New-York tribune., 1900-05-18
APT FOR THE ANIMALS.

President Clausen of the Park Board is I'M
doubtedly right. There is merit in the sugges-
ton that the quarters Of the lions and tigers
at the Zoo be decorated with paintings of trop-
ical scenery and otherwise made more home
like, so as to render life under Northern roofs
pleasanter and give the animals something TO
think about. A humane government should not
neglect the intellectual any more than the physi-
cal welfare of the creatures in its employ and
we hope Nh Clausen will at carry out his
plan and enter into treaty with the Society Of
Mural Painters that our best artists may be
cured to do work that will be of credit and
renown TO the city and ennoblng to man as
we'll as beast.
From old time have heard how Orpheus
with sweet sounds captivated the beasts of the
field, and we are not prepared to say that music
hath more charms to SOothe the savage breast
than the arts Of design Possibly Mr.. Clausen
might combine these civilizng arts of paint
ing and music, and employ some Tyre to work
upon his charges senses with harmonious meas
ureS. hyptoniZng them it were, so that the
pictured jungle about them may be accepted in
a better spirit. This idea is not original with
Us. We believe ii was the discovery of a restau-
rant keeper, who found that a small amount of
money spent on an orchestra could more than
be saved in the food which the anodyne of music
copyright the notion however, and as a solace
for lions and tigers, amid artificial palms and
canvas backgrounds, Mr.. Clausen might find
lyric artists valuable adjunct to his scheme
We do not see, however. why this plan for
appropriate surroundings should be confined to
the few animals in Central Park 1t seems to
us that the enterprise is capable of indefinite
expansion. Artistic surroundings are good not
merely for the tiger, but for the tigers cubs.
1t is all well enough TO fix up the dens of the
ordinary Bengal ii ;er but it is much more
worth while 10 fix up the dens of the Royal
Tammany tiger and all its brood. Important as
it may be in the Zoo to keep the animals good
natured. still it is to be remembered that they
are behind iron bars and only the keeper is
ever in any danger from them. Not so with the
other animals If they happen TO get rapacous
they may go tramplng over anybody, crush
ing out lives and feeding on all who come in
their way, whether in search of a building per-
NIT or a piece of ice. Those who know the
dangers of walking into the City Hall forced
by the necessities of business will realize the
value Of any expenditure that will assure good
temper in tigers
We are convinced that all the children of the
Tammany tiger should have suitably decorated
quarters. The walls of the Mayors office for
instance might be appropriately painted to rep
resent the interior of one of those Maine ice
houses a visit to which recuperates His
Honor Sitting amid cakes of ice thinking Of
what they worth at 60 cents hundred he
possibly could be cool and serene. And If he
sometimes found it little too chilling he might
warm up In an inner frescoed with gay
French dancers In mask and domino The
Controller, TOO seems. to need more nerve
steadying surroundings. Usually calm, he has
lately taking TO lashing his tail and keeping his
jaws in continual motion Whether his affec-
tion is due TO the buzzing of some bee about
his is uncertain, but possibly picture OF
all the trusts lying dead with his own particu-
lar and nobody else's darts transhxng them