The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-09
CRUELTY TO
ANIMALS.
Cor. Sampson Democrat. J

twenty-five years ago Henry
Bergh in his daily peram bulations
Of the streets of New York was con-
stantly coming in contact and the
witness of revolving scenes of crael-
to animals.
! He resolved. if possible, to rem
edy the evil. Fearlessly be began
the work OF reform. In the city be
was at first received with ripple
OF rldicule, and then a storm OF
wrath.
| Butchers denounced him for IN.
terfering with their custom Of car.
rying calves and sheep Though the
streets, piled several deep, suffoca-
ting and dying. Proprietors of stage
lines and street car monopolies
could hardly restrain their Indigna.
ton, because they were no longer
allowed to drive crippled, manned,
and infrmed horses. Owners of
dog pits, where animals were
| trained to tear each other in pieces,
| also entered their protest. But the
good work went on. Tne news
papers were filed with accounts
of the arrests made by the officers
of the Society Bergh had formed.
The frlghtful deataiIs of inhumanlty
and barbarity practlced by brute
masters of their dumb slaves, were
spread before the pablo and then
a chance became apparent-cattle
were more humanity treated. Horses
could be no longer knocked down
| and beaten until the sight became
sickenlng to the passer-by; IN fact,
brutality IN every form received a
check from which 1t Will never re.
cover.
| New York, bv legislative enact.
ment, established the authority OF
the Society for the Prevention Of
Cruelty to Animals and from that
time the work has been national in
It's character and its influence as
widespread as our two continents.
! Now nearly every State and Ter
ritOry of this Union has inscribed
on its statute pooks, substantially
the sam" laws as those first enacted
IN New York. The moral effect has
been beautifully exempiified by the
courts of justic, indicating tine on
nlpo1ent truth that the quality of
mercy is not partial in it's appllca-
tion but IS allie the property OF
every creature that can suffer and
die. North Carolina, am proud
to say, has not been behind her sis.
ter states in this noble work Of re-
form as will be seen t,y reference to
section 1882 Of the Code, which ]
Will here quote entire for the bene-
fit Of our readers who may be ig-
norant of the law:
eff any person shall wilfully over
drive, overload. wound, ipjure, tort
ure, torment, deprive of necessary
sustenance, or cruelty or needlessly
mutiiate,cr kill, or cause or prOvise
to be overdrlven, overloaded,
wounded, injured, tortured, tor
mented, or deprived OF necessary
sustenance, or to be cruelty beaten,
needlessly mutilated, or killed as
aforesaid, any useful beast, foul or
animals, every such offender shall
for every such offence be guilty OF
mlsdemeanor and upon conviction
shall be fined noo more than fifty
dollars or imprisoned not more than
thirty days or both f0ed and i'm
| prlsOned as aforesaid"
| The law Of the State gives to the
dun ANIMALS all the protection need
ed; but statutes are pnwerless ex~
cept as they arc enforced; and the
laws for the prevention of cruelty
to animals practically means moth.
ing unless there is puplic sent.
meGt which will demand their en-.
folcement. The poor animals nave
no power 10 make complaints. They
can not tell their own story in a
court Of justice. Victims and suffer-
ers they may be, but witnesses and
clients never. They toll and die in
our service. They minister to our
comfort and happiness. They de,
pend upon our protection and care.
Shall they not receive itf
And AoW ia conclusion. The
preparation of this article is provok.
ed wholly by al article In a recent
issue of the Democrat, entitled
''DehornlDg cattle. from the versa>
tile pen OF t. j. Lee, Esq The
"beneficisl results that follows the
practice" except IN very rare cases.
| g.;