The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-21
PLAN TO LICENSE
 CATS NOT JOKE,
 ADVOCATES AVER
Prominent Persons Appear ing for Bill Give Reasons
 for Measure,

A great array of talent was brought to bear on the agricultural committee yesterday afternoon in fla yor of the bill for the licensing or cats. Over a score of men and Wo- men of considerable standing through out the state spoke in favor of the bill. and only one man against It. The latter objected merely to the phras- ing of a certain detail, but was not opposed to the main purpose of the bill. Scenes both humorous and serl- ous were seen at the hearing. The questions of the value and the de- structive qualities of cats were taken up from the many points of view. The principal point seemed to be that it is a matter of economic inn port to destroy certain insects which destroy crops and which are in turn destroyed by birds if the latter are not killed by cats It is this chain of cause and effect that is the real req son for the bill. Bird lovers, of whom there were many present un- der the leadership of Lewis w. Rip ley of the Hartford Bird Study Club, spoke for the protection of birds for sentimental and practical reasons from stray cats. Doctors, including Dr. Ansel G. Cook, Dr. Charles c. Beach and pr. Wright, health com missioner of New Haven, spoke of the cat as one of the most common car riers of disease. Statisticians told of the millions of dollars lost by each state each year on crops destroyed by insects and the thousands of cats that are killed each year by the hu- mane societies of the country, because they are diseased or starving. Cat lovers on the other hand were inclin- ed to doubt the ferocious and pesti- lentia1 qualities attributed to the ami mals by the speakers, but were in favor of licensing them to give them some legal status. It was brought out at the hearing that cats may be killed in this state now without their owners having any recourse to law.
 Those in favor said that it is not the purpose of the bill to destroy the ''pet'' cats of the state, but simply those cats that are not cared for. The predatory cats are the ones that have to prey on game and song birds for their living. It was thought that if cats are we'll fed in a few genera tions the hunting instinct may die out The bill provides a nominal tax Of from AS cents to 60 cents, and is not designed for revenue, but for pro- lection of birds, crops and cats them selves, according to it's framers. Au- thorities of al sorts, agricultural and geological experts, men from the na- tiona1 audubon society, game con- servers and trapshooters were pres ent
 Others present, not mentioned above, were Dr. B. H. Munger, Pro- lessor Edwin P. St. John, Charles w. Vibert. T. D. Marron, Mrs. Gilbert W. Chapin, Mrs. Wh,sam B. Case, Mrs. Henry F. Cone, Dr. Maud M. Taylor, Wilbur Smith, warden of Fairfield county; Miss Mabel o. Wright, president of the Connecticut Audubon Society, and many mem bers of the Hartford Bird Study club, MT. Wilson of New York gave many figures on national crop destruction due to insects that might be eaten by birds. Miss Mary Hall, superintend- ent of the Good Will Club in Hart | ford also spoke. That part of the bill of Represen- tative Savage of Meriden, which | would provide for. the muzzling of cats was not discussed.