Red River prospector. (Red River, Taos County, N.M.) 1900-190?, 1906-12-20
DO HUMANE WORK.
EXCELLENT RECORD or WEST
ERIN SOCIETIES.
Colorado Claims the Best Association
for the Protection Of Children and
Animals-other States to
Take That as Model.

IN a paper read before the tbirtieth
annual meeting of the American HUI
name association held at Chicago, II.
S. Mann of Omaha made the follow
ing statements:
With two or three exceptions there
are humane organizations in all the
states AID territories west of the
Mississippi, but many of them are
local and active only in a city or
county, and some exist only in name.
It is claimed that Colorado has the
best state organization for the pro-
lection of children and animals, in
that it accomplishes under its sys-
tem-covering a large field-more re-
suits for the money expended than any
other humane organization in the
country, The Colorado Humane So
ciety, without losing it's existence or
identity as a corporate body, was in
1901 constituted by act of legislature
THE State Board of Child and Ami
NAL Protection" The governor, at
torney-general and superintendent of
public instruction are ex-oficio mem
bers of the board of directors. The
state appropriates $4,000 to $4,000 a
year, and other receipts make up a
event for the society of about S.
600. Seven hundred and fourteen
agents are scattered throughout the
state, remote parts being looked after
about as well as in the city of Den
yer. Perhaps in no other state is
serious effort mady to enforce the
Jaw for child and animal protection
in small communities and in rural
districts the same as in the cities.
The Nebraska society has decided
to ask the next legislature for a state
board of child and animal protection.
Montana has one modelled on the
Colorado plan, with the essential diff
ference that its officers are political
appointees, and, as a consequence,
generally inefficient.
There are very active organizations
in Kansas City, st. Joseph, Minneap-
oils, st. Paul, Des Moines, Omaha,
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Port
land. Council Bluffs is about to or
ganize a society with the mayor for
president and the chief of police as
one of it's directors.
Eight western states have specified
laws in relation to the docking of
horses tails, viz: Nebraska, Iowa,
J Minnesota, Utah, Colorado, Washing
ton, Oregon and California. The laws
on the subject enacted in some of
these states are not practical, as un-
der them, in order to successfully
prosecute, it is necessary to catch
the offender in the act. In Nebraska
a reward of $50 is offered for evidence
that will convict of this offense. The
Michigan law, passed in 1901, and
the Colorado act of 1899 should be
considered by us in asking for legis-
lation in the future.
Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado and Ore
gon have specific laws prohibiting the
use of live birds for targets. In Cali
fsrnia about four years ago our
friends secured a conviction under the
general cruelty act for shooting pig
cons released from traps.
California, Colorado. Missouri and
Oklahoma have humane education
laws. The statement has been made
that the Oklahoma law is the best
in the country.
Child labor is not the grave propo-
sition with the west that it is in the
east and in the south, and we do not
hear of much complaint. In many
cities the truant officer or other Of
fetal makes a regular inspection Of
factories and other places where chill
dren may be employed to see that
the law is not violated. In all cur
cities there are various institutions
that look after the welfare of chill
dTen.
Every winter 40, 200, 900 helpless cat
tie suffer for want of food and drink
on the western ranges between the
Missouri river and the Pacific a
and very little is being done, outside
of the state of Colorado, to relieve
this condition of affairs. This and the
transportation question are the great
est problems in the humane work of
the western states.