Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-13
APES DO WORK.
No CcOIic Labor in West-Famer suc-
ceeds Despite Humane Society.


The Cheever society for the prevention
of cruelty TO animals has failed in its
efforts to interfere-for a good purpose.
1t claims-in the business affairs of Gott-
heb Smith in regard to his manner OF
| conducting his farm.
Smith is bachelor queer man living
all by himself and running an extensive
farm, and nearly all the work on the
| farm is done now and for nearly 30
years has been done by a large number
of trained apes or orang-outangs.
These samples Of our forefa theirs, II
Darwnism Is to he believed are certain
~ remarkable beasts under the manage
! ment and control of DR.. Smith. and il Is
las very success in taking care Of them
that has brought him under fire from tho
prevention society. for It is alleged in It's
papers that creatures who do the work
on the Smith farm are so highly develop
CO that they are not really any longer
beasts. but are a lower order of human
beings. and that Mr.. Smith retaining
them in his service as he does without
their formal. legally expressed consent
and without payment Of any wages to
them is guilty of keeping slaves.
Many years ago there was n circus
failed out at Checver-that Is. creditors
levied upon it while IT was showing there
and as the debts could not he paid the
sheriff sold it out at auction. tent
wagons. animals and all. and at the sale
Mr.. Smith bought six of the large orang-
outangs for 81 a piece. none of the circus
men who attended the sale seeming to
ant them and nobody else making a
bid
He took them home and turned them
- that he corid let them run around the
place and then began tenching them TO
do many different things on the farm.
beginning with simple tasks and gradual
~ taking M more difficult ones as the
animals became more Intelligent
The old animals were rather tender and
delicate, but the young they raised were
harder and now they have become az
tough and Injured to the weather condi- |
tons In this latitude rs the mon who live
!ere are. He has now about 20 Of the |
animals. and they are n wonderful help
to him. They pillow the land and plant
the crops; they cultivate the corn and |
hoe the weeds: they pull the weeds out |
OF the sugar heets. and one ape can do |
more work Of this particular kind than |
SIX smart boys: they cut and bind the |
grain and shock and stack H. and they |
cut and husk tho corn: they haul the |
hay. grain ana fodder TO the bar. and |
do practically all the work in hauling |
the farm produce to town: they tend the |
stock and feed all the animals: they clean
out the stables and outbuildings and milk
the cows. separate the cream and churn
the butter; they do all the homework
and one old NANNY" ape is one OF the
best cooks in that part of tho country,
and her canned fruit and berries, her
dried fruit and preserves Of all kinds
would sweep all 10 prizes at the county
fair If she were allowed to compete.
which she is not
In fact, they do almost everything on
the farm that the best kind of hired
men and hired girls could do. and as they
are very Industrious and faithful have
70 bad habits. never want to go Off on
and never demand any wages,
they are fairly coming money for their
owner.
On the other hand, It Is the general
opinion of the ncighhors that no living
beings are happier or better cared for
han these apes. They have all they can
1T of the best ana richest food; they
rave all the bright and snowy clothes
hey care for, with red hats and blue
lats and hats of every color; they have
swings and mcrry-go-rounds and hoops
md balls and ponies and carts and BIZ
,ycles. but all these favorable conditions
lad no effect in keeping the members of
he society from bringing their action
against Mr.. Smith to prevent him from
sreping the apes in captivity. The court,
however, made short work of the COM
olaint for as the court roma rked, 1t
vas case whore the society for the
'revention of cruelty to animals was TAX
ng interest in the apes and the theory
hat apes were not animals, but men.
md that this notable Inconsistency In
he papers was fatal TO the case. and
he court threw 1t out and made the
ociety pay the costs,--Ss Louis Republic. ,