The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-04-15
TRAINED BY CRUELTY
Animals, as a Rule, Taught Tricks
Through Torture.
KINDNESS is NOT a FACTOR.

says an English Writer, Is the Tri-
unPh Of Brute over = Brute 81
Patisn. and Persistent Cruelty.
Il have an old fashioned belief tba,
one should never make a damnine
statement unless he Is prepared Il
prove it up to the hilt. And 50 am
confronted at the outset with an i.
most insurmountable dificulty-to fine
layman who would accurately inform
himself of the methods Of animal train.
ing there is opposed bulwark Of con.
cealment grim and silent as the great
wall Of China" writes ". Raiuton
Clarke In the Manchester Chronicle
! The glib assurance that 1t is all
done by kindness has become a bv.
word. No true lover Of an animal be.
lieves 1t. aor could any reasoning crea.
ture, lacking that particular affection.
II he viii carefully examine such facts
as are obvious.
Granted there are animals OF or.
treme intelligence and ductabilltv
Granted there are men and women OF
extraordinary influence over birds and
beasts. The best these twain can
achieve In combination does not nro.
duce an effective stage show, nor can
One-hundredth part Of the entertain.
ment' provided. by the trainer be
ascrlbed to his abnormal ability or to
the especially acute intelligence Of his
pupil. 1t is more probably the trl.
umph of a brute over a brute by pa
tent and persistent cruelty.
The public judges by what 1t sees
on the stage and remarks in admira.
tion and approval that there was no
sign Of whip An animal exhibitor
who was ayowedly cruel would be
pretty low down in the ranks of show.
men. l own particularly feroclous
looking bulldog who goes crazy with
delight at the sight OF whip. 1t has
been his pet toy for years and means
the beginning of romp. on the other
hand, . movement of the trainers I'm.
ger almost imperceptible to the audi
Gence may suggest TO the powerful
imagination OF the animal fiendish tor
ture. II may recall the hot irons, the
agonizing Utilization Of a nerve.
Such appeals to the memory are, in
truth, the stock in trade of the animal
trainer What the wretched creature
has gone through during months of
daily preparation can never be known,
for the work is carried out In secrecy
and seclusion. There is rarely second
person present, and the brute cannot
speak. That is the most hideous factor
of the case.
There is no concealment of the fact
that the training is apt to be hard and
painful, and blow is not uncommon
from the most humane and patient
trainer, ansered. it may be, by stupidl-
ty and Observation-Disclosures. If it is so
with the hoy, what must it be with
the brute!
There is no possession so hideous
as that OF the triumph, even momen-
tariiy, of cruelty. Touch child, a
horse or dog with a whip and there
Is hideous sense of satisfaction. even
when the cause is righteous. The joy
OF inhicting. pain is possible to the best
OF US and grows by what it feeds on.
Imagine the situation between
coarse vulgarian and helpless brute
and you get the process OF animal
training.
nave never known a dlslnterested
member OF the circus community pre-
tend that the education OF any animal
was pleasant to the animal. and have
known them to speak with horror OF
the methods of some trainers.
1t Is not very long since an athlete
snatched the whip from a well known
dog trainer on the stage OF London
variety theater and soundly thrashed
MIN amid the plaudits Of the company.
Another distinguished professor Is
oiackisted by one Of the largest syn
dicates Tor undisguised cruelty ION the
stagel 10 his large and various family.
Two OF our best known managers alb
solutely refuse to deal with animal
turns and make no concealment OF
their reasons. And the editor now de-
Important PROFESSIONAL
paper Tor years refused to attend any
place Of entertainment where dogs or
birds or indeed any dumb creature
save conventional circus horses, ap-
peared
An these men knew what they were
about. Most of the other performers
in a music han, tight keep shy Of The
animal trainers The stage hands speak
with horror Of what they see.
The mortality among performing
animals is perfectly awful. Ever 50
many are hopelessly injured in the
process Of education. and ever 50 many
sueeumb to the dreadful life Of nightly !
performances.
whenever case OF cruelty by a
performer comes before the courts one /
is amazed by Tie lneptitude and futil, |
The public is Or course the main
culprit. Il wants the shows and man |
ayers provide them, though thew must mus, |
be conscious Of the trutb ~ an ! l No.