Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-06-09
DR.. LONG HAS WORD
ABOUT LION HUNT
CALLS COLONEL RoosEvELT's
AFRICAN EXPEDITION GAME
BuTcHERY.
INJu RES AMERICAN BOYS, He
SAYS, IN EVIL EXAMPLE
GIVEN

Stamford, Conn, June 2.-Dr. Viii
liam J. Long. the former munster and
nature writer, some Of whose writings
were bitterly attacked BY Theodore
Roosevelt when he was president.
talked recently about Mr.. RooseYelt's
African hunting trip. DR.. Long said
he had intended waiting until Mr..
Rooseyelt's return, or until something
from his pen actually appeared, before
saying a word In criticism, but he had
decided that some of the things the
former president is said TO have done
in Africa are such as to call forth
protest.
DR.. Long declares that the worst
feature of the whole bloody bust
ness" is the brutalizing influence
which the reports from Africa have on
thousands of American boys.
"As there are no reporters with Mr..
Roosevelt" he said, those reports
of frequent killings must come chiefly
from himself and are such as he him
self chooses to send out, If true, they
are exactly in line with his previous
record They prove what I said two
years ago, quoting from his own
books. that he is game butcher
pure and simple. and that his interest
in animals lies chiefly in the direction
of blood. butchery and brutality. You
remember that when he made terms
with the Smithsonian institution his
published letter said:
"'Of course | am not a game
butcher and thea he Immediately re
served for himself the right to do all
the killing on the eSaedition. This is
characteristic of his alleged scientific
attitude
Matthew Arnold declared that
conduct is three-fourths of life,' and
Mr.. Roosevelt adds that butchery is
three-fourths of science,
lnoffensive Creatures.
In one dispatch | notice that when
he could not find buffalo he had to
content himself by shooting wart
hogs and other inoffensive creatures
As the buffaloes are fast disappearing
from Africa. and as Mr.. Roosevelt
had already killed several, why in
the name of science should be go out
to kill more. and why. failing to find
buffaloes. should he content himself
by slaughtering other creatures?
The whole thing Is atrocious. ri
Is ~
ing eleven bull elk on one trip. and on
his way out killing two more that he
found fighting. Their meat was unfit
TO use and was left to rot in the
woods Then he preached TO us on
the virtue of game protection. and
when ne comes back from this trip
lou will hear his righteous disserta-
ton on the necessity for preserving
game in Africa-of course, after he
has killed everything he could find"
Asked if anything was to be
learned. if science was to be served
in any way by such trip. DR.. Long
said:
A lot might be learned, but not by
such scientific instruments as high.
power rifles. Mr.. Roosevelt reminds
me- OF an alleged ornithologist whom
| 1aet killing warblers the other day
and he thought he was studying
birds. The only thing we win get
out of the much-heTaded trip will be
some more hunting yarns. almost as
veracious as Mr.. Roosevelt's account
of his heroic exploit at San Juan. and
some more skins and bones. of which
We already have too many.
Boys Play "5wana Turho.r
The only one who will ever learn
or teach anything Of value is the man
who studies the living animal-not
the man who gloats over a dead one.
The worst feature in the whole
bloody business is not the killing of a
few hundred wild animals in ETrcia
but the brutalizing influences which
these reports have upon thousands OF
American boys.
Only last week met half a dozen
little fellows in the woods. The big
gest boy had gun and squirrels
tail in his hat. and he called himself
'Bsana Tunbo They were shooting
everything in sight killing birds at a
time when every dead mother meant
q nest full of young birds slowly
starving to death. How could con.
vince them that their work was inhu
man when the great American hero is
occupied at this time with the same
detestaole business? Why should they
not also be heroic and make a few
1ne shots and content themselves
with robins and rabbits. since alleged
natnraiists and other game butchers
haNa killed az all n,,r hnMafnor-,.