The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-07
Council Has Offered Reward for
CANNES.
HUNDREDS PROTEST.
City Hall Besieged With Those
Who Take Exception.
Likely That Law Will Never Be
Passed.

A mighty cry is going up over the
city today-and as long as the day lasts
the cry grows stronger-and shriller
To say that this cry is shrill explains it
all because it is accompanied by the
| walls and tears of tender hearted
women.
At the last council meeting the city
dads decided to pay fifty cents for
every dead dog without a license
| brought to the city pound. The matter
was passed without a whimper. When
| the resolution passed the council
| there was little thought of the big
commotion it would stir. The well
| meaning councilmen simply took this
as a plan to rid the city of thousands
of undesirable dogs-if there is such a
thing as a dog being desirable"
But the small seven line article con-
corning the action sof the council was
read by some kind hearted woman and
running to the telephone she spread
the news. 1t spread to the federation
of women's clubs and thence to the
manly husbands who were thinking
about something else at their down
town offices.
Then the ladies who had a feeling
way down in their hearts for dogs
AlOChSQ " Tile Sldl6 JOuTUdi OlIlC0 ask
ing for a pardon-for the CANNES.
1t looks as though the ladies and the
gentlemen who have taken exception
to the new ordinance are right. Their
arguments are full of common sense
and their pleas are having the desired
effect with the city officials.
In the first place, they claim that it is
not right for an order of this kind to
be issued. 1t gives the small boy who
desires spending money an inducement
to steal from the collar of a dog, the
license check and then deliberately de-
liver the dog to the officials at the city
pound for reward. There are hum
dreds of boys over the city whose chief
desire is to kill dogs and cats whether
there is reward offered or not If
desires would be augmented by a desire
for wealth and they would soon realize
their desires
Humane Officer King was disguised
over the action of the council this
morning. He said:
This will give the ruffians and small
boys a chance to do all kinds of dam
age. 1t is also an inducement to law
leSSnesS. l am surprised that this
resolution was introduced by princi-
pal of public School. There are
plenty of men hired by the city to kill
these dogs without giving the job to
small boys and ruffians. If the city is
not able to hire good enough men to
Kill the dogs-why don't they get bet
ter men? This action is very cruel and
is against the law. There is no law
that will give a man the right to kill
dumb animals
Samuel Radges was also reused into
action. He said:
Il was more than surprised at such
a law being passed in this city 1t is
an injustice to the people who own
dogs and it is cruelty to the dumb
animals. 1t can be readily seen that
crook would take advantage of such
an offer and steal the tags-also the
dogs"
1t has also been pointed out by
telephone calls and in the State Jour
nal Office that members of the famous
white horse" gangs over the city
would delight at killing dogs for
enough money to purchase whisky
deed within the petit larceny bounds
to buy drink and this law would give
them chance to do it practically
lawfully.
City Attorney Ra1ston is of the
opinion that the law can not be en-
forced He says that the ordinance
is unconstitutional and he doubts the
ability of the city authorities to make
such law hold good. The rest of
the city officials are divided upon the
question.
The sentiment of the city is against
such stand and it is doubtful if the
law will ever be enforced. E. F.
Stanley of the Sixth ward was the un-
lucky man to sign the resolution.
However, it must be remembered that
these resolutions are many times
simply drawn up from other similar
resolutions in other cities and pre-
scented over the signature of the first
councilman who is caught by the
clerk. Mr.. Stanley signed the
resolution, it is true, but it was passed
unanimously by the city council and
the COMBINATIONS heaped upon him
by the enraged people over the city
are unjust and uncalled for. Mr..
Stanley is principal of the Quincy
school and has always been a strong
man in the city council.
But all of this rage might as well
be calmed-because since the uprising
there is no chance that the city will
pass such an ordinance. The city adj
ministration is not working for their
own interests and if the people are as
whole against the proposition-all
they have to do is to make their
wants known.
Not to change the subject any but
-behold-another argument in favor
| of the commission form of govern
ment.
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