ITEMS OF INTEREST January 30, 1909 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

A concerted action is to be made by sportsmen in all sections of the country and the Audubon Societies, with a view to ascertain the amount of game birds and animals taken each year. In the state legislatures which are beginning to convene for the new year special efforts to obtain legal provisions for this game census are being planned. In this task the officers of the National Association of Audubon Societies have been promised the hearty assistance of the director of the National Conservation Commission. "The proposed census," says the president of the National Society, "is the only sure way of determining the extent of the existing commercial bird butchery and the means to check it. Though we shall, of course, have to fight the organized and financially powerful market hunters at every step toward this end, I feel sure that the support of the sportsmen will help us greatly, and that we may rely upon the support of every patriotic American as well. The whole public debt of this nation has just been reported as $997, 349, 751. With a known annual loss of many millions more than this due to the growing inroads of the insects which our game birds destroy, I do not think Americans can ignore this subject much longer."

President Roosevelt has recently created a Council of Fine Arts, and directed that hereafter the heads of executive departments, bureaus, and commissions, before any plans are formulated for public buildings or grounds, or for the location or erection of any statue, must submit the matter to the council, and follow their advice unless for good and sufficient reasons the President directs otherwise. This action is in accordance with the President's announcement a few days ago and is the outcome of suggestions to him by the American Institute of Architects.

During the period of litigation, representing some twenty-one months, the Waters-Pierce Oil Company of Texas, the defendant in the ouster proceedings, has received approximately $3,000,000 in gross earnings. Taxes of $60,000 are due out of this and will have to be paid by the receiver. That being done, the earnings of the company still will be sufficient to liquidate the court's judgment, pay operating expenses, and leave a surplus that will revert to stockholders. The fine amounts to $1,623,000.

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