Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-05-25
WHAT SHALL WE EAT.
Meat or No Meat is the Question.
A Subject Worthy of Careful and Cam
did Reflection.
Lon gman'S Magazine

Primitive men, wherever he was first
cast, whether IN one center or in more
than one, must, of necessity, have found
his food in the plant world. We cannot
Imagine him commencing his career
learned In the arts of hunting, killing
and cooking the lower animals for food
Many infer from this circumstance that
the argument in favor of the vegetarian
practice is copied direct from nature
signed and delivered by her. Not quite
so fast. There is one iaterposing bar
rler 10 the free acceptance of vegetrian
deed and act of conveyance of food from
nature TO man. Nature herself, of her
Own right royal will, makes for animals,
herbivorous and carniyorous, one dis
tinctive animal food, a secretion from
the living animal organism, fluid which
is standard food-meat and drink in
one-the fluid known under the name of
milk. Against absolute vegetariapism,
then, we may fairly set up one exception
derived from nature as the unerring
guide. One observing the habits of
animals We discover another ma
tural fact. We find thai animals
OF quite different natures in
respect TO primitive selection
OF food possess the power of changing
their modes of feeding, and of passing
over, as It were, from one class TO the
other. This change is distinct but limi-
ted, and We must except it with all its ex-
tension on the one side, and all its Hmi-
tation on the other. The fruit-e eating ape
can be taught under priyation to subsist
on animal diet; dog can, believe, be
taught to subslst on vegetable diet. But
1t would be as impossible TO teach sheep
to eat flesh as it would be to make a hon
feed on grass. One more exceptional
view deserves ard requires to be noticed.
II is made much of by those who are OBJ
posed to the vegetarian movement, and !
fear | have made too strong use of it in
past times. 1t is called the anatomical
argument, and it is set forth in this form:
There Is, it is argued, a certain specific
difference in the constructive characters
OF the digestive apparatus of the two
sets of animals, herbiyorous and carniver-
Gus, which difference is sufficient to indi-
cate perfect line Of separation between
the one type of animal and the other
The statement is one which, under the
correction of legitimate restriction, must
be admitted. The restriction is this: We
have to go to the extremes of scale on
both sides in order to reach the uu
chang cable line of distinction. A rumin-
ant animal has an intestinal canal which
measures from twenty eight to forty
times the length of its own body. The
canal as digestive apparatus, is also
very ompicated; it may have four
stomachs, in each of which a srecial
digestion is carried out. But carni-
vcrous animal, lion, for example, may
have an alimentary canal so short that
1t measures not more than three times
the length of its body, and a digestive
apparatus so simple that food could
not digest in it if it had not already
been dIgested in the body of another
animal
Now, please observe what this is sup.
posed to teach. 1t is supposed to teach
that certain animals are constructed to be
and become the living laboratories, so to
speak, for the preparation of the food of
other animals. The argument is speciOus
and seems to be exceedingly clear. I'm
fortunately for it-or unfortunately, as
my vegetarian friends would say-it is
not good argument from social and
economic point of view; for the animals,
which are The providers and preparers of
food by becoming the food of others,
are of all others the most useful and the
least harmful. We could very we'll spare
the lion from the face of the earth, but
sheep and oxen and such like useful crea-
lures, how could we spare them? / think
1t is quite fair statement on the vege-
tartan side to say that if all the animals
that could not be trained into herbivorous
habits were to be universally destroyed,
the world would use nothing worse than
the beauty of tiger, panther, an eagle,
and the other animals of prey. Please
understand me. | am not advoc ating the
destruction of these beautiful savage an
finals; there is not, under the severest
vegetarian system, the slightest rea-
son that one of them should fall
not single boa constructor even need
go. But am showing that they might
all go and no one be one penny the worse
In so far as the social economy of the
world is concerned; and that is the sub
ject that Is before Us at this, the present
moment. The idea here preached leads
to the further suggestion that every ami
NAL that ia really useful may be brought
to subsist, and to subsist we'll and health
lily, on the world of plants; by which
mean all herbs, all vegetable substances
that are edible. For while it is rue that
between the extremes of the herbivOrouS
and of the carTiyorous classes there is a
wide anatomical distinction, the fact re
mains of the existence of an intermedi-
ate range of animals of different species
so nearly like to each other, in respect to
digestion, that the habits of one can,
after a time, assimilate to those of the
other. Moreover, some true vegetable
feeders have a comparatively simple
digestive apparatus. We are bound,
therefore, to admit, even on anatomical
grounds, that nature allows a very wide
license in the way of provisioning for
her people. At the same time she sets,
probably in all cases, the right example
at first, leaving the changes that may
afterward occur to accident or necessity,
never to premitive choise, however close
ly long continued habit may confirm the
original departure.
Senator Don Cameron has two maIIltn
daughters-Mrs. Bradley, wife of sCL