Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-29
INTERNATIONAL
| HUMANE CONFERENCE
by Frederick ]. Haskin.

The first International Humane confer
ence ever held in the United States Will
meet in Washington in October and
preparations are being made to entertain
delegates from every civilized country in
the world The conference will be con-
Quoted under the auspices of the Amerl-
can Humane society, which is fedora
ton of societies and individuals for the
prevention of cruelty, especially cruelty to
| children and animals. The American as
ISOLATION in itself represents nearly 400
separate anti-crueIty societies, and in
cludes a great number of individuals in
| teTested in the work but not operating
through an organized body This will be
the sixth International conference. The
first was held at Graz, in Austria, in
| 1895. The second met in Paris i'm 1900; the
third in Frankfort Germany. in 1903; the
! fourth at Helsingborg Sweden, in 1900;
and the fifth in London last year. All
of these meetings were devoted exclusive
| ly to the work of preventing cruelty to
| animals. The meeting in Washington IN
October will be the first international con-
| ference which will include children in the
scope of its work.
The first law for the prevention of cru
city was passed by the British parlia-
ment in 1922. The first society for the pre-
| vention of cruelty to animals was organ
| lied in England in 1924. This parent So
| cety is still in existence and will be rep
resented by delegates at the Washington
! conference. 4 he first society for the pre-
vention OF cruelty to children was organ
lied in New York city in 1874 The first
! anti-cruelty movement in America was
4 Vxrly fV, an + "
| Bergh He began a campaign to influ-
ence the public to favor measures for the
| protection of horses and dogs from abuse
| by cruel masters. He was rewarded for
! his pains by having dirt thrown in his
\ face and by being cartooned in the coars-
| est and most offensive manner. Neverthe-
less the society which he founded contin-
ued it's existence and finally won popular
approval and public support.
When the first child was brought into
court in this country by someone seek
ing protection in its behalf from the cru
| city of its neglectful and brutal parents
| the court found no law covering the case
But the mercy prayed was granted under
| the terms of a statute for the prevention
| of cruelty to dogs. The result was the
| enactment of statutes for the protection
| of children; the organization In 1874 or
| the Society for the Prevention of Cruel
| ty to Children, the great work done by
the so-called Gerry society of New York
4 and the work Of other societies in other
| parts of the country. Later this move
ment had it's fruition in the establishment
of juvenile courts.
|
The work of the various state, city and
county societies proceeds according to
the circumstances of the various loeali-
ties, but the American Humane associa-
| ton endeavors to keep a record of the
progress OF the cause, by federatins the
! individual societies and tabulating the re-
suits OF their efforts. The national So
ciety also devotes much attention to the
4 broader aspects of humane work, and,
| by missionary effort seeks to educate
public sentiment. The American HUI
name association makes no sentimental
| appeals for useless endeaVor. 1t puts the
| question of humanitarian protection of
| the weak on a common-sense basis, APP
pealing to the fair-minded and the big
| hearted for a wider interest in dumb ami
mails. In behalf of animals it asks that
drinking fountains for horses and dogs
be erected on the thoroughfares of the
large cities, that efforts be made 20 Sc
cure legislation forbidding the docking
of horses tails, and that the cruelty Of
the check rein be abated and the like.
|
! In a broader field the association asks
that the commercial side of philanthropy
be considered. For example, it is shown
| that if proper preventive means were
taken to shield children from cruelty and
neglect, and to assure to them the prop
er training in good citizenship, there
would be fewer paupers and criminals
| In the poor houses of the country there
prisons have more than $4,000 convicted
criminals, and all these must be NAM
| tanned by taxes levied upon the law
abiding and Industrious citizens of the
country. These figures do not include
nearly 100000 persons who are dependent
upon various benevolent institutions sup
ported by private charities.
Another practical phase of the question
| is presented in the crusade against the
wanton destruction of useful birds. II is
shown that $780, 10000 worth of grain,
and other farm products, is destroyed
| annually in the United States by insects.
Every time a farmer kills a bird he in
creases the destructive powers of his
insect enemies. The association has COM
! piled statistics which show that the life
| of the average horse or mule is shorten
! ed by from five to ten years on account
| of poor treatment abuse and stupid or
! ignorant handling. AS there are more
than 25,000,0O0 draft animals in the coun-
| try, an extension of their earning capaci-
| ty by five years would mean an enor-
nous economic saving. Lack of proper
education in the care of cattle, sheep and
hogs, and, lack of humanity on the part
/ of many live stock owners, loses the
country s24. 100000 a year-all due to negi-
gence, cruelty and exposure. The asso-
citation advocates the introduction into
the schools of a course of instruction
to train children in the care of animals.
With the growth of agricultural colleges
and Industrial schools, this work is pro-
crossing rapidly. The association is yet
striving to reach the three-fourths of The
people OF the nation who are not direct
ly in touch with some humane society.
In the language of William o. Stillman.
president of the association, the humane
movement has grown from small begin
nings until the principles which il rep
resents have become a part of the con
scious ideals of our national life. Mr.
StillmaO said. 'Our mission is not vet