The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-02

One good effect Of modern speculation, hit
shall show that man was developed nom o
lower condition In the animal kingdom, i rs
TO 10 hoped, will DO to beget kinder feeling
toward our former kindred and companions
sach speculatlonI ara In no danger Of bring
ing tic human rase down to the brste, but
may, and should incline men to raise the
animal kingdom 50 high Us to bring them
within the range Of sympathy and kindAess.
The habit Of treating animals with unkInd.
ness Il bad, not only Us creating unnecessary
suffering, but rs hardening the heart, and
rendering It less likely 10 be tender toward
the human kind.
our children are elueated to disregard, and
often 10 feel and express the utmost .repug-
nance to the great maSs Of animal life. That
nOXIouS Insects md dangerous animals should
be avoided, affords no reason why we should
ralse prejudice against the vast bulk Of
harmless things which, In their own short
day, have a. much right to enjoyment as we
have.
The great epidemic among horses brings
home 70 mon their dependence upon those
faithful servants, TheIe Is no animal living
that performs for man 80 much service, and
hiss for itself 90 little provision made for lis
enjoyment, as the horse. Men seem 10 think
that II was made to work for map. and Ind
no rights which white man Is bound to re-
Spect. L..
Day by day he Is expected to enployall his
force for another. He Is poorly fed, poorly
housed, poorly tended often forced by sharp
est punlshments 10 strain every nerve 10
move excessive loads aud when the day is
over, shut up 10 unYentilAted holes, to shift
for himself as best he may. The horse Is
mere wheel in the vast machinery Of industry,
aud ia treated as II be had rs little feeling az
an iron wheel.
Next to the dog, the horse Is organized
With susceptlbllties Nike the human race. He
Ia conscious Of good treatment, Is ungntetul
for II Is wounded by bad treatment, and re-
sents II. That bis imperfect reason and rudi-
mGntary emotiye nature are far below mans,
docs ,ot.rhNnge the fact that the horse hAS
In him the hgiHniag,-th remote germs-ot
those dispositions which constitute manhood.
Lat any one consider the stables Of those
who aim to treat their horses humNnely. The
horse u shut up In narrow stall hAltet0d 30
that variety Of motion Il impossible either
without light, or with windows so placed
that he can sec nothing that Is going Oh day
or night,
II Is solitary confinement In cell. IL he
10 worked regularly, this Is not 40 very bad !;
but geutlemen'S horses, often for days, and
sometimes for weeks, mo thuS, closely shut
up, without company, occupation, OF the
slightest thing for eye, car, Or any feeble In;
ward sense, Because lie isfed regularly and
grows fat, men think that lie Is we'll cared
for.
What shnllsbe IAldot the holes; the mere
supboarls, the cellars, In cities, In which
horses are shut upi
These things are seldom or never alluded
to, and only that is cried out against which
amounts to blows, OF deprivation Ot food, or
forced work when feeble or sick. nv
These things cannot he renedled by mere
law. They require TINT men be taught to
cherish kindly observation-disclosures
the whole animal kingdom beneath man.
II IL true that horses which ore valuable
for uncommon qualities are treated with great
care, and often are even pampcred. But
this Il making an aristocracy Of fine animals,
and csnierring uptn II all the kindness aud
care that belong to the great equine delnoe.
racy.
II the di.temper which has so suddenly
withdrawn from service so large part Of
every kind OF horses shall incline men 70
better appreciation Of what they owe to them,
and t5itudy wiser ways.ct treating them, It
will be q blessink rather thana curse.
Meantime death 20 reaplng harvest. The
loss Of horses will be felt by many To lnrgo
htage, md car lilsI, express companies, and
men Of means, 1t Il mther anNineohyenience
to lose horses than calamity; but to poor
mon, huekSterS, dnymen, peddlers, who own
single animal, and By Il earn aliveltho0d
for their families, the loss Of a horse l. bank,
ruptcy-It wat their whole capital.
II Il the horses of such men that arc likely
10 die, because they were obliged to buy low
priced and usually 'mueh.worn animals they
have had to work them necessarily. When
the epidemic fell, while Others could give rest
10 their hck hones, those poor men were
obliged TO force them TO their tasks nor could
they even give them, between whites, such
medical treatment as Others could afford, but
they could not TIE dtanioiiod Of he poqr,
saith the proySrb, 4 thtir Poraiy, = :
II would DO great humanity to assist poor
laboring men To replace the horses which they
lOSt In this plaIue,-N Y, LAiqsr.