The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-11
THE VETO OF THE HUMANE So
GETTY BILL.

The Governor has vetoed proposed
amendments to the Act of 1874. con-
corning cruelty to animals, as proposed
by the humane societies, bill which
entity promoted for the good of all the
people, this journal has favored from
time to time
We are satisfied that His Ex-
garding the purposes of the bill, and
that NO Interior ends actuate those ask
ing for its adoption. Their many years
Of devotion to the cause they espouse.
nance and commentator. and the char
acter of the citizens constituting the
societies. forbid the idea that other
than pure and altogether commenda BILE
purposes have inspired them
The first objection of the Executive is
to the clause permitting counties to aid
humane societies; the law forbids more
than one society in a county. In fact.
of the kind insthe State. The Governor
says the bill imposes the ponderous
burden of S1O2,O 900 upon the taxpayers
for the benefit Of the sympathetic
friends Of the BRUTE This is assumed,
because the bin permits Supervisors to
aid the societies in sum not to ex-
coed $50 a month. If with the fifty
seven counties we had fifty-seven So
ciaties and every county gave the full
$50 a month, the sum produced would
be as stated
But there is no obligation to render
the aid 1t IS permissive only, and
within maximum limit The assump-
rion is that each county is capable Of
determining for itself the worth of the
services Of a society in it, doing duty
for the law. The contribution, what
ever it might be, could not be for the
personal benefit of the members Of the
societies. On the contrary. that mem
bership has these many years paid its
admission fees and regular dues freely.
forca the Skate law, without other re-
ward than consciousness of the per-
formance of good actions It is urged
by the society membership which is
small always, that it is not effrontery
to ask the people through their legal
boards of government to meet al portion
OF the expense inseparable from en-
forcement OF the law relative to treat
ment OF food. animals. transportation Of
the same. suppression and prevent tom
OF cruelty to animals. etc.
The Governor objects to the clause of
the law permitting the special officers
to carry arms and exercise the powers
and privileges of other peace officers in
enforcing the anti-cruelty law. 1t APP
pearsfto have escaped the notice of the
Governor, doubtless through inadvert-
encs. that this is not part of the pro-
posed amendments, but is the old law
and has been the law for more than a
quarter of a 'century, has never suffered
abuses and that such arming and en-
towering of the special officers as con-
stables and other peace officers is un-
der the approval Of the Superior Courts.
who alone can commission these spec
ciais. The statement of the Governor
in his message that the agents Of the
societies are thus authorized to start
out upon a pilgrimage of human
slaughter" in following offenders
against the law, we must take it was
lapsus serdbendi. since it is incon-
ceivable that the Governor would go
out OF his way to so express himself
conceI lining a law that has been SO long
in existence. and Of citizens who have
been so unselfish in their work for a
good cause or had he been properly in
formed, that he would style the society
membership newly created knights Of
the pistol and truncheon." since there
is no such new creation, that having
been the law from the beginning and
without complaint on the part of the
State or it's people.
It is objected that the law gives the
society agents or officers power to put