342 Bird - Lore 



their legislation, and bills are then referred to committees on judiciary,, 

 new business, harbors and lands, agriculture, metropolitan affairs, etc. 

 There are so many tricks attempted in legislation and so many apparently 

 harmless amendments to watch and combat, that, in order to keep the friends 

 of the birds informed, that they may use their efforts to the best advantage, 

 a man should be kept constantly in attendance at each session of each Legis- 

 lature. Otherwise, some ground is almost certain to be lost somewhere in 

 each session, notwithstanding that gains may be made elsewhere. Every good 

 bill should be watched carefully at every stage of its progress; otherwise, 

 good bills that have powerful enemies will be defeated, or will be so changed by 

 amendments that they will fail of their object. Every bad bill should be 

 watched and fought until it is finally defeated, and then a lookout should be 

 kept to see that no substitute for it is introduced under another title, or in 

 another branch of the Legislature. All bills must be scrutinized, to see that no 

 bad legislation is introduced, and passed under a misleading title or one appar- 

 ently foreign to its substance. Such tricks are attempted often. In some 

 cases, a bill is introduced in proper form and referred to the regular com- 

 mittee, and, while the attention of its opponents is engaged in opposing it, 

 another is introduced under a different title and referred to another committee, 

 in the hope that it will pass unnoticed. Your agent for New England has not 

 been able to give the close attention to legislative work the past year that 

 such work requires. This was partly because some matters reached a critical 

 stage on the same day in different states, necessitating his presence in two 

 states at one and the same time, and partly because the Association could not 

 spare the money to pay the necessary expenses of traveling, postage, printing, 

 etc. The "sinews of war," alone, will enable an agent to keep closely in touch 

 with all that is going on, and will also keep the people fully informed, so that 

 their aid may be secured in influencing legislation at critical times. 



This whole matter resolves itself down to a struggle between the destroyers 

 of wild life and its protectors and propagators. In New England, excepting 

 possibly in the state of Rhode Island, those desiring rational protection for 

 birds and animals are in the great majority; all that is needed is to keep these 

 people informed — to tell them what to do and when to do it. This done, our 

 bird and game laws will be made everything that the protectionist can desire. 

 Birds will be protected, game increased, the laws respected, and the lawbreaker 

 generally detested. But, today, the seekers after special privileges and those 

 who destroy birds and game ruthlessly for pleasure or profit, although in the 

 minority, are better organized, better supplied with funds, and more apt at 

 the political game, than are the protectors. What this Association now needs 

 is the means to watch legislation more closely, and to keep the public informed 

 regarding its progress. Notwithstanding the inadequacy of our resources, 

 however, no great backward step has been taken in New England during the 

 year, although we came perilously near such a step in at least two instances. 



