Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-31
AGAINST MUZZLE ORDER
FRIENDS OF THE DOG FORCIBLY
EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
Opinion Expressed That the Commits
siOners and Congress Should Be
Muxzled-ResolutfOns Adopted.

The friends of the dog, to the number Of
one hundred or more. assembled last even
ing at National Rifles Hall, in adjourned
mass meeting, to continue their protest
against the proclamation of the Commits
sioners of December last, requiring that all
dogs running at large in this city shall
wear muZZleS. 1t seemed to be the sense
of the meeting. expressed through the in
dignant remarks of those in attendance,
that the Commissioners should be muzzled.
and also, possibly. the men in Congress who
framed the statute under which the Com
missioners had acted The impression was
also gathered from the remarks that each
person present owns the most intelligent,
valuable and all-around dog on earth.
The dog owners were evidently in earn
est. A resolution to the effect that the Pc
tition drawn at the last meeting and nu-
merouSly signed asking the Commissioners
to rescind the muzzling order. should be
forwarded to the Commissioners at once
and another resolution urging that the con-
duct of the pound be placed under the SUI
pervision of the Humane Society were
adopted unanimously.
Cartoon Displayed.
When Mr.. George w. Evans called the
meeting to order at o'clock there was dis
played on the stage big cartoon, compris-
ing picture of an immense dog muzzled,
surrounded by a number of little dogs I'M
muzzled. 1t was inscribed, "A Free Coun-
try-to Foreign Dogs Only" In his open
ing remarks Mr.. Evans spoke at some
length of the work in hand, reviewing the
steps that had already been taken and
what remained to be done. He commented
on the stand taken by Senator Gallinger in
relation to the muZzling order, and urged
that nothing be said done that might be
considered siur upon the Commissioners.
considering appeals to their good sense to
be more effective than other measures.
About 1000 signatures, said Mr.. Evans,
had been secured to the petitions circulated
during the last week. The chairman then
placed before the meeting communication
he had forwarded to the Commissioners
and the reply of the municipal rulers there
to. He had asked to be informed as to the
amount received from the dog tax through
the selling of license tags; the amount re-
ceived from the redemption Of tagged dogs
at the pound: the amount received for dead
dogs and skins; the cost of the impounding
service and the authority of law by which
a fee Of 81 is charged for the redemption Of
a tagged dog at the pound.
Give Statistics.
In their reply as read by Mr.. Evans the
Commissioners set forth that the amount
received from the sale of dog tags from
July 1, 1899, to March %, 1900, was &c.,
1854. Received from pound fees during
the same 81, no revenue from
the sale of dead dogs or their skins, as such
carcaSSes or skins are without market
value in this city; expense of the regular
pound service from July l. 1899. to March
80 1900, inclusive, salaries S2,34O: cOntin-
gent expenses, S442.1 10: total, 50. 49, 10; eX-
ira pound service. 1923. expended in sala-
ries: contingent expenses. SIsO31; total of
Si2iS3l. No additional fee of 50 has ever
been charged for the redemption of
tagged dog caught and impounded because
of being unmuzzled. The usual pound fee
of 81 is charged for the release of every
dog. whether tagged or not, by authority
of an act of Congress to create a revenue in
the District of Columbia. by levyng a tax
upon all dogs therein, and for other pur-
poses. approved June 10, 1878.
Are We going to tolerate any such bust
ness as this remarked this speaker with
some spirit Not by long sight. They
threw tea overheard in Boston for less than
that
Mr.. McMurray's Views.
The chairman next recognized Mr.. Mac
otherwise Mr. McMurray, who is well known
in this city as a lover and trainer of dogs.
He declared that he has owned and trained
the greatest dogs in the world, and knows
pretty nearly all there is to know about
such animals. Among every 100 dogs killed
for rabies, said the speaker, only one has
the disease.
Give 'em a teaspoonful of salt and they
will be over their hydrophobia in five min
utes," said Mr.. Mac" He went on to
declare that a dog won't go mad in the
winter. although a muzzled dog by eternal
~ trying to get the muZZle off is apt to go
mad from that cause alone.
After it had been moved that the petit
ton, signed. be forwarded to the Com
missioners. several of those present de-
clared that they were opposed to petition
ing the Commissioners to do anything;
they might as well petition the moon:''
the only proper thing to do was to go to
Congress, as ii was waste of time to deal
with the Commissioners.
Expected No Consideration.
THE Commissioners don't owe their ap-
pointments to u.s." declared one, land there
fore they won't give US any consideration"
"A muzzle killed my dog" remarked an
other indignant owner, land when l took
the remains to the bureau of animal indus
try for examination they declared that
death was due to pneumonia. Think of
that"
1t was suggested that in the event the
law would prevent the transfer of the
pound to the Humane Society. the difficulty
might be overcome by having representa-
tives of the Humane Society appointed en-
ployes of the round.
A Mr.. Hill al this point urged that the
Commissioners be approached in a proper
manner. By following such course he
said redress might be secured. Hardly in
keeping with this sentiment, however was
proposed resolution read moment later
It set forth that the best way to have the
offensive law reSCinded would be to muZZle
the men who passed the law, in order that
they might realize how 1t felt to wear a
muzze. The individual VINO offered theoes-
olution explained that he would say more
but for democratic rally around the cor
ner that demanded his presence.
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