ADDRESSES OF MAJOR LACEY 143 



grow in Canada. He tried it, and there is no dispute 

 about it now. It grows in Canada. 



There is a compensation in the distribution of plants, 

 birds, and animals by the God of nature. Man's attempt 

 to change and interfere often leads to serious results. 

 The French pink was introduced as a flower in Oregon, 

 and it has spread throughout the wheat fields and become 

 an injury to agriculture. The English yard plantain 

 has become a great evil in New Zealand. 



Rabbits were introduced in Australia, and today the 

 most persistent efforts are necessary to keep them within 

 endurable limits. The Russian thistle is spreading with 

 great rapidity in the Dakotas, and though this plant has 

 finally proven to have some value for forage, yet the peo- 

 ple of the Northwest would be glad if the plant had never 

 found a footing in that region. 



It is important that the introduction of foreign wild 

 birds and animals should be under competent legal su- 

 pervision, and this bill will accomplish that result. 



The next proposition in the bill, and that is the vital 

 one of all, is to prohibit interstate commerce in birds and 

 wild game — that is, insectivorous, useful birds, and wild 

 game birds, and wild game of any kind killed in violation 

 of local laws. Take the state of Georgia, that has en- 

 acted most rigid laws for the protection of insectivorous 

 birds and game birds. Trappers go there and catch the 

 quail, net or trap them in violation of the local law, pack 

 them in barrels or boxes and ship them to other markets 

 in the United States. It is done secretly. The result is 

 that the market houses in other states have been utilized 

 as places in which to dispose of these birds and animals 

 killed in violation of the laws of the state. Game war- 

 dens of the various states have long desired some legisla- 

 tion of this kind by which they can stop the nefarious 



