Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-12-20

Tsloped from ; lower condition II the
animal kingdom. II is 10 be hoped,
MI Be to begst kinder feeling to-
ward our former kindred and c0mpan-
ions Such speculasions are il no
danger Of bringing the human race
down 70 the brute. but NAV, and
should Incline men 10 RAISE the ami
nal kingdom % high ss te bring them
within tie range Of sympathy and
kiaanaan Tie Aabit 81 Ersagiae ani-.
mails with unkindness is bad. not only
as creating unnecessary suffering. but
aS hardening the heart, and rendering
it less likely to be tender toward the
human kind.
Our children are educated 10 dis
regard. and often to feel and EMPRESS
the utmost repugnance to the great
mass Of animal life. That noxious in
sects and dangerous animals should
be avoided, affords no reason why we
should raise prejudice against the
vast bulk of harmless things which,
in their own short day. have as much
right to enjoyment as we have.
The great epidemic among horses
brings home to men their dependence
upou these faithful servants. There
is no animal living that performs for
man so much service, and has for it
sell so little provision made for its en-
jcyment, as the horse. Men seem to
think that it was made to work for
man. and had no rights which white
man is bound TO respect.
Day by day he is expected to en-
ploy all his force for another. He is
poorly fed. poorly housed, poorly tend
ed; often forced by sharpest punish
ments to strain every nerve to move
excessive loads; and when the day is
over, shut up in unventilated holes, to
shift for himself as best he may. The
horse is mere wheel in the vast ma
chinery of industry, and is treated as
if he had as little feeling as an iron
wheel.
Next to the dog. the horse is organ
lied with susceptibilities like the hu-
man race. He is conscious of good
treatment, is grateful for it; is wound
ed by bad treatment, and resents it.
That his imperfect reason and rudi-
mentary emotive nature are far be-
low mans. does not change the fact
that the horse has in him the BEGIN
nings--the remote germs--of those
dispositions which constitute man
hood.
Let any one consider the stables of
those who aim to treat their horses
humanely. The horse is shut up in a
narrow stall, haltered so that variety
of motion is impossible; either with
ont light, or with windows SO placed
that he can see nothing that is going
on day or night.
1t is solitary. confinement in a cell.
If he is worked regularly. this is not
so bad; but gentlemen's horses, often
for days, and sometimes for weeks,
are TINS closely shut up, without
company, occupation, or the sIightest
thing for eye, ear, or any feeble in
wsrd sense. Because he is fed regu-
larly and grows fat, men think that
be is we'll cared for.
What shall be said of the holes,
the mere cupboards, the cellars, in
cities, in which horses are shut up2
These things are seldom or never
alluded to, and only that is cried out
against which amounts to blows, or
deprivation Of food, or forced work
when feeble or sick.
These things cannot be rsmedied
By mere law. They require that men
Be taught to cherish kindly feeling
tenderness-toward the whole animal
kingdom beneath man.
II il true that horses which are val
liable for uncommon qualities are
treated With great care, and often are
even pampersd. But this Is making
an aristocFacy Of fine animals, and
conferring upon it all the kindness
and care that belong to the great
equine democracy.
If the distemper which has 30 sud-
denly withdrawn from service 20 large
q part Of every kind Of horses shall
incline men to a better appreciation
Of what they owe to them, and to
study wiser ways Of treating them, il
will be 3 blessiag rather than q curse.
Meantime death 10 reaping har-
vest Ihe los of horses viii BE- felt
by many. To large stage and car
lines. express companies. and man OF
means. i is rather an Inconvenience
to lose horses than calamity; but IN
Poor men. hncksters. draymen, ped-
dlers. who own q single animal. and
By il earn q livelihood for their fami-
lies. the losa Of horss il bankruptcy