Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, November 10, 1910, Image 3

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    THEE .ITIffi )
> ODAY the songbirds of the United
States have thrown about them the
strong arm-of protection. For a
quarter of a century there was
hard and systematic work to save
creatures who wcro helpless to
save themselves nnd against whom ,
as someone has put It , the hand of man and , the
head of woman constantly were raised. It per
haps is hardly necessary to say that the allusion
to the head of woman had to do with the fashion
of wearing the plumage of native wild birds for
decorations for hata and bonnets.
It was a hard flght to got the masses of the
people interested in the bird protection move
ment. Today very llttlo Is known in a general
way of the manner in which success was wrought
out It Is not at all uncomman even now to
hear the bird protectors spoken of as mere sen
timentalists , and thcro are men who have had a
part In the flght to save the wild life who have
been sneered at as effeminate. The truth Is that
most of the men who engaged In the work of pre
serving the feathered species were hard-headed
and could prove on occasion that they were hard
fisted.
It takes only a casual glance at a woman's hat
today to show that the fashion of wearing feath
ers Is still If not supreme , nt least a ruler to a
considerable degree. It should bo known , hpw-
over , that not once In a hundred times do you see
on a woman's head today the plumage of a native
American bird. The traffic in the feathers of
bluebirds , robins , catbirds and other dooryard
pots has been almost entirely stopped. Even
these who wish that the plumage-wearing habit
should ccaso altogether are powerless to prevent
the sale of the feathers of certain species of for
eign birds. The aigrette of which woman Is so
fond Is a part of the plutnago of the snowy heron ,
a bird which lives not only In the United States
hut In certain foreign countries. If a bird is to
ho found in America and also abroad the sale of
, . Its plumage Is generally forbidden in the United
, ? . States , but there is , and always has been , some
\ - difficulty In proving from whence came the sup-
I' ' ply. Law , generally speaking , has Us technicality
loopholes and the bird protective law Is not
exempt. "
Out of the bird protective movement grow
- the biological survey of the department of agri-
f 5 * ? -
" -
JX--
2 V , ' * " , '
BGADJ.ZY ASZQC/flT/ON.
WAftOEH noff/W
WLt.r0y. .
or DUTY
i
j
culture of the United States government. The
biological survey has been of great service to
the farmers of the United States and to nil
men engaged either directly or Indirectly In
any form of agricultural pursuits. When the
survey was threatened with extinction a few
years ago by the apparent Intention of con
gress to refuse It an appropriation , the farm
ers of the United States with the bird pro
tectors and the real sportsmen , rose in Its de
fense and saved It The survey probably will
bo spared to continue Us useful work as long
as the agricultural -department has existence ,
The history of bird protection in the United
States naturally nnd of right , Is connected with
the history of two organizations , the various
state Audubon societies for the protection of
wild birds , nnd the American Ornithologists'
onion. Recently William Dutcher of Now
York , who Is the president of the National As
sociation of Audubon societies and a fellow of
the American Ornithologists' union , told the
ornithologists of the world assembled in con
vention In a European city the story of the
bird protection movement In North America.
Mr. Dutchor and all the other officers of the
National Association of Audubon societies are
'men who have devoted their lives to the study
of birds and to their protection.
A celebrated French scientist said not long
ngo that If the bird life were to bo swept out
of existence man could survive only a few
months. Because of the ravages of the Insects
now held In check by the birds , the vegetation
creatures would bo destroyed by the Insect
enemies. So it would seem that If this French
scientist is right , that In making their flght
for the birds the defenders have been making
their flght for man , a fact which Is not ap
preciated by some of these who would suffer
were It not for the constant navlng efforts of
men whom on occasion they have seeif fit to
call crank's.
To lend up to the establishment of the Audubon -
dubon societies , of which nearly every state
In the Union has ono , It might bo said that it
was not until the year 1883 that the public In
the United States awakened to the fact that
too many wild birds were being slaughtered ,
largely for millinery ornaments nnd other dec-
oratlvo purposes. In addition , thousands of
song and Insectivorous birds were killed annu
ally for food. In his story of the movement
for bird protection President Dutcher told of
tbo beginnings of the crusade to save the
lives of the songsters which year by year were
coming back to the farm and the garden In
greatly decreased numbers. Mr. Dutcher said ,
speaking of the condition in 1883 :
"Tho newspapers published Item's almost
dally on the subject , and many strong edito
rials were written. A quotation from ono of
these entitled 'Tho Sacrifices of Song Birds'
will show the earnestness of the press In re
spect to the situation : 'Tho destruction of
American wild birds for. millinery purposes
has assumed stupendous proportions. The un
holy work gives employment to a vast army
of men and women and this army wages its
campaign of destruction with a diabolical per
fection of system. '
"Tho editorial In question further refers
to details of the work published in other col
umns of the paper , which furnishes evidence
of the ghastly character of the business. The
logical result of this newspaper agitation was
that the American Ornithologists' union at Us
annual meeting held In Now York city Sep
tember 30 , 188 i , appointed a committee of Its
members to Investigate the extent of the al
leged wild bird destruction and to dovlso
means to stop the slaughter by legal or any
other legitimate method.
"This committee found that the claims of
the press and of Individuals wore not In the
least exaggerated , but on the other hand did
not fully represent the terrlblo Inroads that
were being made on the non-gamo birds.
After n Inpso of a quar
ter of a century It Is
hard for the people of
the present day to realIze -
Izo the enormous num
ber of birds that were
slaughtered for the mil
linery trade alono.
"Tho .greatest suf
ferers wcro the white
p 1 u m ag o sea and
awamp birds , such ns
terns , gulls and heron ,
but Incredible num
bers of land birds also
were sacrificed , some
CO or 70 species being
Included In the lists. In
ono millinery estab-
mont alone 150 skins
of the Baltimore ori
oles were found.
"From thoa work
started by this commit
tee In'1884 the present
well-organized and
financially endowed cor
poration known ns the
National Association of Auduoon e ° " .
Birds and Animals has
the Protection of Wild
the interim thcro wcro
resulted , although in
many periods when the outlook for bird protection
doomed to
America seemed
tection In North
failure. " -
It was the result or an aPP ° aT , Mmalu..l °
congress by the council of the Ornithologists
union that led congress to vote an appropria
tion of $5,000 , the money to bo administered
under the direction of the department of agriculture
of taking means to
riculture for the purpose
save the lives of the native American birds
which were useful to man.
As William Dutcher says further in his
story of the protective movement :
"In recognition of the action taken by the
American Ornithologists' union In securing the
appropriation , the secretary of agriculture In
vited the council of the union to select a su
perintendent to carry on the work and nt a
subsequent meeting hold In Wnshlngton , Dr.
Clinton Hart Merrlam was selected as the su
perintendent and Dr. Albert K. Fisher as his
assistant. Both of these noted ornithologists
were among the founders of the American Or
nithologists' union. "
It was from tnis humble beginning that the
present biological survey , a division of the
United States department of agriculture , has
grown. It Is perfectly apparent from the let
ters which agriculturists send to Washington
constantly that the work of the biological sur
vey has Us value appreciated more and more
every year. The survey has published a great
mass of valuable statistics of the food habits
of _ birds and their relation to agriculture and
forestry.
As has been said , thcro are Audubon soci
eties for bird protection In nearly every state
in the Union. They arc affiliated In ono great
fioclety called the National Association of Au
dubon societies. The writer of this article
from personal knowledge can speak of the be
ginnings of one of the largest and most ac
tive of the stnto organizations.
Persons who were known to bo Interested In
birds were asked to moot to form n protective
organization. A good many persons not par
ticularly Intorented in bird protection also
wcro Invited. Several women came to that
first meeting , wearing the plumngo of wild
birds in their hats. At first the society In
tended to do Its work by persuasive mission
ary efforts , and along this line to a consider
able extent the endeavor has boon ever elnco ,
but It was coon found that while some pcoplo
were willing to bo guided by pleas of human
ity and by stories of the destruction of the
growing things because of the rapid Increase
in Insect life , there were others who could not
bo reached by any except hard handed meth
ods.
So It Is that the bird protectors not only
have carried on a great work in the education
of children and in moral suasion among the
elders , but they have taken cases Into court
nnd have prosecuted wilful and persistent vi
olators of the law , until today the bird protec
tive lawn are as much feared as any other
laws on the statute books. There always have
been some lawn against the wanton killing of
useful birds , but until the men and women of
the American Ornithologists' union nnd of the
Audubon society went earnestly at their labors
the laws wcro laughed at nnd violated with im
punity nnd almost nlways with Immunity.
Years ngo untold thousands of useful nn-
tlvo birds were trapped to bo sold ns petn In
cages. The women of the south complained
to the women of the north who wore engaged
In bird protection work that their mocking
birds and red birds ( cardinals ) were being
trapped In multitudes because of the demand
by the trade In northern cltloak for caged
songsters. The bird protectors of the north
took the matter up nnd in nearly nil places
today It Is Illegal to sell caged wild native
American birds.
About fifteen years ngo there was a week
of zero weather In some of the southern states.
The blue bird , which ia a northern favorite ,
does not go far enough south In winter to
escape all of the storms of the winter season.
The unusual cold of that winter fifteen years
ago almost annihilated the tribe of bluebirds.
There wcro only a few left to como back to
the northern fields In the spring. The blue
bird , however , was protected , nnd the effi
ciency of the Audubon society's work was
never more clearly shown than in thla cano.
The blue birds today have recruited their
ranks under protection nnd arc ns numerous
ns ever they wore.
For years the bird protectionists wont
ahead with their work with the treasury nt a
low point.
It always had been hoped that some kindly
disposed person would realize the strength
and beauty of bird protection work and would
give of this substance to the cause. The man
known as a scientist nor ns n bird student
Ono day , however , Albert Wlllcox saw n news
paper account of some of the bird protection
work done by the national Association of Au
dubon societies and ho wrote n letter asking
for more details. Ho received the Information
that ho wanted and ho wrote to say that ho
was about to make a now will and felt so
much pleased with the work of the society
that ho would give It annually during his life
time a considerable sum of money to bo used
in carrying on the work of the association ,
nnd that when ho died ho would give the soci
ety a legacy of $100,000 In his will , nnd , ho
added , "I may not limit it to this amount. "
Albert Wlllcox died four years ngo. Ho loft
$100,000 to the Audubon society ns ho had
promised , and In addition ho made the society
his residuary legatee to the extent of one-half
his estate. Today the National Association of
Audubon societies , through the generosity of
Mr. Wlllcox , Is placed on n euro nnd lasting
foundation. The bird protective work has been
going on for u quarter of a century. It had
all sorts of trials and tribulations , but today
It seems that the friends of the feathered
kingdom have triumphed In their causo. The
promise Is that thcro will bo no cessation of
the work which means BO much to the bird
and more to man.
DOCTORS ADVISED OPERATION-- *
DECIDED TO TRY GREAT <
KIDNEY REMEDY
I want to tell you In a few words
your Swamp-Root did for mo , believing
that my testimony may do some other Buf
fering person a great deal of good ,
About six years ngo , I was dangerously
ill. consulted thrco doctors , nil of whom
said I IIIM ! kidney trouble. Ono of tin
doctors nrmlyzed my urine and reported
that I had crave ! , nnd further said that
in order to regain my health and life , an
operation would bo necessaryI did not
want to bo operated on ns I was afraid
that I would not recover. Someone told
nio of Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root and said
it was a reliable mcdicino for kidney
troubl9 , so I decided to try it and went
to Mr. Rose , the druggist , at 303 Central
Avo. , Minneapolis , nnd bought a bottle ,
took it , noticed results nnd continued
taking it until I was entirely cUrcd.
Having been frco from any kidney
trouble for over nix years , I consider that
I nm absolutely cured and know that
Swamp-Root haa the credit.
I never fail to tell my friends about
your remedy , ns I bclievo it is the best of
Us kind. Your U & 0 Ointment is also
very good. Wo arc never without a jar
in our house.
house.Yours
Yours very truly ,
MRS. MARCURBT K. ANDERSON .
Minneapolis , Minn.
Blato of Minnesota )
County of llcnncpin J '
Personally appeared before mo this 23nl
day of Sept. , 1009 , Mrs. Jklnrgarct K.
Anderson of the City of Minneapolis of
the Stnlo pf Minnesota , who subscribed
the above , and on oath pays that the aama
Is true in substanca and in fact.
M. M. KERUIDQ15.
Notary Public.
Commission expires March 20 , 1014.
Prove What Swamp.Root Will Do For You
Send to Dr. Kilmer & Co. , Binghamton -
ton , N. Y. , for a snmplo bottle. It will
convince anyone. You will also receive
u booklet of valuable information , telling
ell about the kidneys and bladder. . When
'vriling , be sure nnd mention this paprr.
i'or flnlo at all drug stores. Price fifty-
cents nnd onc-ilollnr.
? HEY CKXT PULL 23IS Jf ° ° '
NATURE'S SIGNALS.
The first indication of kidney dis
order ia often backache. Then cornea
pain In the hips and sides , lameness ,
Bareness nnd
urinary trou
bles. Thcso are
the warnings
nature's signals
for help. Doan'a
K1 d n o y Pills
should bo used
at the first sign.
Ira Clark ,
North Main St. ,
Savanna , 111. ,
says : "I was
confined to bed
with kidney
trouble and nev
er expected to bo up ngnln. A doctor
said I had ncuto Inflammation of the
bladder , but ho could not help me.
How grateful was I for the prompt
relief Doan's Kidney Pills gave mo !
Continued use removed every elgn of
kidney trouble. "
Remember the name Doan'o.
For sale by nil dealers. GO cents a
box. Fostcr-Mllburn Co. , Buffalo , N. Y.
Getting n Reputation.
There Is a desk In the senate par
ticularly convenient ns a place from
which to make speeches. It is next to
the nislo and almost In the center of
the chamber , nnd affords nn opportu
nity for the speaker to make every
body hear.
At least a dozen senators , accordIng -
Ing to the Washington correspondent
of the St. Louis Star , have borrowed
this desk when they had special utter
ances to deliver to the senate. Thla
led , not long ago , to a mild protest
from Its legitimate occupant.
"I am perfectly willing to give up
my desk , " said ho. "but I am afraid
people will think that the same man
Is talking all the time. I don't want
to get the reputation of constantly
filling the senate with words. "
Youth's Companion.
TRY MURINE EYE REMEDY
for Red , Weal : , Weary , Watery Byes
andGranuhited Eyelids. Murlno Doesn't
Smart Soothes Eye Pain. Drugglsto
Sell Murlno Eye Remedy , Liquid , 25c ,
COc , $1.00. Murlno Eye Salvo In ,
Aseptic Tubes. 25c. ? 1.00. Eye Books
and Eye Advlco Free by Mall ,
Murlno Eye Remedy Co. , Chicago.
His Luck.
"I know a man who Is always up
against It. "
"Who Is ho ? "
"Tho paper hanger when ho haa to
fix a now wall. "
Natural Query.
Mrs. Thynn Don't you think I look
plump In this gown ?
Thynn Yes. Did you have It made
at nn upholsterer's ?