Worcester daily spy., 1872-11-09


The Nation Of last week very sensibly i'm
proves the prevailing horse disease, with the by
no means tufing but not as yet intolerabe in
convenience and loss attending it, as a reminder
OF the important place Of the horse in our COM
mercial civilization, and tue general indifference
as to his comfort and well being. When we
speak Of living in an age of steam, machinery
and mechanical invention, we are apt to
think and act as if these modern appliances had
made as in great measure independent of ami
NAL power for traffic or business, when in fact
the world had never greater need of it. Steam
boats and railroads carry merchandise and pas
sengeis for long distances in such quantities
and at such rates Of speed as were never
thought Of when these means of transport
were unknown; but all this stupendous
traffic must cease unless horses can
be had TO bring together the feigbts from the
mines, farms, shops, factories and other sources
OF production, to The receiving depots of the
great lines Of transport and 10 distribute them
at the end Of these lines 10 the innumerable
places where they are TO be used. Perhaps steam
could be made to do this service as well as it is
now done; but the change, if it were to.be made,
must be slow and attended with much incon-
veuience and loss. There is no sign, as yet, that
At is likely to be even attempted, and, in the
mean time, we are as entirely dependent for the
means Of living and the necessities of commerce
upon beasts Of burden and draft as the people
oil those eastern countries, where merchandise
is transported only by caravans OF camels.
But Tie horse, this Indispensable servant Of
ours, does not receive SUCH treatment as his
usefulness deserves, although in some respects
his comfort and wants are more considered than
formerly. PuOlic opinion recognizes the fact
that horse is not simply machine. There
have long been laws iorDidding cruelty TO ami.
mails, and now they are enforced with reasona-
bic vigilance and suictness. We now seldom
see horses numerically beaten or cruelty over
worked, and when such treatment is observed
there Is apt 10 be NJ lack OF sympathizing and
protesting 5ystanders, and, in aggravated cases,
the offender is pretty sure 10 be called to an-
fwcr for his inhumanity in the police court.
We haye been told, and our observation confirms
tne statement that horses notieeably i'll fed and
pnhE Tor work are less common 10 city or country
Than lley were few years ago. This is very
We" ~ l@'' aud yet our treatment Of this,willng
servant Is Tar from what it should be, or from
WnAt aa intelligent economy would make it,
Inc lile oi ahofse, in our cities especially, is
almost as artificial and conventional as that of
man BE Is prevented from taking his natural
food 10 bis natural manner, and fed on quite
different diet from that which he would choose
or could obtain ia state Of nature MANY
other incidents Of bis condition tend to mako
lam a very different animal from the wild horse
Of the prairies.
This, Of course, is unavoidable and perhaps
IS 10 itsell no more 10 beregretted than the fact
that tbe average white man Of Massachusetts, is
very diaerent style Of man In his physical
characteristics, and 10 his habits and necessities
from tue Apache Of Arizona; but as a matter of
humanity and oi enlightened selfinlerest It is