The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1894-01-26
IS NOT CRUEL.


The Keeping Of Gagged Birds Is Not a
Cruelty If One IL Merciful.
A good deal Of sentiment is expended
upon Gagged birds From tender hearts,
and from others not so tender, we often
hear, II can't bear to keep bird in
cagelp Now, without in any way adyo-
eating the caging Of birds, must say thai
there are two sides TO this, as to most
questions.
/ 1t is true the captive is at the mercy Of
his owner his food depends upon some
sne's memory, his comfort, his very life,
are in the power of another; but the same
Is true of the household dog and cat, still
more of the horse. Moreover, the last
named animal is 80 much worse off that
I he is made to work, and often sadly abused
4 by his owner, yet we hear little sympathy
expressed for his state Of slavery.
1t is cruel to capture an adult bird ac-
customed to freedom and to caring for
himself and conflne him in "A cage; it is
worse than cruel, il is brutal, to neglect to
provide carefully for his comfort when
i tins imprisoned. But that captive bird,
properly caught and properly cherished,
must necessarily be unhappy, emphatic
ally deny, and my opinion is based upon
several years close study of birds in con
finement.
BY properly caught" | mean taken
from The nest or when just out Of it. BY
properly cherished" / mean not only fed
and watered as regularly and carefully as
we attend to our own physical needs, but
in every other way made as happy as is
possible, by loving attention and thought
full consideration.
As to the canary, born in a cage of caged
ancestry, he is utterly incapacitated for
freedom. So far from being kindness to
give him his liberty, il is positive cruelty,
He has never sought food or shelter; he
has no notion of doing either, and he mnst
inevitably perish. Birds that have been
taken from the nest are in similar condi-
ton Of ignorance Unless kept in captivity
very short time. and afterward supplied
with food till they learn to care for them
: selves, to thrust them out is like taking a
child brought up in luxury and forcing
him into the streets to pick up his own liv-
ing. This comparison is not in the least
exaggerated, A young bird is taught by
his parents where and how to get his food
Close observers may see this instruction
going on all summer, when nesting is ovel
and young birds are out. If, then, this pc
riod Of instruction is passed in house, ant
he is adult when turned adrift, there is NJ
! one TO teach him, and he must learn b.
= hard experience or die in the attempt.
= have read stories of children being in
| duced to set free their pets because the!
would he so much happier One in par
, ticular | remember, because was so in
: dignant about it, where the bird refused Il
= be left in the park. 1t flew back seyera
times and alighted in its owners grounds
and they had to scheme to get away from
it. 1t was told us self sacrificing an,
virtuous deed, when as u matter of fact
was undoubtedly pure cruelty, and tha
bird, accustomed to care and shelter, prot
y ably died of want and exposure.
:. Another use Of Gagged bird, or any caI
V tive, that is Of great value as ! look at il
y is the opportunity it gives for lessons j
a consideration and care for Others and lov
>. and kindness to animals. 1t has been a.
: certained by statistics, carefully gathere
= from training schools and prisons, thG
y very few men who in boyhood owned {
l. cared for u pet animal, or who were il
y structed in kindness to The lower order
:, are to be found among criminals. Th
Is fact, which should not astonish us whe
we think of the elevating tendency of III
selfshness, puts into the hands of paren
and teachers Il powerful weapon for goo
Not only does the pet bird or beast ente
tain and amuse the boy, but under prop'
direction IL trains him in gentle ways, in
sense of justice, and it goes far toinsure q
honest life. Olive Thorne Miller in Ha
pers Bazaar