Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-01-14


tention of the administration to rec
ommend drastic legislation or to push
the entire program of moderate anti
trust Legislation to a completion at
this session
The sequence of events points to
period of rest for the business world
Great corporation after great corpora
ton has been telling the United States
government that it will obey the law
and therefore it is probable that some
of the prosecutions which have been
instituted will not be pushed, and if
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 it became known
from some of the presidents close adj
visers that Mr.. Wilson desired that
business should be treasured. 1t 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 a 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
government and he made his fine
phrase calling the condition "A Con
stitution of Peace.
1t was within forty-eight 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 it
could be taken for granted that no
drastic antitrust legislation would be
enacted by congress this winter.
All things point to a desire on the
part of the Democratic majority in
congress to avoid any legislation
which, even If seemingly commend
able, shall upset business conditions.
1t 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"
1t must not be understood that the
Democrats think that such legislation
as is demanded by the Baltimore plat
form will be harsh. They do say, how
ever that they think that, coming in
bunch" it 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
bill at the last session prohib-
iting the Importation of the plum
age of wild Dirds into this country
The reasons for this legislation are
not perfectly clear. apparently, to the
people of the United States 1t 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 real
reason was that much of the plumage
of the birds of other countries cannot
be distinguished from the plumage OF
birds of this country, and it was found
frequently before the law was passed
that birds protected in this country
were killed for their plumage, which
was then passed off as the plumage OF
foreign birds
The. bird protectors, who are trying
to do what they can to serve the az
ricultural interests of the country by
saving the insectiverous birds, found
that the lure of the market was too
strong for many American gunners,
and that they would kill all kinds OF
birds, trusting to luck to pass their
plumage off as that of the birds OF
Europe, Asia or Africa.
1t took about Is years to get the
necessary protective legislation on the
statute books. 1t was first introduced
by George Shiras, Jr., a Republican,
| and a man who has studied wild life
| from boyhood and who has the love
| Of nature at heart. Mr. Shiras was a
member OF congress a good many
! years ago. He never could get con-
! sideration for his bill. Finally, how
ever. public sentiment was aroused
and the efforts of the Audubon society
met with such success that a Demo
cratic congress passed a bill which
had been introduced years before by
| Republican.
Many National Bird Reserves.
In addition to his non-importation
| laws, Uncle Sam is doing a great deal
! to protect the birds of this country.
| There are now national bird reserves
In many parts of the United States,
reserves set aside SO that during the
breeding season at least the song
sters, the insect eaters, the seed eat
ers and the game birds can rear their
young in peace, free from the terrors
| of the nest robber and the plume
| hunter.
| During the past year seven new ma