ADDRESSES OF MAJOR LACEY 169 



In these great national forests the homeless wild crea- 

 tures will replenish, if they are only given the oppor- 

 tunity. The law should give them that chance. 



The deadly breech-loading guns of the present time 

 have placed the extermination of all living things in the 

 easy reach of the thoughtless or the mercenary, not even 

 being confined to the skillful. 



A bloody-minded Briton a few years ago landed on an 

 island on the coast of Alaska and in a few hours left the 

 remains of 250 walruses to rot unused, as evidence of his 

 prowess. He had assured the future starvation of the 

 natives in order to gratify his thirst for blood. 



The pot-hunters and the lover of slaughter for its own 

 sake have joined hands in the deadly work of extermina- 

 tion. 



The birds which had kept the destructive insects within 

 reasonable bounds have been so recklessly destroyed that 

 the farmers have taken up the subject and public senti- 

 ment has turned to the side of the preservation of the 

 birds of the air. Some years ago the writer of this 

 article introduced in Congress a bill to nationalize the 

 question of game and bird preservation as far as it could 

 be done within the limits of the federal constitution. The 

 bill was met with more or less derision, and failed of pas- 

 sage for a number of years. The public took up the ques- 

 tion and pressed it upon the attention of the Congress un- 

 til finally on the 25th day of May, 1900, the bill became a 

 law and I feel much honored to have had my name con- 

 nected with this legislation. 



The act does not attempt to define the terms of pres- 

 ervation, but leaves that necessarily with the states them- 

 selves. Before the passage of this federal statute birds 

 and game were killed in violation of state law and shipped 

 to markets beyond the state limits. As articles of com- 

 merce they were there exposed to sale with impunity. 



