Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-02-13

7
thing for him; it had sofiened his
| heart towards the creatures of the
woods He knew what it was to lie
in steel trap all night and he spoke
of trapping with shudder
IF the public thoroughly understood
the extent of the cruelty which at
| tends the trapping of wild animals,
thered be mighty few furs worn" he
once said to me, AMI he added: mo
decent woman, nor man, either. for
thai matter would order a garment
which it was known could only be
procured by the infection OF brutal
cruelty; no one has the right to call
for such fearful sacrifice on the part
Of a living creature. except perhaps
In case of life and death"
l spoke last week OF trappers who
did a snail business, and who were
.hus able to visit their traps once a
day TAI professional trappers, who
set lines of hundreds of traps. cover
ing many miles OF territory very
often cannot visit them more than
once a week Knowing what a cap
tured animals may suffer in one night,
try to imagine the desperate straits OF
a creature which must remain in the
trap until it dies And they do not die
quickly or easily as a rule. these har-
dy. vigorous people of the woods
When | see people wearing furs.
oh, g~n
some Of the sights which anyone may
see by travelling with a trapper for
week. When they have seen a few
Of the harmless dwellers Of the forest
lying in the clutch OF steel traps. With
limbs torn. stretched or broken. ano
With their nnocenl faces distorted
with pain. with hatred for the one
rreature who brings Them to this pitt
ful condition wonder how many
of them would care TO adotn them.
selves with garments which have
thus been paid fCI 10 the misery Of
others.
Few people seem to know the extent
Of the trappers grewsome trade in this
country alone There are thousands
of men engaged in it-thousands OF
men who. for d living. put to the tor.
ture from a few dozen to several hun.
dred animals during the cold season
of every year. The majority OF these
men are very ignorant. many of them
barely able TO read aud write, their
chief literature consisting OF one OF
more of the numerous papers and
magazines devoted to trapping and thj
fur trade in general Most OF then
are not over-sensitivc when they TAX,
up the work. but. by the daily perpe
tratiOn OF cruel acts for profit. they
k,come to have not the slightest regarC
for the feelings of the animals the
| capture, and will stop at nothinj
which means an extra -l5 cents
! To be sure. they do often arrange thei
trips. for such animals as muskrats
mink and otter in such a way tina
when the creatures seek safety b.
plunging into the water. they are un
able to, regain the bank. and ar
drowned But this comparatively mer
ciful arrangement IS not made in tn
interest of the animals but to proven
them from escaping By twisting o
chewing off their less.
Thanks to the AudubGn society an
to many individual workers the TRAIN
in the plumage OF American wild bird
has been greatly curtaIled within tn
last few years; let us hope that as tn
object of this society has now bee
made to include the protection OF -four
footed beasts as well as birds. som
persistent effort will be made TO saw
from the torture of the damned ID
millions OF innocent creatures whlc
are every year trapped to supply IN
demands OF the fur trade.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNEA-