VALUABLE WILD LIFE 25 



introduced and successfully advocated in the Sen- 

 ate the measure that finally was enacted into law. 

 This measure was championed in and through the 

 House of Representatives by Mr. John W. 

 Weeks of Massachusetts, now a senator. 



There is one item of history connected with that 

 measure which forcibly illustrates the state of pub- 

 lic feeling regarding the birds that are of practical 

 value to trees and crops. All of six years ago, a 

 bill was introduced in Congress for the federal 

 protection of migratory game-birds. It was ably 

 championed by its author, Mr. George Shiras, 3d, 

 but in five years it made no progress. Subsequent 

 bills of the same character were introduced by other 

 members of Congress, but so long as they provided 

 for the game-birds only, there was no great public 

 demand for their passage, and they slumbered 

 peacefully in the committees to which they had been 

 referred. 



Finally, in 1912, the insectivorous birds were 

 made the leading issue of a great national campaign 

 that was waged in behalf of the amended McLean 

 bill. On that issue the support of the press and the 

 people at large was actively enlisted, and in spite 

 of some doubts regarding its constitutionality, and 

 its possible infringement of the rights of states, the 

 measure passed the Senate without one dissenting 

 vote. Later on it passed the House opposed by 

 only fifteen votes. To insure action upon it, the 

 measure finally was incorporated in the Agricul- 



