Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-11-05

were doing something to prove our
selves more than mere Commercial
beings? We have well-paved streets
fine buildings. beautiful homes. W.
have thousands of men with ambiti
Gus spirits pushing forward to reacf
higher and higher ranks of import
ance. Isn't It time we we're doinl
something TO show that we have hu
man sympathies and human feeling.
as well? Couldn't we exert a littls
effort. pass some legislation. to helT
animals less fortunate than our.
selves? Would it be so very difficult
to pass legislation making 1t com.
pulsory to have horses rough-shod in
Winter. to have stables fireproof. to
compel large contracting companies
not to overload their horses, and per-
haps to forbid the handling OF horses
by incompetent drivers? Could we
not spare something from our many
appropriations for the Humane So
ciety?
Would not such legislation be
good policy? A horse whose leg Is
broken on a slippery street must be
shot, and is loss 10 the owner.
Thousands of dollars have been lost
In this city through the burning of
horses in unsafe stables. The con-
tracing companies who grossly over
load their wagons could haul two
loads in the time in which one Is
hauled now. and save the strength
of their horses. besides sparing them
the cruel suffering and strain. apd
no horse Is improved by being
abused by an incompetent driver.
Therefore. even Though 1t should
be useless to appeal to the humanity
of man. car these reasons be made
to appeal TO their self-interest It
is nobler 10 do things through kindly
and disinterested motives. yet any
motive is better than none, II a
worthy object be accomplished.
But II no legislation can be
passed; II We Americans who are s,'
proud OF our advancement and our
superiority to other nations. have
not yet reached that stage OF prog
ress (which many European nations
have reached). where We remember
the same being who created us Great
ed all dumb animals and that they
deserve some consideration at our
hands, then l can only appeal TO the
men and women here and there who
are not Indifferent TO the sufferings
OF animals. In a few months these
fine new streets will be one endless
stretch OF slippery surfaces on which
no unshod horse can keep his foot
ing; nevertheless they will be abused
by brutal drivers. All over the city
there are horses in the hands OF In
human drivers. There Is not one OF
us who have not seen them cruelty
abused more than once.
Don't stop and wait for someone
else to protest. Do Il yourself.
Drivers who are brutes are towards,
too. Doubtless they will swear at
you. but there is not one OF them
who is not afraid OF a threat of ar
rest. and though the Humane So
eicty is handicapped by lack Of
funds their name is potentemagic %
stop the brutal and inhuman abuse
OF animals. II your remonstrance
does no good. get the name OF num-
ber ON the wagon and report Il "a
the Humane Society or to the COM
pany by whom the driver Is EN-
ployed. The Humane Society viii
attend 10 any case reported and
have received more than one letter
from managers OF firms thanking me
for reporting cases of cruelty by
their drivers
Probably there are few OF us busy
little human beings who are not kept
pretty steadily employed by our own
affairs, but II We stop To think for a
moment ef horse. plodding from
till night year in and year
out, from the time he is big enough
20 work until he is worn out in the
harness, and not for any reward or
satisfaction TO itself. but only TO en-
rich It's owner. surely we must feel
that II deserves at least the kindest
fsatment possible at the hands Of
man.
Dumb. helpless patient. long-suf-