Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-02-09
Mercy to Horses.


are ROUNDED III justice ana mercy, are
violated every day with impunity by
christians and intidels. Section 403l
OF the Laws of Iowa, among other
things provides that "unnecessarily
failing to provide any domestic ami
NAL with proper food, drink. shelter
or protection from the weather, &c,
the offender shall be punished with
Imprisonment, &C." There is scarce
ly town or neighborhood on any
day or night during our dreary win
tiers but this law is openly violated
with IMMUNITY by both good and bad
men. 1t is not alone that class of
vagabond farmers, who disgrace the
name, who 60 to town and loaf
round all day from store, saloon and
grocery, and protract their day into
the night, while the poor, suffering
horses are hitched in the wind and
storms. But protested Christians,
and those who are loudest in their
Hosannahs, are guilty of this species
of cruelty, unmingled with sense,
reason or mercy. Protracted night
meetings in country and town are
the scenes of terrible suffering to
dumb brutes hitched to fences about
school houses and churches. The
horses are probably driven rapidly
from three to five miles, SO as to get
the occupants of the conveyance out
of the cold as soon as possible, warm
ing up the horses, which have to re-
main in the raw wind for two or
three hours. These are not merely
imaginary cases. They are of actual
nightly occurrence all over the State.
Men am awomen guilty Of this cruel
ty may ',magine that religion is a
good thing, but the heather and inf
del world would be converted SOON
er by more merciful kind of relig-
ion than is manifested by the treat
ment of the noble dumb animals that
serve them. 1t would be a good
thing if some of this class were made
an example OF by having the law
strictly enforced. 1t would probably
awake more mercy than it would to
have dull sermon preached to them
from the It'll we're of the fifth chap
ter of Matthew.
There are various reasons why all
persons going to these night meet
ings in cold weather should go on
foot. 1t is mercy to the horses as
well as merciful to themselves.
Horses not only suffer hut their lives
are frequently forfeited thereby.
They may not die at the time, but
the foundation of disease is laid, and
months after, probably, when put to
hard work, they suddenly yield to
the disease. Ii the frequenters of
night meetings would go on foot,
they would be in a better condition
to enjoy the services. But especial
ly after tarrying in a hot room till a
late ,ur, with the body in a state of
pcrspiration, riding home through
the keen air various diseases are con.
tracted that would not be if the cir
cnlation was kept up by rapid walk
home. AT such seasons it is much
better to serve God on foot.
But we do not know how officers
Of the law, who have taken an oath
to see the laws faithfully executed,
can stand about towns or sit in their
offices and see dumb brutes hitched
for several hours before their ewes,
when the mercury is below zero, and
the wind bowling for its prey. Some
times the law is enforced on an un-
fortunate man whose sensibilities
have been benumbed by life of dis.
sipation, who leaves his horse In the
cold while he is INDUCING his appe-
tite in saloons licensed by christian
corporation officers. But it is time
the law was enforced on some OF
those who sing psalms, and rejoice
that they are all better than those
who visit such places. This is a
wicked world, but it does not always
crop out by such fashionable vices
as swearing, drunkenness and de-
bauchery. Christianity should be
known by its fruits. To say long
prayers when dumb brutes are per-
ishing outside-to enjoy richly-cush-
toned pews while mortals are perish
ing for food and clothing within
hearing Of the spintua. songs-are
not the best ways to recommend re.
ligion to the world.
But we plead for the sufferings of
the noble horses, exposed this cold
winter to storms and winds all over
the land, fastened at the places of re.
vivals, singing schools or night SEES
sions Of oranges, fastened so they
cannot flee to places of safety. The
prayers of such animals will reach
he ears Of Mercy as well as that OF
their owners.