Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, June 20, 1912, Page 8, Image 8

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    TRIBUTE LEVIED BY BUGS
- . , , ,,
; Fanners Held Up Annually . for
Ir-'- Hundreds of Millions.
FEUITS OF TOIL DESTROYED
Belated Movement la Congress to
:': Protect Insectlvoroas Birds
Surprising Facta Revealed
by Report.
"If all the 600 colleges and all ths col
lege endowments In the United State
should be destroyed tomorrow, the Insect
tax of one year not only would replace
them, but would leave a balance suffi
cient to endow thirty-two new universi
ties In the sum of $10,000,000 each. .
-.It costs more by many millions each
year to feed our insects than to educate
our 20,000.000 children. J
.It Is clear to those who know most
about the subject that unless radical and
immediate measures are adopted to re
store a sure safe and natural equilibrium
between insectivorous ' birds and their
foods, the time will soon come when the
annual loss caused by insects to the
agriculture in this country alone will be
counted In billions Instead of millions of
dollars. The estimated annual , loss to
farmers through Insects is now about
$300,000,000 a year. '-. - p.-f' J; '
These are some of the strikins; facta
and figures with which the, senate com
mittee on forest reservations and the
protcetlon of game accompanies a bin,
reported to congress by Senator George
B. McLean of Connecticut, , to protect
migratory game and insectivorous birds
in the United States. ' To see a bill like
this pass has been the ambition of true
sportsmen and economists for many
years. The destruction of game and song
birds and their eggs by pot-hunters and
thoughtless boys has gone on almost un
checked, except by sporadic state legis
lation for so long that regions that once
abounded with ' the feathered creatures
are now destitute. No people ever were
more blessed with a. plentiful supply of
useful and beautiful birds than the people
of the United States; and in no country
have the little creatures been slaughtered
more recklessly. Many persons are now
living who remember When all the
markets of the east were glutted with
partridge, quail, prairie chicken and wild
water fowl. An official report of 1364
states that one dealer In New fork Is
known to have received twenty tons of
prairie chickens In on season, and that
some of the larger poultry dealers were
estimated to have sold from 150,000 to
200,000 gams birds in six months. V
Provisions of the B1M Bill.
. The bill reported by the committee is
Intended to combine the best features of
all the protective bills introduced by con
gress, including notably those of Repre
sentative John W. Weeks of Massachu
setts and Daniel R, Anthony, Jr., of Kan
sas, to say nothing of Senator McLean's
own MIL It does not stop at tiro pro
tection of migratory gam or song birds,
&ut Includes every Wnd of bird, .that , M
Tef arded as useful in consuming flestruc
Jive insects. The, bill specifies wild geese,
Ti-ild swans, brant, wild ducks, snipe,
plover, woodcock, rail and wild pigeons
but It includes within the scop of Its
protection all other migratory gam and
Insectivorous birds which are not strictly
local to any state or territory. These are
deemed, by the bill to be within th cus
tody and protection of the government
and may not be destroyed or taken con
trary to regulation prepared by th
Department of Agriculture. The remain,
ing sections of th bill prqvide as fol
lows: .: Section J. That th Department of
Agriculture is hereby authorised to adopt
suitable regulations to give effect to the
previous seotion by prescribing and fix
ing closed seasons, having due regard to
the sones of temperature, breeding hab
its, and times and line of migratory
flight, thereby enabling the department
to select and designate suitable districts
for different portions of the country
within which said closed season 1t shall
not be lawful to shoot or by any device
kill or seize and capture migratory birds
within the protection of this law, and by
declaring penalties by fine of not more
than 1100 or ImDrlsonment for ninety days.
or both, for violations of such regulations.
Section S. That the Department or
Agriculture, after the DreDaratlon of said
regulations, shall causa the same to be
made public, and shall allow a period of
three months in which said regulations
may be examined and considered beiore
final adomJon. twtrmittlnr. when deemed
proper, public hearings thereon, and alter
rinai amntton tn raus name to oe en
grossed and submitted to the president of
the United States for approval; provided
hownvtr. that nothlna herein contained
hall h deemed to affect or Interfere
with the local laws of the states ana ter-
ritnrio. for th nrotactlon of non-Oligra-
tory - same or other birds resident and
breeding within their borders, nor to pre
vent the states and territories from en
acting laws and regulations to promote
and render efficient the regulations of
the Department of Agriculture proviaea
under this statute.
Section i That there Is hereby appro
priated, out of any moneys In the traaury
not otherwise appropriated, for the pur
pose of carrying out the provisions of
this act. the sum of 110,000.
Disposing of State. Rights.
In svery attempt to secure legislation of
this character Its advocates have been
met with th opposition of certain consti
tutionalists , who hav argued that It
would infringe the rights of the states.
Th committee disposes of this contention
briefly, but pointedly. They show that
for many years European countries have
protected bird life by ' treaties, regula
tions and international decrees, and they
add that the fact that several states of
the union have exercised the right to
regulate the taking of both migratory
and non-migratory birds where no dis
crimination or distinction has been sug
gested or desired does not preclude the
nation from asserting Its right of pro
tecting migratory birds whenever condi
tions make such protection ' necessary.
"The power of the federal govern
ment to regulate by treaty the taking
of migratory seals and fish cannot be
questioned," says the report, "and your
committee can see no distinction between
th right to regulate by law and treaty
the taking of seals and fish that today
mey. be in' the waters of on state or
nation and tomorrow In the waters of
another stat or nation and the right to
regulate the taking of wild birds whose
habitat changes from one state or na
tion to another with ths changing sea
sons. None of the European states al
low th killing of game birds during th
spring months."
Th economic arguments adduced by
the committee In favor of Itsf bill are
of th most striking character, as the
suggestions at the opening of this article
indicate. The committee points out that
as mammals have succeeded reptiles, in
sects soon will possess the earth un
less some agency less expensive than
arsenlo is discovered to check their in
crease. The money value of the dam
age done by Insects seems Incredible
to one who has hitherto given little
thought to that phose of the bird ques
tion. A short time ago, suggests ths
committee, th farmers of the country,
especially In the northwest, were much
agitated because of a proposition for
reciprocity with Canada. The loss by
lnseots which they, with the other farm
ers of the country, will suffer this year
and which will benefit no one, will ex
ceed by hundreds of millions of dollars
th total valu of th entire wheat crop
of the tutloii
In 1904 Dr. C. I Bartlett, basing his
estimate on th crop reports of th De
partment of Agriculture, asserted that the
loss to th agricultural industries that
year caused by Insects alone, could be
conservatively placed at $796,100,000; and
tWs does not Include a dollar used for
insecticides. State Ornithologist Forbush
of Massachusetts. In his comprehensive
book entitled "Useful Birds." maintains
that insect pests destroy agricultural
products to the value of $800,000,000 a
year.
The details whereby such enormous to
tals are reached are available and Indi
cate that the scientists are not guessing
wildly v For example, the Hessian fly in
1804 cost the wheat growing states $50,
000,000. Chinch bugs costs the crops In the
Mississippi valley $100,000,000 In one year.
Rocky Mountain locusts in their years of
greatest activity cost the northwest
more than $150,000,000 at one time. Thus
It is seen that the terrlblo loss of $800,
000,000 in one year Is fairly easy of proof.
Feciinditr Beyond Imagination.
The fecundity of many Insects Is be
yond imagination. The green leaf louse
or aphis, so destructive of the hop indus
try and many other of our most valuable
fruits and vegetables, reproduces its kind
at the rate of ten sextilllon to the pair
In one .season. These Inconceivable fig'
ures mean 40,000 for every square Inch ol
land that is above water. Placed in In
dian file, ten to the Inch, it would tak
light traveling at the rate of 180,000 miles
per second 2,500 years to reach tne file
leader. - The potato bug Is less fecund.
One pair, will reproduce from 60.000.000 to
60,000.000 only in one season. The un
checked natural increase of one pair of
gypsy moth would defoliate the United
States In eight years.
Insects live to eat. Some Insects In
crease their size at birth 10,000 times tn
thirty days. No less than 178 specimens
of Insects attack the apple, plum, peach
and cherry trees; 400 species are found
upon the oak.
Bird Appetite for Insects.
Fortunately for the . protection of hu
manity against its insect enemies birds
are among th most important agencies
in staying the inroads of Insect devasta
tion. Most birds eat most of the time,
and eat Insects , and little else. Mr.
Treadwell of the Boston Society of Nat
ural History, ..fed a young robin sixty
eight angleworms in one day. A young
crow will eat twice Its weight a day In
almost anything set before It Mr. For
bush has seen two parent grosbeaks In
eleven hours make 450 trips to their nest
carrying two or three larvae at a time.
Columns could be filled, with the sto
ries of devastation of the great food crops
of ths world brought by insect attacks,
and of th final rout of the Invaders by
the bird legions. In Europe in 184$ a
great outbreak of gypsy moths occurred
to ward off the affliction. But on the
approach of winter titmice and wrens
paid daily visits to the Infested trees
and before spring the eggs of th moth
were entirely destroyed. Seagulls once
saved Utah from an army of crickets,
and in 1865 the blackbirds redeemed Ne
braska from the locusts. Boston Trans
He Changed the Climax.
! "It is strange," said the irasolble little
man, "that a person of your advant
age . .
"What's tnatr' tne Dig man aemanaea.
TV. man it t t-Ia nam nnlv
a little man and the big man looked very
big. - .- ' ....
"I was going to say," ne muaiy resumea,
"that It seems strange a person of your
ilvftntiMi ahnuM nnt t Ale ll tin thefta
questions as a serious study and master
them as i am sure you coum.
"That's all right," said the big man
affably. Cleveland Plain Dealer.
V , Recalled.' . . . ' -. ..
"Remember, George, dear, you prom
ised, if your man were nominated, to give
me $100 for a summer gown 7" j .
' "Oh-dld I say that?" t
"Tes-you-dld-say-Just-that!"
"Ah, yes, I remember now! But my
dear, that was before I became a dis
ciple of the recall." Judge.
School Gowns
HII
It is now a pleasure for the eco
nomical mother to plan the spring
and summer dress needs of the
young school girl because Ser
pentine Crepe is not only the
most beautiful, longest wearing
1 ; ; , : and most graceful draping cotton
v crepe made, but because of its peculiar crinkly
r weave it does not require ironing and costs but little.
- When the garment becomes soiled, simply wash in
.J the i usual way, shake out and hang up to dry and
4 the garment is ready to wear again.
Mothers of many girls will appreciate this particular
feature, for you can always send your daughter to
school with a clean frock without the labor of ironing.
Serpentine Crepe commands the largest sale of any
printed crinkly fabric in the world, because no other
fabric gives so much beauty, wear and style for, so
-little money.
JA large assortment of patterns and colors to suit the
; most fastidious, at very reasonable prices.
; Look for the words "Serpentine Crepe" on selvage
of eyeryxyard when buying. It will protect; you
Jljoir) selectinjg crepe that will not satisfy you. 1 '
Sold in Omaha by leading department stores
WEST POINTJN NEW GARB
National Military Academy Under
' goes a Transformation.'
FEW OLE BUILDINGS REMAIN
Millions Devoted to the Scheme of
Enlargement Beaattflca--tloa
Began Tea Years
Ago.
The splendid scheme - planned a little
more than ten years ago for the enlarge
ment and beautlficatlon of the United
States Military academy at West Point
Is being rapidly realized. Should a West
Pointer of a class as recent as one in the
late '90s return there now for the first
time since his graduation, he would be
hold something vastly different from the
West Point of his own days, Insofar as
equipment and magnificence of building?
is concerned. About the only old things
of his day he would find would be the
old cadet barracks, the library building,
the ancient chapel, which has been moved
to the cemetery, where the officers o?
the army who were of West Point are
burled; the mess ball, some of the old
time residences, the oldest hotel in Mew
York state, and, - of course, most im
portant of all, - the same old "spirit ".of
West Point," for that, as every West
Pointer will tell you, never has and never
will undergo a change. .
For the enlargement of West Point con
gress has appropriated since June, 1902
$7,600,000, and of this amount about $7,000,
000 has been expended in the construc
tion and equipment of new buildings
among them many magnificent struc
tures, including a chapel that is - ad
mittedly one - of the finest examples 0?
the ecclesiastical type of architecture or)
this continent, the finest riding academy
In the world, a magnificent new cadet
barracks, a gymnasium such as no other
institution in America can boast of,
new academlo building, a group of the
finest cavalry , and artillery buildings' in
th United States and a classic. headquar
ters building which stands on ths site of
th old building, in which such superin
tendents as Robert E. Lee,.. Sylvanus
Thayer, Richard Delafield. Pierre O. T.
Beauregard, John M. Schofleld, Oliver O.
Howard and Wesley Merritt had their
headquarters when they wet at the head
of the institution.
A Maarnlfieeot Picture. .
On the Hudson side of the reservation
the plans of the architects have been
realized with the single exception of the
demolition, of the ancient 'West Point
hotel and the erection on its site of
either a home for the superintendent or
a modern hotel structure.
From the' deck of a river steamer or
from any train on the east shore of the
river a glance In the direction of .West
Point reveals a magnificent picture. Go
ing north one sees first a splendid build
ing that dominates the picture from the
east It is th new headquarters build
ing from which the military and academic
administration of West Point is directed.
It crowns the slope of the hill which
leads up from the railway station in the
hollow below. ; , ' ,
Just below post headquarters and stand
ing on the banks of the Hudson Is the
magnificent riding hall, the finest pn
this continent and probably the finest
In 11 the world. . Th old riding ; hall,
which was demolished to make way for
the present structure, was a creation of
Robert E. Lee, and in it were trained
all the West Point cavalrymen of the
last sixty years.
Th new hall Is three times as large
as Was th old one and represents the
last word in equipment so . far as In
struction in horsemanship is concerned. .
Next, on the Hudson side of the pic
ture, but not, yet completed, is the sec
ond of the new academlo buildings. It
Is at present one-fourth finished and
will be ready for use early next fall..
The officers' club, a classic structure,
built by officers who are graduates of
West Point and not by the gowrnment,
Is the building that stands just to the
north of the riding hall. Then comes an
other splendid structure, Cullum hall, a
gift to the academy In memory of Its
greatest superinendents. .
In Cullum hall are theld the West
Point graduation exercises and other Im
portant functions. From its- rafters and
along its walls are suspended scores of
flags, tattered and sacred relics of great
battles in which West Pointers have won
glory for their alma mater.
Another beautiful structure Is the home
of the bachelor officers who are detailed
for duty at the academy. .
- Magnificent New Chapel.
These are the new buildings that stand
out prominently in the picture of the new
West Point as viewed from the Hudson
side of the' reservation. Back of them
and on a great hill that overlooks the
plain below and which can be seen for
miles is the magnificent new chapel, with
its great memorial window, which empha
sises,, by scenes and characters taken
from biblical and ecclesiastical history,
"duty, honor and country," and which is
a memorial to West Pointers who served
their country well. r
"To the Glory of the God of Battles
and In Faithful Memory of the Departed
Graduates of the United States Military
Academy at West Point Erected by the
Living Alumni, MCMX." is the inscription
that tells the story of that window, the
most beautiful and costly of any in any
church In this land. -
On the plain proper, the new buildings
that stand out most prominent are the
gymnasium, the new north cadet bar
tacks, the finished academlo building and
the new one In process of construction,
the new homes of the married officers,
the new north battalion guardhouse, and,
just beyond the reservation in the direc
tion of Highland Falls, the splendid group
of buildings for the cavalry and artillery
on duty at West Point
In the cemetery on the hill back of
Westr point there is also a new ana at
th same time a very old building the
ancient chapel in which Grant Lee, Jack
son, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas and all
the other great West Pointers worshiped
as cadets. It was taken down stone by
stone to mak way for the second of the
new academlo buildings, and re-erected
In the famous old cemetery. It Is to be
used in future ss a mortuary chapel.
New York Times. ' .
garding . the different positions he had
held.
"Jim" was telling of a period of his
early newspaper days when he had held
many places and none for long.
"Then where did you go?" thundered
the lawyer after Evans had told of
working a few days in th southwest
"To Dallas, Tex. Worked two weeks,"
replied Evans.
"Why did you change!": asked the
lawyer. ; '
"My boss and X could not agree upon
the question of national policy," was the
answer.
"Then where did you go?"
"To New Orleans. Left there in a
week."
"And what was the reason this time?"
from the attorney.
"Same . thing," answered Evans with
a smile. "The proprietor and I found
that we did not agree upon a political
question of national Importance."
The same answer was given as Evans
told of numerous other places he had
taken and given np. The attorney- finally
gave - up his attempt to break down
Evans with the remark: "You must be
a hard man to get along with if you
have such set political ideas." , ,
; A few days after the case had been
decided Judge Brentano .met Evans on
the street '
"Say, Jim," he asked, "what was that
question - of' national 'importance that
cost you so many Jobs? What did you
and your bosses disagree over?"
"Prohibition." answered -.Evans . with
a smile. Chicago Tribune. " .
QUESTION OF NATION'S POLICY
Disagreed with MiH(lsf Editors,
the Reporter Moved from . ,
.. Town to Tew, : .
At the meeting of th-Illinois Bar as
sociation In the Hotel La. Salle, Judge
Theodore Brentano of the superior court
told of a case tried before him several
years ago at which . the late "Jim"
Evans, a widely known and universally
liked newspaper writer, was a witness.
Evans had given Important Evidence,
and the opposing attorney was doing his
best to shake his testimony. ? -.
NHe had made Evans go back-over bis
nut Ufa and. was Questioning him "ra-j
: Women who bear children and re
main healthy are those who prepare
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nature in Its pre-natal work the crisis
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Friend dispels the fear that the crisis
may not be safely met Mother's
Friend assures a speedy and complete
recovery for the mother, and she is
left a healthy woman to enjoy the
rearing of . her
child. Mother's TRTwTUV.
Friend is sold at l'kUtllUi3
drug stores.
Write for our free
book for expect
ant mothers which contains much
valuable information, and many sug
gestions of a helpful nature.
. BIADF1ELD REGULATOR CO., Atksta, Ga,
Friend
Strong Healthy Women
If woman is strong and healthy ia a wosnsnly way, moth
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lor motherhood. This can be remedied.
Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription
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It sots directly est die dclioate and tsaportaal
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"Favorite Prescription" banishes die indispositions of the
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testified to its marvelous merits. '
it Mskes West Women Strong. It Makes Sick Women Wefc
Hooest druggists do not offer substitutes, and urge them upon yon as " just
as good." Aocept no secret nostrum in place of this tuv-secrrt remedy. It
contains not a drop of alcohol sad not a grain of habit-forming or injurious
drugs Is pure glyceric extract of healing, native American roo's.
to the charred, or brittle, or soggy kind made in the
tedious dd-fashioned way, is relatively the same as the
superiority of grilled steak to fried steak. "
For one'tenth of a cent a slice the General
Electric Radiant Toaster makes Perfect Toast faster
than you can eat it It is Perfect Toast because the
radiant . at forces the necessary chemical change
in the bread. This insures delicious golden Toast that
fairly melts in your mouth.
1 V
Yon can operate Ac General Electric Radiant Toaster oallie
finest damask tabic doth." Its neat porcelain bate and cheerful
glowing coils add grace and charm to any table.
Omaha Electric Light
& Power Company
SALE
: y. .
sola
il
1414 HARNEY ST.
Continues 7 Days More.
The Most Interesting Display ef Array Giods Ever Seen it Ocuka
Such things not carried by any other store in
the world This statement made by men and women Tvho
have traveled. The sale rare schooling for men, women
and children. Shows the many uses U.S. goods can be put to. '
Following is the way we get some of our goods from
U. S. Government:
tPHILADKlPtftA OKPOT Of THt QUABTCRMASTIR'S Df MUTMCNY?
SOTH 8TRSCT AND OHAVa rSRRV ROAO'
Cm
sck Sum ftin
... t ' ' km
April 18th, im.
Thia Is to certify that I hacre eliTered this date to
Stokes Kirk, Philadelphia, Pa., 100,000 Muslin Shirts.
'By direction or xne tjuarwnna3o.r
of the Secretary of War, for a raluable consiaeri .
Respeotfully,. .
Major & Quarte matter, 0 S.Aray,
Y ' property Officer. -
And hundreds of other goods at startling low prices. It's the unusual
goods, a thing which no other store has, that pleases. Here they are
and you may never see again. Sale opens 8 A. M., closing 9 P. M. for
only 9 days, closing for good next week, June 27.
Catalogue . with prices.
1414 Harney St., Omaha
; ! W. S. KIRK, Mgr. ' ,
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