The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-12
A Battle In Maine.
-FOUR Dumb ;AnImals.l


Word comes to us that gentle, humane,
and brave woman, of the Pine Tree State
one who has done as much as any other in
that State to promote our "Bapds of Mercy"
and who Is now translating, without .charge,
our "Black Beauty" into italian, that 1t may
reach another wide field of usefulness Mrs.
Elizabeth Cavazza, of POrtland)--is fighting
through the public press, brave battle to
prevent the resembling Of the smerciful law
which prohibits persons from that and other
States shooting, in their gambling matches.
In Maine, live pigeons from traps for sport
We gladly try to aid this good. woman in
her merciful battle. by asking our brother
editors Of Maine, all Of whom receive this
paper monthly, to kindly take up their edi-
torial pens, which are the lances of modern
chivalry, thousand times more powerful
than the lances of the middle ages, and drive
from their halls of legislation all who seeK q
renewal of this brutal sport
Many years ago we abolished 1t in Massa-
chusetts by an overwhelming vote Of both
Senate ana House, and the law has never
been violated but once to my knowledge
since. IL 1t had been. with our nearly five
hundred agents scattered through the State,
should have been almost sure to have
known it.
In that case the young men, who violated
both the law and the Sabbath, were prompt.
ly arrested and punished.
Our pigeon clubs are entirely satisfied with
the various substitutes which have taken the
| place of live birds, and can now invite theiI
wives and little daughters to witness iheil
feats of craftsmanship.
The law was passed in Massachusetts be-
| cause our best citizens did not care to have
our Fast Days, Thanksgiving. and Sundays
used for such purposes. I
IcarIied to the legislature the petition OF
several hundreds of our leading clergy, and
would have carried, If necessary, the petit
ton OF nearly every Protestant and Roman
Catholic clergyman in the State.
1t was passed because 1t involved cruelty
~ In the cruel ways Of catching the
plgeons-sometimes with baited fsh-hoOks.
~ In the keeping them long times con-
fined in very narrow and uncomfortable
| quarters.
(S) In the various practices Of pulling GU,
| feathers, putting out an eye, etc., to affect
their flight and help win gambling BETS
"a In the wounding of birds that were
C) In accustoning these shooters and
their sons and others to enjoy unnecessary
suffering
Pigeon shooting from traps, like dog fights
and cock fights, would hardly be practised II
gambling bets were thrown out
The men who wish to engage in such
sports will find no encouragement from read
ing the lives of Lincoln, Grant, Sherman,
Garfield, or any of the great soldiers!or states
| men who in times of danger have not hesi-
| tated to risk their all for their country.
| A law that permits club men to bet on
| pigeon shoots. encourages thousands of
hoodlums to engage In similar sports with
smaller aud less expensive birds, or in other
sports still more brutal. re
After so many Of our States have prohi-
bited and are preventing this brutal sport, 1t
would be a terrible pity for the good old
| New England State of Maine to take step
backward in the progress of humanity and
| civilization. GEO. T. ANGEL.
| President Of the American Humane Educa.
| tlon Society, the Massachusetts Society for
| the Prevention Of Cruelty to Animals, and
the Parent American Band of Mercy, Is
| Milk St., Bo>ton.