Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-23
HUMAN NATURE IN THE lACkAss.

DO not feel too Inucn Iutl q. ~ >
hush Il some angry being terms you
a iackass. 1t may not he as pad as
YOU think, and may not necessarily m
dictate that you are doltish. Three
United States appellate court Judges
in Chicago have decided, In an otf'clal
opinion, that there is a good deal OF
human nature in the jackass Ihey
have sat in their silent chambers
among their tones Of statutes, man
dates and decisions, and after consult
Ing the authorities and debating from
the standpoint OF their observation and
experience as men OF sedate years ana
humane inclination, have come to the
conclusion that the much derided ami
NAL is pretty good sort OF oackass
after all.
{ They sneak unanimously as follows:
"There is good deal of human nature
IN the 1ackass, and, while dociie
enough when kindly treated. the
hnn,ar attribute, of. resentment and
brute retaliation are apt to be aroused
when smarting under Ill treatment ana
abuse" These men, Justices Holdom.
Adams and Brown, do not merely ac-
credit the brute with a prominent
nhase of mans natural bent, but raise
the animal notch higher, If any
thing. by accreddting man with brute
retaliation"
So the jackass has at last come into
his own, by decree OF court.
It seems that John Donahue, care
taker Of an animal belonging to the
much despised class Of domestic beast,
thought the mere fact that his charge
was dumb, added to an unprepossess-
ing appearance, gave him the priv
ilege OF Of teasing the animal. run
ming rake over It, prodding dt with
pitchfork and hitting it with a
strap.
The beast subdued its feelings until,
when an opportunity came, 1t took
Donall,ie by the wrist with its teeth,
pinioned him against the stall and
broke the bones OF his left arm and
slacerated It. The man was pinioned
for five minutes. until assistance came
and loosed him.
Donahue sued the owners of the an
irnal. the Frank E. Scott Transfer Co.
getting verdict for $511 in the initial
court. But the defendant company.
convinced ef the al treatment practiced
on its animal, carried the case to a
higher court, the decision there re-
versing the dinding Of the minor trib-
unal.
It must be a particularly grateful
thing for those interested in anti
cruelty movements to note that this
case comes from Chicago. where the
scourge for beasts of burden is more
wantonly used, probably, than in any
other city In the world.
The conclusions of the court, con-
soling all who feel a sympathetic
auickening Of the heart when the we'll
being of dumb animals is imperiled,
also say: These latent instincts of
the brute nature are developed by
abuse and made manifest under prov
ocation, and they are not confined to
the brute creation. The jackass had
for days suffered indignities and cruel
treatment at the hands Of plaintiff,
and his attempts to retaliate by snap
ping and biting at plaintiff had failed.
The jackass undoubtedly brooded over
the insults Of his tormentor and
,yearned for revenge. He watched his
opportunity, and when the tormentor
was off guard and little dreaming Of
the retribution in store for him, the
brute seized him and wounded him"
Hats off to the jackass!