helpless. As long as there
are little ones in the nest, so long will the
mother bird return to feed them. In this
way the plume hunter easily completes
his work OF determination.
These facts show that so long as there
is market for the plumsge OF wild birds,
so long will that market be supplied by
the plume hunters, that Is, while the
limited supply of birds holds out.
In "Wiid " ings" Herbert K. Job speaks
of the increase in the wild life on one OF
the islands of the coast OF Florida, after
it became a reservation OF the national
psychologists union. He goes on to say:
indeed, il they allow vsndals and plume
hunters to massacre these pelicans, serons
| and other interesting creatures. To see
| this pelican colony, these heron rookeries,
and other bird resorts, three of us had come
all the way from New England. meaning
several hundred dollars distributed among
railroads, boarding. houses, gu des, sta BILE
men and store keepers, and we are only a
few out OF thousands"
II is well known that II all the insect
iverous birds were swept out of existence,
that the earth would be desert; the in
sect pests would destroy every blade of
vegetation on the face of the land.
These are but few items, culled from
the mass of facts which have led intelIi-
gent and benevolent persons 10 formulate
bill for the protection OF our wild birds.
The beauty OF our land and the prosperity
of agriculture depend upon its passage.
Apparently the only objections to this
bill which have been lodged are those of a
few teather-importers In New York, less
than thirty firms, and those of Germany,
who wishes to keep the American market
open to the industry which she has estsb-
lished in the Celebes, New Guinea, and
the forests OF the Amazon where the most,
desired birds come from. II Is very
doubtful II any of these governments re-
gard these birds as pests, or have filed
any remonstrsnces with our government.
Is America an India that she must con-
sumo the opium OF Germany iI am
thankful that Presidents are not so easily
bought as kings.
The piumage bill has passed the House OF
Representatives. Suddenly the feather
lobby appeared in Washington. They
came to represent the interests OF less
than thirty feather firms in New York
city. Immediately Senator Charles +.
johnson, OF Maine, Senator Hoke Smith,
OF Georgia, Senator William Hu ghes, Of
New Jersey, ieaped forward TO do their
bidding.
Are the wishes OF the wisest, most cul-
tured, most benevolent persons in
America, millions of good Americans TO be
totally ignored while our representatives
at Washington look out for the interests
of Germany in South America, the inter-
ests OF handful OF importers in New
York, and the interests OF few lazy,
lawless, poor whites in the South?
Or can il be possible that the majority
of the people in Georgia, New Jersey and
Maine are in sympathy with this "waste-
full, barbarous and often Illicit tratiic"s Is
Maine one of the most barbarous states in
the Union, or has Senator johnson, O
democrat, sent TO Congress by the repub-
licans, forgotten the interests, completely,
OF the people who sent him there7 In
other words has Senator johnson been
outwitted by the feather lobby?
The only thing for the people to do is to
write to Senator johnson and demand
that he sustain and vote for the original
form OF paragraph 357 Of schedule N OF the
Underwood tariff bill
Will not every man who does not APP
prove OF having our country controlled by
lobby, and every woman who does not
wish her milliner to carry in stock the
plumage Of wild birds for the decoration
OF her bonnet, write to Senator Charles
F. johnson, Washington, d. c., at onceY
The time Ia at hand.
The matter may be decided By you.
CoRDELIA J. STANwooD.