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The disastrous experience of Pennsylvania and some other states that adopted botlnty laws did not serve as a warning to Rhode Island, Fortunately the taxpayers of a commonwealth always insist on the speedy repeal of bounty laws as soon as the exces— sive cost is realized.
How men who claim to be intelligent, or to represent tlle best interests of a commu- nity. can pass a law to pay a bounty for de- stroying beneficial birds is past under- standing; it is parallel with a great deal of the legislation of the present day. which is often harmiul, largely unnecessary and un- warranted. and. in many instances, uncon» stitutional,
In New York state a determined eliort to repeal the law preventing spring shoutng this was only done, however, after the most active resistance on the part of the orni- thologists and other scientific men of the state, and the sportsmen‘s association - it was a small section. Long Island. aga st the balance of the state. That the result of this law will work for good there is abso- lutely no doubt, as the Long Island waters. which are one of the great restingrplaces of water—fowl during the northward migra» tion, are now protected after the first of January.
From Maine it is reported to the Com- mittee that the Eider Ducks are being shot by the fishermen, notwithstanding all the attempts that are made to protect the few re» maining birds. There are probably not over too pairs of Eider Ducks that still breed in thestate of Maine.and it seems as though all public spirit and pride were lost when men are selfish enough to wish to kill the very last pair of birds breeding in their state, instead of trying to foster and protect them. for the benefit and enjoyment of descendants, uch ideas may be too Utopian for the ordinary man or woman. btlt it is necessary for the
of waterfowl was finally defeated;
Audubon Societies to spread them broad- cast if birds are to be preserved for our children and grantlchildrent
in New Jersey 2 second bill was intro» duced to permi‘ the killing of Robins by tru -growers; this bill was defeated by as large a vote as was the first bill.
Bird- Lore
For three years the Audubon Society and allthe decent sentiment of the state at New Jersey endeavored to pass a law to prevent the shooting of Pigeons over traps; various influences, not decent but very potent, de- feated the bill for two years; the third at- tempt was made this year, and the history of this legislation is so peculiar and so inter— esting that it is given in detail as a warning to legislators who do not respect public opinion and as an encouragement to Audu- bon workers.
After the bill was introduced it was sent to the Fish and Game Committee of the House. and, notwithstanding all the eflonx to move it from that committee, it was held until a short time before the close of the session. when petitions began to flow into the legislature in such numbers, demanding that the bill be brought on the floor of the House, in order that it might be acted upon, that the committee dared not withstand pub-
‘Iic opinion, and the bill was passed by a
very large majority. Unfortunately. only five days of the session remained when the bill was sent from the House to the Senate; it was there referred to the Committee on Miscellaneous Business, and the same tactics were employed to defeat the bill that had been employed in the House; it was not re- ported»out of the committee and the legis- lature adjourned without the Senate having an opportunity or acting on this bill which had been passed almost unanimously in the House.
The feeling of indignation was so strong in the state, as voiced by the press, that Governor Murphy felt compelled to put the taxpayers of the state to the expense of a special and extra session of the legislature in order to consider what was known as the Pigeon Bil/t Even at the special session of the legislature there was one legislator who had the effrontery to try and kill the bill; however. it was passed in a few moments. after having been three years before the legislature. This shows how the ordinary polttl an respects a thoroughly aroused public opinion. The work of the Audubon Societies is primarily to arouse such public opinion, both by education and organiza- tion. so there will always be a demand for
