The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-05
ATROCIOUs, SAYS LONG.
Nature FNker No. Calls Roosey elr
Butcher"


W!llism j. Long, the former preacher
and nature writer. some OF whose
writings were bitterly attacked by
Theodore Roosevelt when he was
president. consented to be interview
ed with regard to Mr.. Roosevelt's
African hunting trip. DR.. Long said
he had intended waiting until Mr..
Roosevelt's return or until something
from his pen actually appeared be-
fore saying a word In criticism, but
he had decided that, some of the
things the former president is said
10 have done In Africa are such as to
call forth protest.
DR.. Long declares that the worst
feature OF the whole bloody busi-
ness" Is the brutalizing influence
which the reports from Africa have
on thousands of American boys. He
said:
"As there are no reporters with
Mr.. Roosevelt these reports of fire.
quent killings must come chiefly from
himself and are such as he himself
chooses to send out. If they are true
they are exactly In line with his pre-
vious records. They prove what I
said two years ago, quoting from his
own books. that he is a game butch
CT pure and simple, and that his in
terst in animals lies chiefly in the di-
rcction OF blood. butchery and bru-
taiity.
"You remember that when he
made terms with the Smithsonian In
stitute his published letter said: ,.Ot
course. ] am not a game butcher
and then he Immediately reserved for
himself the right to do all the killing
on the expedition. This IL charac-
teristic Of his alleged scientific at
titude. Matthew Arnold declared
that. Conduct is three-fourths Of
life.' and Mr.. Roosevelt adds that
butchery IL three-fourths of science.
In this dispatch 1 notice that
when he could not find buffalo he had
to content himself by shooting wart-
hogs and other inoffensive creatures.
AS the buffalos are fast disappearing
from Africa, and as Mr.. Roosevelt
had already killed several. why In
the name Of science should he go out
to kill more? And why failing to
find buffaloes, should he content him.
self by slaughtering other creatures?
The whole thing is atroclous IT Is
exactly like his own record OF killing
II bull elk on one trip and then, on
has way outs killing -two-mars 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 he comes back from this trip
you will hear his righteous disserta-
tion on the necessity for preserving
game in Africa. Of course. after he
has killed everything he could find."
Asked II anything was to be learn
ed or II science was to be served in
any way by such a trip. DR.. Long
said:
"A lot might be learned. but not by
such scientific instruments as high
power rifles. Mr.. Roosevelt remind
me Of an alleged ornithologist whom
I met killing warblers the other day.
and he thought he was studying
birds. The only thing we will get out
OF the much-heralded trip will be
some more hunting yarns. almost as
veracious as Mr.. Roosevelt's account
Of his heroic exploit at San Juan Hill.
and some more skins and bones, OF
which, We already have too many.
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 dead one.
''The worst feature in the whole
bloody business is not the killing Of
few hundred animals in Africa, 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 biggest boy had a gun.
and squirrels tail in his hat, and he
called himself 'Bwana Tumbo.' They
were shooting everything in sight.
killing birds at time when every
dead mother meant a rest full Of
young birds slowly starving to death;
and how could l convince them that
their work was inhuman? Is not the
great American hero occupied at this
time with the same detestable busi-