Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-20
THE MURDER OF DOVES.

In Georgia and in all other. civilized COM
munities the defense OF dumb brutes from
human cruelty is being made stronger and
more effective every day.
The man who would prosecute domes-
tic animal in the streets Of Atlanta today
would almost certainly be arrested and
fined heavily. II no officer happened TO be
on the scene OF the outrage at the time of
it's preparation. ii is probable that some
decent citizen would interfere to pre-
vent the human brute from the cowardly
and cruel exercise OF his power over the
dumb brute who happened to be at his
mercy.
The duty OF protecting animals from
cruelty has progressed nobly in Georgia
I'm the last few years. though IL has not
yet gone by any means as far as il should
proceed and make itself effective.
But there is another duty incumbent
upon the people Of this state who desire
TO stamp out savagery that has been ut
terly ignored so far as their legislation
is concerned. We refer to the slaughter of
birds.
We approve heartily the editorial in The
Augusta Chronicle from which We make
the following extract:
MANS right over the lives Of the lower
animals has been very generally conceded
and we have not yet reached the stage OF
civilization, though we will some day, no
doubt. where we are prepared to deny 1t.
There is one subject. however. in re-
gard to which we think all true sports
men will be I'm accord and that is the cry
ing necessity that exists for doing some
thing that will forestall the extinction OF
the doves. The gregarious tendencies OF
these descendants OF the blue rock pigeons
threaten them with speedy destruction.
One branch OF the family, the wild pigeon,
that at one time swarmed in such num-
bers that they darkened the light OF day
I'm their migratory flights, have already
vanished from the scene. and unless some
thing is done. and that speedily, TO stop
the indiscriminate slaughter Of the doves,
that valued game bird will also disappear.
aAs long as they were hunted in the
same way as quail and snipe and others
that is TO say. casually, their increase
was rapid. for they are naturally prolific.
But with the advent of larger and larger
droves the custom of batting fields arose,
and then their clannish instincts rendered
them an easy prey to the fowling piece.
Il IS no uncommon thing for half a dozen
guns to slay in one days sport-so called
more than as many hundred birds, and IL
was only a few years ago that party in
CouAnNEcAcAn pAcACN0 ONNA ofovN
doves on the train at one time to be sent
to Macon. The bisons roamed the prairies
of the west in almost as great numbers
as the doves that now throng our fields
and forests. but ten years. of wanton
butchery exterminated them, and II these
battues are to be continued the birds will
experience a similar fate"
The Chronicle need not confine its allu-
sions to any previous year. The indiscrim-
mate slaughter of doves has been going
on this year in many counties Of this state
to an extent that makes many a man who
participated in IT ashamed of himself.
Let us have some practical and strin-
gent legislation against this species of
cruelty. this waste OF innocent. harmless
and beautiful life. II there must be an
exercise OF aim and nerve to make happy
the manhood OF Georgia let us establish
a system of flying targets. but for PHYS
sake give the doves a chance.
The dove batting in Georgia has already
become a reproach and disgrace to the
state.