The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-24

MEDICINE BOW RANGE, June Sine MS
tory Of cattle breeding ON the plains and In the
mountain valleys is one OF cruelty to dumb an
imais Thousands and thousands Of cattle are
annually froaon and starved to death on these
wind.swept plains. because their owners bo-
lieve and assert that II is cheaper to have them
die than to provide food and shelter for them.
For the suffering these cattle endure before
death relieves them no stock breeder cares at
all. They are equally Indifferent to the money
loss resulting from their deaths. Callousness
OF heart Is an essential qualification for n cat
tie breeder who feeds his herd on plains OF high
altitude OF the wickcdness Of the men who
assume charge Of horned stock and drive them
into a country where numbers OF them starve
to death. or die Of raging thirst in the winter.
when tho water holes are frozen. or froeze to
death during arctic-like storms l have some
thing to say.
IL a farmer living In the valley OF the Hudson
should treat his stock as cattle are treated on
tho plains. a howl Of virtuous indignation
would rosound throughout the Empire State,
and the inhuman owner would DO bitterly
prosecuted In the courts He would be taught
that animals have rights. and that ownership
who have, Ia the spring. soen the weak. thin
cows Of tho plnins-cows that have raised
standing shiveringly, with hanging heads. and
with the death stare In their sunken eyes. IN
The lee Of willow bushes ST by rails
northern blasts. have had their hearts wrung.
These cows are patiently waiting for the kind
ownership OF inhuman men. Their dead car
casscs mutelv protest against the outrageous
sraSing grounds OF the West.
Men who chceriully; yes eagerly assist by
Ing ali exhibitions Of cruelty to animals in the
streets OF Now York, embark in enterprises OF
cattle breeding on tho Western plains. whore
| mora cfupIty ia Druptist,u In duy In "A single
herd than Is witnessed In all tho streets OF all
the cities OF the Union in year. The cattle
breeding companies that are now sprnging
Into corporate existence ull over this country
should be opeH, for
| pnny, Incorporated for the purpose OF starving.
freezing, and killing weak cattle by thirst, in
IN the hope that the stronger cattle. that are
| able to withstand the abuse grazing on nntaxed
w s ppong lr Gsy 5no tns nnn that
swept through man who was clad in heavy
| woollens and fur overgarments rs though he
| OF buffalo hunters. men used to hardship. and
| whose stomachs were tilcd with buffalo mar;
robes to freeze to death in their wagons while
endesa yoring to escape e. from the unendurabe
and iil-fed on frost bitten grass. disappear be-
| fore these storms. They drift with tho wind;
Of their ' moSrnfal moaning. They wander
staggcringiy along over the trnckless plains,
a ES to h water Ts Th S
arc ,irozsnn The weaker cattle ireE out Of
drifts around them. They, are freezing to
death and arc sti!l c9nsaed BY raging fever
frozen ground unable torse, unable to protect
themselves. The cry Of DESPAIR uttered by the
horrible death Of being, eaten alive by carniy-
| orous animals is thoir doom, is IN unearlhly
As the peculiar below Of IN animal n, when
| lows on the ground excites tho herd with the
information. Here one Of us has been slain
| and renders them unmanageable SO does the
death cry OF feeble COW brighten the drifting
herd. They disappooar down the wind; The
strussc .e pc VT to u arise. ynn The
hungry wolves attack her. They tear her open.
They drag her enTaiis, out and dcvopr them
her bones. and then gallon after the herd.
Tho .niorted losses Of three four, or five
ssr is 9 is receved r by Eastern
owners. 1t does not represent q large loss of
money. do not believe that there has ever
whers no provision was made for food for them,
| that did not lose much more than the reported
| picked steers; and would not believe the re-
ports II all the cruel men who insure cattle on
Saskatchewan Rivers swors to them. ! have
known entire herds to be lost. or one herd OF
Winter Of II and " n snsas No herd that
know OF lost less than SO per centum and the
sSSf os In
/ saw thousands Of dead cattle and sheep lying
ON the banks OF tho Arkansas River. The
and 80 was enormous; and the suffering Of the
cattle that preceded that loss, what Of thatl
money earned BY the bHy
mails committed to his care. Ownership. Of
| cattle implies more than the pocketing OF the
profits of a herd. 1t implies, imperatively i'm
plies. protective care OF the animals.
the ss Sse Water w SS1 gather
around their accustomed watering places and
| that were too weak to search for running water.
would stupidity stand around the frozen pools
until they fell and died from, inflammation OF
cattle. and in all cases found the contents OF
their stomnchs q hard cake Like mass, and the
these poor creatures endured before death re-
lieved them must have been frightful. They
suficient Strength to stand they attacked every
man who yentured near them.
wReS IN h
sheltered spots they could In their weak condi-
ton fnd After the exhaustion Of labor they
and coaxsd the cali to nurse a., Then lying
again rise nc Starving calves Glos,"a pitt t.
endangered to arise, They were so weak that
asr they Es, Es"d R hss rsssSa s
The They died ryns psrSS9% their lSa
stand by the banks OF crooks that flow through
the plains did not perform theirs. They re-
GREETED the loss OF money that represented tho
value Of the cow. That was ALL
Is 1t n matter of surprise that cowboys are
cruel aud brutal 1t is but a step from cruelty
to dumb animals to murderOus brutality to-
ward unresisting. because surprised men.
Think l hearit exclaimed that gentlemen
who are noted for their humanity engage in
breeding cattle on the plains. Do they.2 A
man who deliberately abuses cattle; who buys
brand with nyOWai int0ntiOn OF allowing
some than to feed all who for the sake of a pc.
cuniary gain prcmeditates a murdcrous act OF
cruelty toward unresisting animals. may have
the manners and speech OF gentleman. but q
humane gentleman he Is not.
FRANK WILKEsoN.