New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-14
CRUELTY. FR4UD OR STUPIDITY.

The choice among cruelty, fraud and
stupidity is unpleasant to make Yet a
considerable portion of this community
seems to be in danger of having that
choice forced upon it. For really it IS
not easy to explain on any other basis
the abominable condition of horse drawn
traffic in our streets the moment a fall
Of snow makes the pavements slippery
During the last week the amount of Suf
fering among horses, straining, slipping
and falling, has been enormous, while
the amount of delay in travel and traffic
and of obstruction of the streets has
been large. It is no new thing. The
same conditions have been observed
every year within the memory of man.
probably. on the whole, growing worse
as the amount Of traffic increases and rs
rough stone pavements are replaced by
smooth surfaces of wood or asphalt. But
why should such conditions be indefi-
nitely tolerated?
If, as many tell us and as seems
plausible, they can be easily remedied
their continuance is simply abOminable
cruelty, which should be forbidden and
punished by law. We are told that not
only will sharp shoeing" of horses pre-
vent slipping. but also that various
types of emergency Shoes which can
be promptly attached to the feet of
smooth shod horses, will effect the same
desirable result. If this is true, then it
is within the power Of every owner OF
driver of horses to give them secure
footing at all times, and failure to do
So resulting in slipping and falling, with
torture to the horses and obstruction If
the streets, should be made a penal
offence.
If however, this is not true. and it
the various non-slipping devices with
which the market is filed will not effect
the purposes for which they are designed
and which their makers and vendors de-
clare they will effect, then a fraud is
being perpetrated upon purchasers of
the things, which ought to be exposed
and sharply rebuked We must say,
however, that on the face Of the case
there is no appearance of fraud or mis-
representation. Some Of the devices in
question certainly look as though they
would do what is claimed for them. and
there is much testimony to that effect
from persons who have used them and
who have observed their Use.
If. finally. these devices are ineffective
and are frauds, and there is no known
means of preventing horses from Slip
ping OF snow and ice then we must i'm
peach inventors of stupidity. When we
consider the marvellous ingenuity of
other devices, which successfully accom-
plish ipcomparably more difficult ends,
to say that it is impossible to make an
emergency shoe" which will fulfil its
purpose seems like an affront to Ameri-
can ingenuity and to human intelligence
We do not believe that the existing de
vices are worthless, but rather incline to
the belief that they are seryiceable and
effective and that if generally and in
telligently used they would put an end
TO the conditions which now prevail
But if satisfactory emergency shoe"
does not vet exist, we refuse to believe
that the invention of such thing is be-
yond the power Of human ingenuity. and
we would recommend 10 inventors that
they promptly set their minds to work
upon It as IN achievement which Is i'm
meDSely desirable