The Washington herald., 1909-02-14

After a prolonged session that teemed /
with hot debate and not a little bitter
ness. the first hearing OF the law and leg
islative committee Of the Chamber Of
Commerce, upon radical changes in the
aumsne regulations of the District. tex
minated inconclusively last evening.
The Horse Owners Mutual Protective
Association vas arrayed in staiWart lines
against the Humane Society. with plenty
Of heavy ammunition IN the shape Of
elaborate arguments. afidavits. and evi-
dence accumulated for years
Under the leadership Of its president.
&C. A. Snow, the Humane Society repre-
sentatives fought back vigorously. even
though outnumbered. and apparently,
caught unprepared for the heavy hre oi (
their opponents. They made hard hght,
and did not finch even when subjected
10 severe cross-examination from the
Horse Own=ss' Association and from the
Chamber OF Commerce committee. There
was no attempt 10 conceal the facts
WoaId Abolish society.
The new legislation proposed by the
Horse oxners' Mutual Protective Asso-
eiatioa would result in the extinction OF
the Humane Society," according 10 Cram
naond kennedy. counsel for the latter or
gaRization.
AZ the instance OF the horse owners. 2
bIIi has been introduced in Congress piac-
ing duties which now devolve upon the
agents of the Humane Society upon the
Metropolitan police. and which would d.
vert 2 portion Of the income OF the HUI
name Society. accruing from fines de-
rived from erring horse owners. into the
Golfers of the District government
It will be referred to the District Com
missioners for report IN the near future.
and inasmEch as the latter held a hear
Ing upon the identical proposition last
year. and denied the petition OF the Horse
Owners Association. there Is small ike
lihoOd that a more welcome greeting
awaits the bill az this time.
The horse owners are attempting 20
strengthen their position, however, by
procuring support from various organiza-
tions. among them the Chamber OF Com
merce. Both sides we're given ample op-
portunity TO be heard.
Among the spokesmen for the Horse
Owners Mutual Protective Association
we're G. c Mueller. A. S. Trundle. DR.. G.
RarnUeil Robinson. veterinary surgeon
and dean OF the United states College Of
veterinarians. A. .. '. Burr. Thomas ".
Smith, Ross P. Andrews. and F. A. Sc
bring.
a. c Snow. president: Clarence Duvall.
treasurer. and CrsmmOnd Kennedy. cOun-
sci. were heard for the Humane Society.
Cases of Persecution.
The horse owners argument centered
in the contention that the present system
resulted IN persecution on the part OF
agents Of the Humane Society, that theN
efficiency was rated according 70 the
number OF arrests Of drivers and owners
they made. that Il was legally and
ethicaliy wrong TO divert moneys derived
from fires imposed by a court OF justice
into the strong box OF g semi-oficlsl
organization.
do you support your agents from the
fines turned over 10 your Do you wax
fat and rich and prosperous according TO
the amount OF business you DO and
DO your agents salaries increase as their
arrests and convictions Increase" was
demanded OF the Humane Society officers /
again and again
President Snow silenced these interro-
cations by opening the books Of the So
ciety and by promising to lay open all the
reports Of the treasurer before the Cham I
Der Of Commerce.
I'VE received about $500 from fines
last year" said President Snow, and
this was barely enough to pay one-fOurth
Of our various expenses. The fact Is that
no officer OF the society is receiving a
cent FOR the time and labor he gives 10
IL; that all are contributing 70 IL. and
that we are almost altogether dependent |
on the support OF high-minded and phil /
anthropic individuals"
Crammond Kennedy argued that the |
extinction OF the society, which would bs
assured by 6ivesting IL Of power 10 be I
transferred to tho police. would 5e q
great moral loss to the community. Fur !
thermcre. be showed that the vast back /
ground Of the work Of the humane off, /
GERS was unseen and unknown 10 the
public. and did not appear IN the sta
tisticS- He declared that 3zS5 friendly /
visits were made by the agents In a !
given year for purposes Of advice and
warning. and that only 1ss arrests were
made in the same period. OF these 1s2
were convictions
Agents Are Ignored.
The Horse Owners Mutual Protective /
Association made no attempt to impugn |
the lofty purposes OF the Humane So /
ciety. but declared that their agents were /
often ignorant and misguided. Cases or /
drunkenness and intimidation were cited. /
and many statements were made OF petty I
persecution extremely irritating to the /
business community
DO our good friends OF the Humane /
Society think that their work could not |
be completely performed BY the pOlice2' /
was often asked
This bill is pernicious. said Presi- /
dent Snow, Of the Humane Society II 4
is formed for the bereft OF the veseri- (
narIans Knowing its promoters. I can /
not think that its object is to promote /
the interests OF the horse. Surely 10 /
man has better reason to guard the inter 4
ests OF the horse than the horse owners. /
but we must provide for exceptional /