New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-26


plan Of DEMONSTRATING other creatures. But
among invertebrates the ant has done something
of the same kind, and this tiny animal stands in
intelligence and In capacity for organization at
the head of all its kind.
Then the fact that had other crea-
lures. both plants and animals, to care for In
bis own interest Is a potent influence, larg-
er now than it ever was before. and destined
to increase as time goes on. 1t has contributed
to make man feel his responsibilities; 1t has
awakened his sympathies Professor Shaler de-
fines thS savage as "a man who cares only Tor his
family and his tribe; the civilized man as one
whose kindly interest extends to mankind and
beyond to all sentient beings" and he does not
hesitate to refer the development OF atrulsm ior
its most effective motive TO the foresight ana
goodwill which man has put forth IN pehaH OF
creatures that became less ana less aDie 10
provide for themselves the longer they were
dependent upon him. 1--WE note" he adds. that
tho pcoples who have attained the first upward
sten in the association with domesticated ami
mails are in their quality so far as tested by
literature and history much above the mere
savare With the care Of nocks We find asso-
ciated noetry the first notes OF higher religious
motives and largeness Of the sympathetic life.
Additions OF new kinds OF animals 10 the 40
nestcated circle required new study Of pecul-
,aritIes. Thus the life of a farmer us a con-
tinual lesson in the art II sympathy; with the
rosult certainly IN part due to this cause that
there is no class of people from whom the brutal
instincts of the ancient savage life when we all
inherit have been so completely eradicated. But
the sympathies of the farmer boy do not extend
far beyond the barnyard and the sheepfold. lie
can be as cruel as any of his remotest ancestors
to the animals which he looks upon as game
wider knowledge the knowledge which modern
science gives tends to eradicate even this vice
from mans nature.
IL Is here that Professor Shaler crosses the
path of those VINO are opposed to vivisection.
He has no supcrstitious regard. like that OF the
uindoo devotec. for the life In animals. and he
insists that the naturalist is In general as care
full as the surgeon to 1bviate PAIN lie Is
gravely satirical at the expense OF those VINO
enjoy hunting or fishing who STAY and MAIN
with Measure and without any useful purpose,
and are. nevertheless. Mortified "to see stu
dent dssecting a living FROG guinea pig, or
ca.. in order that he may learn new truths
or himself behold what others have discovered.
The practical answer to people who carry sym
pathy with animals 10 an extreme is 10 be
found in the means discovered for the prevcn-
to the benefit OF animals. we'll as man. To
those who would argue that the practice Of
vivisection reacts upon the minds OF men In
a way IN make them cruel. Professor Shaler
replies with fat denial illustrated by personal
experience I'm my youth" says he. Il was
very fcnd of hunting. and could even "rins
the necks Of wounded birds without trouble OF
mind A better sense Of what life means. n
sense which is no better than that to which
all educated men are soon to attain. has made
such work very repulsive to me" He even
goes so far as TO forecast time when hunting
and fishing will be looked upon as manifesto
tions OF ignorant childishncss. when men Will
feel toward all animals they now feel
toward those which have been domesticated.
All his studies OF the dog the horse. the animals
of the herd and the fold. the fowls and pigeons
and songbirds. and the falcons OF Old time
lead onward 10 the thought that the empire ~
mind Is an ver-widcnng one and that mans
duty will sooner or later embrace all living
things. Even now. IL should be. he argues. an
object with the governments that are responsible
TO preserve the elephant. and he shows how vast
spaces in the sub-arctic portions OF North
America might be used for the intelligent care
and Improvement Of the bison. the musk-ox and
the caribou. In Africa. In Asia. as well as In the
New World he would IKE 10 see vast develop
ment OF the reservation system which is begin
ming to be a recognized part OF public policy In
the United States. But there should be at least
dozen more such places In the United States than
there are and an untold number In the rest Il the
world and they should be under the control OF
men of science. In the case OF those animals
which can be domesticated In the fullest sense
he would obviate those sins to which breeders are
charged against vivisectlonists; the inbreed!ng
which has made the jersey cattle wholesale vic
tins OF tuberculosis. and the fancy breeding
which has resulted In mere deformity with many
kinds OF dogs and pigeons. He advises breeding
with view to raise the animals on the score Of
intelligence. But he must be making fun Of his
readers when he suggests this in the case OF
swine II there is any creature to which fate has
made Circe's malicious gift BOOM IL must be the
animal which is reared for other purpose
than 10 be eaten. The trune- hunting pig OF
Franc" may be more useful alive than dead. but
his relatives as a rule neither hunt. nor fish. nor
bear burdens. nor 90 In harness. nor do any
thing else for man. To eat an educated pig Is
really too much like cannioalism.
To go back 70 the beginning. as Professor Shaler
does in his book on Sea and Land" 1t must be
considered that all the altru!sm and sympathy
and civilization OF man are In the last earthly
analysis a matter Of sunlight II II were not FOR
the light and heat OF the sum- all these and hu-
manity itself. with every other manifestation OF
life. would vanish from the earth in an instant.
The sun bestows heat enough on the earth every
twenty-four hours to melt a glacier 5000 feet
thick and as big In every other dimension as the
state Of Massachusetts. II life did not. so far
as the earth Is concerned. originate In the sun.
it depends wholly upon the sun. But the most
obvious part Of the suns work on this globe Is to
be seen where land and sea meet. Bay and river
and tide beach and crag and cavern. sand and
pebble and rolling rock products of the sun g
activity. The endless variety OF work performed
by this activity DISCUSSES 1t. but a thought. an
observation. discloses It. Even in the abysses OF
the sea the sun has some effect, though 1t has