The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-25
M FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.


One OF the leading proofs of the
growing altruism of the nation is
found in the American Humane Assoc
ciation This devotes it's time and at
tentfon to alternating the suffering5 OF
little children and of animals, and
lends its influence to securing leSls-
lation in their behalf: There are ABOUT
400 societies in various parts or tns
country that arc affiliated with the
association in such good work. anu
the general effect of such allied en-
dcavor is being felt in many ways.
Endowment funds in the hands OF the
various societies amount to about S1Oo,-
600, and hundred times as much could
be easily used to great advantage. APP
proXimasely 100000 is spent each year
in the work, and 10000 children ana
$50 900 animals are involved. TheIc
are paid agents and hundreds of volun-
tary ones, individuals and small bands
of men or women or children who
serve for humanity's sake.
Fifty years ago in all this country
protecting children or advising humane
treatment of animals. In 1868 Henry
Bergh, pioneer of the work in America.
began to enlist public sentiment IN
favor of the horses and dogs OF New
York City, and was rewarded for his
pains by having dirt thrown in his
| face and by being cartooncd In the
coarsest fashion. When the iirat calld
was brought into court in TINS country
| by some one who asked that 1t be pro-
| tected from it's parents blows and ne
| glect 1t was brought In under the law
| that protected dogs. but 1t received the
mercy asked. and Mortified citizsnty
fastened to place on It's statute nooEs
| laws that protected abused chiioren;
! To-day while the humane societies OF
the country are still far from the ult-
ma Thule of their hopes. they have
seen wonderful strides made in the pre-
ventfon of cruelty to children In DIE
cities, have seen the Gerry society rise
many children, and have helped In the
establishment OF Juvenile courts and
rescue homes, where vice and idleness
may be prevented.
| The American Humane Association
goes about its work with no senti-
mental appeals for useless endeavor
IT puts the question of humanity and
protection to the weak on common
sense basis, appealing to the falr-
minded and big hearted for wider
interest in dumb animals. for bit Of
Ithoughtfulness now and then where
the draft animals and animals raised
for food are concerned 1t asks mat
drinking fountains convenient to horses,
mules and dogs be erected on the
| thoroughfares in big cities. that check
| rens be lowered in heavy pulls up long
hills. and that effort be made 10 Sc
cure general legislation against the
| docking Of horses tails. The response
has been generous in many cases. a
benevolent Boston woman recently left
several thousand dollars for the cree
ton of public drinking fountain for
man and beast, and in every city of
considerable size there has been some
suitable. but less plretentious drinking
accommodation made, either by a hui
name society or through the philan-
thropy of some Individual
/ The association, being of a practi-.
cal turn OF mind as suits the trend
of the times. points out that as mat
ter of business. the commercial side of
philanthropy should be considered. In
their latest report the officers point
out this side as we'll as the humanita-
rian side. claiming that millions of dol
4 lars are wasted each year in the Unit
ed States through negligence. For eN-
ample. they show that If proper pre-
4 ventive means were used in regard to
. training children. early in the steps of
good citizenship. that there would be
fewer paupers and criminals. In the
poorhouses Of the country there are
nearly $1,000 paupers, and in the pris-
ons over $4,000 criminals-l64000 peo-
pie to be maintained by taxes levied on
the law-abiding, industrious citizens.
The annual cost is S16,400,000 If the
minimum sum of 500 year be allow
cd for the support of each These fig
sons who are kept as dependents IN
various benevolent institutions that are
supported by private charity. The
whole assemblage would form an army
nearly four times the size of the stand
ing army allowed by law, and is al.
ways a menace. never help or pro-
lection. to civilization.
The practical lesson is further taught
when 1t Is shown that ally $500
) 900, 900 worth of grain Is destroyed In
the United States BY noSious Insects
because the wanton destruction of in
sect eating birds has not been stop
ped. Every time farmer kills a bird
he kills one of his best and ablest al.
lies. The association has compiled
figures to show that the average horse
or mule has it's life cut from five e
t there are Seut over $4,000, 900 horses and
! mules at work In this country, an in
; crease of their earning capacity by
five years more would mean saving
in a short while of over $4,000 900
! Lack of proper education In the care OF
cattle. sheep and hogs In this country
many of the owners, lose the coun-
, try $24.O00,000 year--all due to neg
! ligence, cruelty and exposure.
!, Last spring the association sent 6
commission out West to investigate the
CONDITION OF the range cattle, to see i
,, anything could be done to amelioratt
conditions among them. The report wa
: found cattle starving and wholly unplro
tected, while thousands We're suffering
from mango Fifty to seventy per cent
OF the cattle on the ranges visited hat
! dad from neglect and cold. Horse:
were FOUND to fare better. for they paw
lRMa.X. the snow from the grass. ant