Mexico Missouri message., 1914-01-15

iAt Hdu ulhttA llOh NaO
president that while a comprehensive
plan for antitrust legislation might be
outlined this winter, it was not the In
tention of the administration to rec
ommend drastic legislation or to push
the entire program of moderate anti.
trust Legislation to completion at
this session.
The sequence of events points to q
period OF rest for the business world.
Great corporation after great corpora.
ton has been telling the United States
government that 1t will obey the law
and therefore it is probable that some
of the prosecutions which have been
Instituted win not be pushed, and II
the corporations continue to do the
right thing as the department of JUS
tice views it, the prosecutions will be
few and far between.
Seek to Reassure Business.
Some time ago II became known
from some of the presidents close ad-
visers that Mr.. Wilson desired that
business should be treasured. II also
became known that Democratic lead
ers in congress were urging that no
drastic legislation Affecting business
should be passed at this session. Men
In position to know seemed to be GER
tain that the president would say some
definite reassuring words at a later
time. When the currency bill was
signed Mr.. Wilson spoke Of business
and OF its better relations with the
government and he mace his fine
phrase calling the condition "A Con
stitution of Peace"
II was within forty-eigbt hours aft
er this address of the president and
Immediately following his signing of
the currency bill that Thomas r. Mar
shall, vice-president of the United
States, said in indianapolis that II
could be taken for granted that no
drastic antitrust legislation would be
enacted by congress this winter.
All things point to a desiss on the
part of the Democratic majority in
congress to avoid any legislation
which, even II seemingly commend
able, shall upset business conditions.
II seems the Democrats think that
such legislation as they desire to en-
act can be spread over longer period
and that gradually and easily the in
dustries of all kinds can adjust them
selves to the new plan of action. From
this springs the desire to do nothing
harsh hastily"
II must not be understood that the
Democrats think that such legislation
as is demanded by the Baltimore plat
form win be harsh. They do say, how
ever. that they think that, coming lin
bunch" 1t might upset conditions
and perhaps work to the temporary In
Jury of the country. 1t is to be pro
gram of make haste slowly.
Saving American Birds.
| Congress, as Is probably pretty
well known by this time. passed
a bill at the last session prohib-
iting the importation of the plum
age OF Wild birds into this country
The reasons for this legislation are
not perfectly clear, apparently, to the
| people OF the United States. II was
not passed solely because OF desire
to save the wild bird life OF other
countries. although such thought en-
tered into the legislation. The rea
reason was that much of the plumage
| of the birds OF other countries canno'
be distinguished from the plumage Of
birds of this country. and 1t was found
| frequently before the law was passed
that birds protected in this country
were killed for their plumage, which
was then passed of as the plumage Of
foreign birds
The bird protectors, who are trying
to do what they can to serve the ag
ricultural interests of the country by
saving the insectiverous birds, fount
that the lure of the market was toe
strong for many American gunners
and that they would kill all kinds o
birds. trusting to luck to pass thei
plumage off as that of the birds o
Europe, Asia or Africa.
1t took about IS years to get thu
necessary protective legislation on thu
statute books. 1t was first introduced
by George Shiras, Jr., a Republican
and a man who has studied wild lif,
from boyhooG and who has the low
of nature at heart. Mr.. Shiras was
member of congress good man.
years ago. He never could get con
sideration for his bill. Finally. how
ever. public sentiment was arouse'
and the efforts of the Audubon societ.
met with such success that Demo
cratic congress passed bill whic|
, had been introduced years before b,
Republican.
: Many National Bird Reserves.
In addition to his non-importatioi
laws. Uncle Sam is doing a great dea
to protect the birds of this country
There are now national bird reserve
in many parts of the United States
reserves set aside so that during tn
: breeding season at least the sons
r sters, the insect eaters, the seed eat
ers and the game birds can rear thei
young in peace, free from the terror