Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-02

out saying, that while the horse Is the
most used. he is also the most abused
Of our domestic animals.
Although productive, and innocent Of
crime, gentle and obedient, he is, new
ertheless, often condemned to the
chain-ganx and compelled to work
without limit Of hours and without
proper food or shelter.
Although willing and pleasing, he Is.
nevertheless. often overloaded, over
worked and overdriven- He Ii relesat-
ed to the careiessness Of the most care
less and thriftless people OF the COM
munity-to mere children. sometimes,
and to those who have neither the en-
ergy nor the intelligence to take care
of themselves
He 10 harnessed By day, battered BY
night, and has no means OF telling his
wants and sufferings. He never strikes
for more or better food. for shorter
horA lighter loads, or softer or drier
dependent these wageIess slaves ara.
how painful. helpless and pathetic their
sufferings, how heavy their burden and
endless their task, one can not help
asking why they are 10 tnhumaneIy
treated. Why are they 80 inhumanely
abused? To use the phrase Of the
president quoted above. 1t is, ''to q re-
Elective mind" repugnant, disgusting
and discouragfng to think chow many
drivers do think?) that an animal who
brings the physician to your door at
midnight, perhaps to save the live OF
some dear one within, an animal that
brings the milk to your door for your
little ones every morning, an animal
that brings your meat and groceries
to your home, summer and winter;
hauls your coal and wood to keep you
warm in the winter; your ice to keep
you cool IN the summer; your building
material for your house; in Joy or sor-
row, by day or night, in heat or in
cold, sunshine or rain; the same un-
complaining, true and faithful horse
shall, in rs cases out of every 100, be
intrusted to a reckless, shiftless. I'M
thinking and unfeeling man or boy, to
be misused and abused daily and hour
ly. ITO a reflective mind land how
many drivers do ref1ect?) 1t is repug-
nant, disgusting and discouraging to
see how the teamster or the boy driver
handles his horse, like an ak or
shovel, thinking very little, or not a
all, about the animate being in h.
charge, about his feelings, his wants
and his due.
Thousand Different Abuses.
He, the driver, abuses him in
thousand different ways. He over
loads him and over-drives him; whips
him and kicks him; allows him to suf-
fer from heat and from cold And
why? Simply because he knows no
better. Simply because he is ignor-
ant and knows not the nature of the
animal in his charge. For, let us soc,
what qualifications are required Of the
man or boy when applying for a job as
driver or delivery boy. 1t Is not how
much he understands about the horse,
or how he is going to treat the horse,
that the employer concerns himself
most, It is rather how quick he can
make the delivery and how little he is
going to do 1T for; and the man or the
boy who is willing to drive faster and
get less than the other man or boy gets
the job, and between the employer and
employe the horse is doomed.
It has been the privilege of the
writer of these lines, on several foE-
mer occasions, to appeal to the sympae
thetic nature Of his readers in behalf
Of our dumb animals, believing by SO
doing he may prevent wrong. and
On this occasion, too, he believes that
the remedy will be in the appeal rather
than the prosecution. THE underlying
principles of the anti-cruelty cause"
says DIR. w. o. Stillman, president of
the American Humane association,
are Justice for the helpless, succor for
the suffering, consideration for the
weak, compassion for the unfortunate,
and kindness as the corner stone of
The policy OF the Rock leland Coun-
ty Humane society is well known to
The readers of this paper. It Is through
humane education, as defined by the
same authority, Dr. Stillman by hui
name education" says the doctor, I'VE
seek to make heart culture coordinate
with brain culture. believing it to be
equally. IL not more, essential for the
of the best national char |
acter. Education of the heart is nec-
sssary for personal rishteonsuass, and