The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-04-28
THE LAST WONDERFUL ACHIEVE
MENT OFTHE MAINELANMAkERS.
New York Sun.l

Iull text OF an astonishing law passed
last month by the Maine Legislature,
and read, approved, and signed on
March 9 by Gov. Robie. The statute
forms chapter 1873 of the Public Laws
of the State Of Maine for 1888, and it is
entitled An Act for the Prevention OF
Cruelty.
Probablya more innocent appear
ance never covered legislation so
diabolicA, so revolutionary, SO mur-
dcrous in its real intent. The widest
theories of Neal Dow and the Prohibi-
tionists in regard to tho proper limits
Of public interference with private af-
fairs are left away out Of sight by this
decree. Under the new Maine law life
in that State will differ in its condi-
tions from life in any other civilized
community upon the face of the earth.
There it is, :, rigid fact, upon the stat
ute book; and there it must stand un-
til repealed.
In order to get at the real signiti-
canoe Of the act we must read it back
ward. The vital clause IS half conceal
in the last section but one, which is as
follows:
"Section 10. IN this act, and in every
law OF this State passed relating to or
affecting animals, the masculine shall in
clude the feminine, the singular shall in
clttde the plural, the word animal shall be
held to include every living creature, and
the word owner or persons shall be held to
include corporations rs well as individ-
nals.''
The Maine courts will undoubtedly
hold that men, women, and children
are living creatures. Let lis glance,
therefore, at some of the far-reaching
consequences ofthc act.
Applying to section the conslruc-
ton prescribed by section 10, Just
quoted, we find tina, new and some
what. remarkable duties dcvolve upon
the railroad companies doing business
in Maine. All living creatures scon1-
ing into the State on the same or con-
Meeting lines, which have been loaded
ten hours or more, shall be unloaded,
comfortably yarded, and in cold, in.
clement weather, comfortably shelter
and shall be furnished with a sufficient
quantity Of proper food and good
water" Passengers arriving at Port
land from New York, for example, or
at Bangor from Boston, must hereafter
be yarded, fed, and watered by the
railroad companies, instead of going to
the hotels for entertainment. 1t must
be said that in some respects this
will be a gain to the
travelling public. The yard accommo-
dations furnished by tho railroads, un-
der penalty of $500 for each violation
of the law, cannot but be an improve
ment on many Of the Maine taverns,
and commercial tourists arriving from
New York and Boston will be forced to
drink good water, for time at least,
and will be kept away from Names
l,1G2 licensed liquor establishments,
and the temptations Of its numerous
apothecary shops.
A much more serious departure
from accepted customs is dccreed by
section Is. Under this section it
seems that a wife who has been
"cruelly abandoned" by her husband or
whose lawful protector has "cruelly
failed to properly take care and pro-
vide' for her, may be "talen charge
of by "any person" and provided
with 'proper shelter, nourishment,
and care" Moreover, the person thus
providing for the deserted or neglected
woman acquires a sort of proprietary
interest in her. But that is not all.
Section II declares that after giving
the husband "threc days. notice in
writings" or, if the husband cannot be
found, after advertising in the daily
and weekly newspapers, the discoverer
of the deserted or neglected woman
may sell her at public auction in the
town Or city where she was found.
This shocking system applies equally
to women and to children.
Section 13 is so important that we
print it verbatim, making only the
slight changes in language authorized
by section 80:
"Scction IS. Any officer or agent of any
society for the prevention of cruelty to
living creatures may take possession of
any old, manned, disabled, diseased, or in
iured man or woman not properly cared
for, and may have the same valued by two
persons called by him to view
such man or woman, wherenpon he may
destroy or cause to be destroyed such man
or woman.'
This is grim enough to have delight
cd DIR. Jonathan Swift. 1t is method
of Kidding society of its superannuatcd
or otherwise worthless members that
has sometimes been suggested by the
savage humor of misanthropes, but hos
never before, we believe, received the
sanction of the Legislature and Exccu-
tive of civilized State. Did Gov.
Robie know what he was doing when
he signed the new Maine law? Under
the operation of section 13, it may be