The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-02
sECRETARY's REPORT.

A~'Sns'Oh Va SNuciby 10 animals was noiu
Yesterday. The business Of the meeting
| follows:
sEcRErARY's REPORT.
10 The Directors OF the Societu for the Pre-.
rention Of Cruelty 10 AnimGls:
Another years experience In the history OF
the Society for the Prevention OF Cruelty TO
Animals has Just past, and 1t has more firmly
confirmed our belief that these societies are
an indispensable feature In the social ma
chinery Of the State. The greatest good OF
our society has been accomplished through
It's far reaching influence In preventing acts
OF cruelty and its impersonality, by working
through our agents who represent eorpor-
ate body, and the resistless power OF the
State back Of all. The natural result Is be-
coming evident; cases OF cruelty are DecOm-
ing more rare. and where such are discOv-
cred. the perpetrators are found more ready
to acknowledge their guilt, aud to plead their
Willingness to ABSTAIN In the future from
barbarous and inhuman acts. Prosecutions
are becoming more rare; the settlement OF
/ cases more frequent, and consequently the
educational work Of the society, whose OBJ
| ject is TO foster human interests. Is becoming
more evident TO any judicious observer. Fear
| Of the law causes many cases 10 be kept from
view; fear OF the interference Of the active
officers OF the society cause some cases Of
cruelty TO be hard Of proof, and witnesses to
be kept out OF the way. In spite Of all the
causes enumerated the agent has made for
OF the society Is needed just as much today
as ever. and that 1t is only by Its efforts that
cruelty Is suppressed
We nave labored hard the past year and
we believe our lab0rs have borne good fruits.
Shoulder to shoulder and hand to hand the
supporters, the friends, the officials and the
employers OF this society animated by a COM
mon impulse, influenced by the one motive
to promote the interest Of humane education.
nave been Jealous advocates Of the cause
they espouse
The aims and efforts Of the society have
greatly aided and rendered effective by the
wise acts OF the present State Legislature.
Inc olli introduced at this session Of the
LEGISLATURE to repeal the wise and humane
law In regard TO using live pigeons for tar
gets was defeated by an overwhelming ma
iortty. bill providing for humane educa-
ton In the public school has also been
passed.
There are many ways by which the work
OF the society may be opened into broader
and wider fields In the year before us; by
introducing our work into the public schools
In the way OF humane education we may be
able TO reach the children who are growing
up into womanhOOd and manhood. III we
reach the children we are then at the root
and foundation Of all our work, for the Grim
lnalS OF years to come will be found In our
public schools Of today. IL we can teach
them TO love and protect their dumb friends
now, while they are young, they will grow
no to be nobler men and women and better
At recent meeting Of the directors, the
name OF the society was changed from the
Portland Society for the Prevention Of Cru
city to Animals, to the Maine State Society
for the Protection Of Animals; thus enlarg-
ing the territorial scope of its operations. It
Is hoped that the work In the state may be
carried on from one centre so that we may
not be compelled to fight with divided front,
or worse still, with the means supplied from
only one quarter. We are striving to have
this society represented In every city and
town throughout the state so will be better
able to meet all cases. During the year
our society has grown in It's
OF performing Its work, and in the enlarged
territorial scope of its operations. 1t Is with
great sorrow that the record must bear the
names of those faithful members and friends
OF the society who have departed this life
during the past year, but whose works and
| cause.
would like to express our thanks to the
/ press OF this city. and especially to the Port
| land Daily PRESS, for their great help in re.
porting our cases and bringing them before
the public In way that could not otherwise
have been accomplished. The PRESS has al
was been willing TO use its mighty arm in de-
fence OF the dumb animals, and to hold their
oppress0rs up to the public scOrn which they
so well merit Ali honor to 1t for the noble
stand It has taken, and may 1t continue the
goa woTk until brutal men and women shall
hide their faces In shame.
Judging by the success achieved by the So
cieby the past year, the prospects for the fut-
ure are bright. New difficulties will OF course
arise, as result Of our constantly widening
Held OF labor, but they will be met and sur
mnnnted by a. much tact and skill as thsse
In the past have been. We arc batter able
for active work now than we have ever been
before and can confidently hope that far
more can be accomplished this next year than
has been In the year past
Respectfully.
+. @. ROLLINS. Secretary.