Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-05
SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION
OF CRUELTY To ANIMALS.
Ninth Annual COnventIOn-Eleetio
of Omcers. Etc.

annual session at Macon on Wednesday.
Alter the reading Of the minutes,
Mr.. Nathan Z. Platshek, Of Savannah,
Chairman Of the Committee on Legislation,
here arose and addressed the meeting at
length in regard to what had been accom-
plished at the last session Of the Legislature.
He stated, says the Macon Telegraph aud
Messenger, that the law passed was, without
doubt, the strongest in the United States,
making cruelty to animals q midemeanor,
punishable under section 1850 Of the Code
of Georgia. He further stated that the re-
cepsion he had received st the hands of the
Representatives and Senators was hearty,
and that with few exceptions they all rem
dered assistance. He paid high compli-
ment to Representative Price, OF Oconee.
The reports Of branch societies were read
and ordered to be spread upon the minutes.
Mr.. h B King, OF Augusta, President of
the society, submitted his report as follows:
'sYou will have seen bV the reports OF the
Secretary and Of the Treasurer the material
and financial condition OF the society, and
have learned something Of its workings for
the past year. You will have seen that its
finances are in a fairly satisfactory condi-
ton, in spite Of large extraordinary ex-
the American Humane Association in Bos-
ton last summer, and those incurred in hav-
iug amended and perfected by the State
legislature the laws under which we act.
The report of the Secretary indicates a
great lack of activity on the part Of the So
ciety-a scarcity OF warnings, OF prose2u-
lions and Of convictions. This either argues
derelictiOn of duty on the part of the So
eiety's officers and agents, or else 1t indt-
Gates a state Of things inimicsl to or IN
favorable for their successful action. You
will each, of course, decide this question
according TO your individual judgment;
but feel it my duty, in behalf of the Execu
tive Committee, to claim that this nom
action lies not in any lack Of energy on
their part In providing against such cases
as are presented to their notice, but 10
| the greater humanity and improved public
sentiment throughout the State, which
have obvlsted the frequent necessity for
such action. The aims of this society and
the powers conferred upon it by law are now
pretty generally understood, and this knowl-
edge has, unsided, in many instances infu
Ell ced the conduct of the lily disposed.
may mention the holding of the chicken
main, last winter, in Hamburg, s. c., instead
of on the Augusta fair grounds, because, as
ore Of the cock-6ghtiug fraternity expressed
it.. "theY we're afraid the society would
| bounce Them" and "bounce them" is Ger
tainly what it would have done.
But, in truth, punishment and repression
are among the least good works done by
| this society. The mere fact Of its existence
| is q standing protest against the barbsrities
and eruelties Of former times. That mum
Der of men and women are banded together
TO teach mankind its duty to its fellow crea
| lures, and to demand for those creatures their
| natural rights, is but another instance that
| the worlds advancement is not backward,
/ and that we are another step nearer the
millennium.
The great obstacle to our cause, as IT is to
all progress, is ignorance. To overcome
this evil Is everywhere recognized as the
most important as well as the most formi-
| dable problem to be solved by our civiliza-
| ton. In this connection some idea may be
| formed of the magnitude of the task IN
| dertsken by this society. For whereas
States and communities set themselves to
| teach the uneducated, it is our part to edu-
cate also the educated. 1t Is our duty not
only to repress the willful and to teach the
/ unlearned, but to restrain the careless and
remind the thoughtless.
Education then is the great Archimedean
| lever by which we would move the world,
| and the laws under which we work recog-
nize the fact and proclaim the alliance by
/ devoting half the proceeds of fines imposed
| for violations of these laws to the public
Il 3
| it is the woman's branch of our society IN
Augusta that takes the lead, by Offering
| through the various schools prizes for the
| best written essays on the subject OF kind
| ness to animals. This is an important work,
ard commend its adoption by the different
branches.
At the last annual meeting of your soci-
ETY., which was held in Atlanta. 1t was re-
| solved, on motion of DR.. II. V Il. Miller,
- Id - ~ Snnarfor
Courts be requested to charge /. If respec-
| tive grand jHries on the laws relating to
cruelty to animals. In accordance with
that motion, memorials have been sent to
| the twenty judicial districts of the State.
Oae such charge has been made, and in an
| other instance the Judge has promised to
| comply with our request.
Last summer your society sent Mr. n. h.
Piatshek, of the Savannah branch, to pro-
cure from the Legislature additional powers.
| The result OF his labors will appear in the
report be Will make from the committee
/ appointed at the last convention for that
purpose.
In conclusion I would urge all members
to give these subjects their earnest consid-
| Grafton. Let each member discourage the
use of tight check reins and refuse to hire
| hacks when they are used; let each one
refuse to buy chickens carried head down
ward; expostulate with those guilty Of acts
/ of cruelty, aud report those Yho will not
| heed expOstulatiOn. Let this be done, and
| the aggregate represents an incslculable
amount OF good work done, an immense
| amount of misery and suffering prevented.
The reports of the Secretrry and Treasurer
we're read and approved.
| The resignation OF Mr. W. Edward Platt
! as Secretary was read, and, upon motion, 1t
was unanimously resolved that vote Of
| thanks be rendered Mr. Plstt for his valus-
| bic services as Secretary, and regretting that
his business engagements have prompted
| the action. His resignation was accepted.
The convention then proceeded to elect
| officers for the ensuing year, with the fol-
| lowing result:
President, Il. B. King, Augusta, Ga; Sec
| rotary, Nathan Z. Platshek, Savannah. Ga. :;
Treasurer, s. B. Craig, Augusta, Ga; Coun-
| sci. W. 7. Gary, Augusta, Ga.
| Vice Presidents-Hon J. 2. King, Angus
IA: Rev. Chauncey G. Williams, Augusta; j.
| Il. Estill, Savannah; Geo. L. Appleton, Sa-
vsnuah; Capt. J. F. Burke, Alfalfa; Darwin
g Jones, Atlanta; J. F. Shanklin, Rome;
DR.. Ferry, Columbus; Matt OBrien, Column
| bus; J. r. BostWick, Brunswiek; Stephens
| Thomas, Athens: j. Belknap Smith, Thorn
son: Rev. o. A GazebroOk, Macon; j. L.
| Griffin, BRYAN Neck; II. H. Perry, Wavnes-
boro; Henry Jernigan, White Plains; Tobin
/ Triplette, Townsville s. D. Bradwell,
/ Hinesville Hon. Wm. Z. Smith, Albany;
| Dr. W. B. Foxes, Wsycross; 8. n. Griffin,
| Quitmsn. c. r. Pendle,on, Valdosta; Hon.
Z. W. Csrswell, Louisville.
Executive Committee-H. B. King, ex-
| oficio, Augusts; w. Edward Plat, Augusta;
Mrs Carrie G. Doughty, Augusta; Miss Liz
! zie Cashin, Augusta; Miss Lizzie Baker, Au-
| gusta. John s. Davidson, Augusta; Albert
/ T. Gardiner, Augusta. DR.. DeS. Ford, Au-
gusts, NJ. ]. 0'Brien, Augusta; Hon. Jos.
B. Cumming, Augusta; James I. Davies,
Augusta: Col G.. W. Anderson, Savannah;
Nathan K. Platshek, Savannah; Captain
Robert Fslligant, Savannah; Rev. Charles
/ Strong, Savannah; Judge !. L. Hopkins,
Atlanta. Judge L. Z. Bleckley, Atlanta;
Judge j. L. Norcross, Atlanta; Dr.. II. a.
Baker, Atlanta; Mrs. Mary Bryan, Atlanta;
W. H. Adkins, Rome, r a. Denny, Romei
Matt O'Brien, Columbus; Col. Z. q. Jones,
Macon. J. r. Bostwick, Brunswick; j. J.
Brady, Bryan Neck.
Mr.. s. r. Craig was here called to the
chair, when Mr.. II. B. King, Of Augusta,
made 8 motion that the chair appoint
tfons on the death of Vice President Charles
Green, of Savannah. The following were
appointed: II. B. King, Nathan K. Platshek
and w. 7. Gary.
On motion It was voted and carried that
tie bylaws be amended so that the annual
meeting De aeld on the first Wednesday In
May instead of the last wednesday in April,
&c heretofore.
The convention, on motion. adjourned to
meet In Columbus in May, 1888.
-%=-0-<-
Georgia State sunday school AssO.