Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-04-17
License All The Cats
Protect The Bobolink
Cries Audubon Society

bly, 294 by Mr.. o. H. Hammond of
Bernardsville, to license cats and As
sembly $50 by Mr.. Thomas F. Martin,
OF Weehawken, to take the bobolink
or reedbird out of the game bird class
and give it protection throughout the
year.
In behalf of the former measure
and in cOntravention of the claim
that this license measure involve
crulety to cats, the Audubon Society,
from the Secretary's office at Dema-
rest is making public letter receiv-
ed from DR.. Francis H. Rowley, of
Boston, President of the Massachu-
sets Society for the Protection of
Animals and of the American Humane
Education Society, which is as fol-
lows:
Mr.. B. S. Bowdish,
DemareSt, N. j.
My dear Sir
l have given the matter of licens-
ing cats no little consideration. Leav-
Ing the birds out OF the consideration
only the welfare of the cat, it seems
to me that some practical measure
that would provide for the licensing
OF them all would save an almost in
estlmable amount OF pain and suffer-
ing that is injured every year by the
stray and homeless cats OF our cities
and towns. | have not the exact fig
ures, but If am not istaken, between
twenty and thirty thousand cats are
destroyed in and about Boston every
year. The majority of these suffer
all the pangs of hunger, are subject
to much crulety and disease, and
ought never have been born. My be-
lief has been that by licensing them
this enormous reproduction year by
year, which means only misery to
the many thousands of unowned
creatures, could be stopped.
The two objections that l know are
raised are, that the first year many
of them would be destroyed by in
humane methods and great deal of
unnecessary suffering caused. l am
afraid that is true, but would not the
suffering of that first year be offset
by the diminution of suffering made
possible through all the future years
by measure that would so greatly
lessen the reproduction of cats :?
Again, if the cat be licensed it will
have to wear collar, and it is
claimed that cat would hang itself in
trees and shrubs. To this objection l
can only say that have lived for six
teen years beside two neighbors whose
cats have always worn collars and
bells and none of them during this
period has ever got into trouble be-
cause of wearing the collar. l have
asked a good many people who have
cats that wear collars and have never
yet found anyone who had any per-
sonal experience that would prove the
collar a source of danger.
AS a friend of all animals, and a
lover of birds, take the position that
[ do, and whether it is the wise one
or not l assure you it is prompted
only from the motives of humanity
| am
Very truly yours,
Francis H. Rowley,
President.
In behalf of Assembly Bill $50, the
Audubon Society urges that the bobo-
ink or reedbird has always been in
he north an insect and weed seed
levourer and a songster of great
ability; that in the south, on account
If the shifting of the rice growing
industry out of the bobolink's line of
migration, the bird is no longer a
menace to the rice crop; that the So
called "reedbird" is lacking in all es-
entials of a game bird and should
no more be shot as one than a robin,
thrush or any other of our valuable
song and insectivorous birds; and
finally that such shooting is a dis
grace to the State and loss to the
agricultural interests thereof.
AS this is the last week of the pres
emit legislature, the Audubon Society
is urging the people to make known
to their legislative representatives,
their attitude on these two measures,
without lice of time