Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-11-05
(By a sympathelle woman. }

10y oyHpdlbetlf WOman.J
No doubt the ambitions and pros
porous citizens OF Portland gaze up
on our blocks of smooth, new asphal
streets with a feeling of uplifting
pride and JOY. How well they look
What an air of prosperity an'
progress they lend to our rapid.
growing city. We may stand at tn
beginning OF a street and gaze al
far as the eye can see over smootl
and spreading expanse OF clean. gra,
asphalt (or we may skip lightly ant
rapidly over that same smooth and
spreading expanse TO avoid beins
washed away in the flood of the new
street-cleaning swell with boundles'
pride as we realize that we are join
ing the ranks Of the improved ad-
vanced cities Of America.
And yet, alas, it is mans nature
60 be ever upsatisfled. and. impossi-
BILE as II may seem. there are those
who look, not only with disapproval,
but with sorrowful regret. upon this
glory OF progress. Do you ever,
sleek and prosperous citizen. stop to
think what these smooth asphalted
streets mean for the horses? A few
months from now all that far-reach-
ing network of asphalted street will
be a glistening, slippery sheet of ice.
Did you ever, progressive citizen,
walk for blocks over a smooth, hard.
icy street. curslng at every step and
shuddering inwardly for fear your
feet would fly heayenward and some
part of your frail anatomy be brok-
en-? Would you like to try walking
over such streets. uphill and down.
with a heavy load behind you who
would beat ard mistreat you every
time You slipped or feil' Weuld you
like II, prosperous citizen
Yet that Is the fate OF which you
have doomed the hundreds OF help
less horses in this city. And will
you do anything. win anyone do any
thing, TO make II easier for them,
when the time comes? Perhaps you
are one of those people who say
horse Is only an animal. and natur-
ally has no feelings. or II he has they
are not worth considering. since no
Is helpless--a slave to superior man.
In that case you VIII not trouble
yourself. or perhaps you are one Of
those who cast your eyes 20 heaven
and say ut Is Gods wilt strange
God). Neither will you trouble
yourself in that event. Or perhaps
Il is too much trouble; you are too
busy with your own affairs: II is no.
worth while; you have no authority
10 Interfere; or a thousand other
reasons. or you may be one OF those
who sigh with profound regret and
vIrtuousiy wonder what the Humane
Society Is doing.
Did YOU ever stop TO think, self
righteous mortal, that II requires
money to conduct a Humane So
.cietyg DO you know that our last
honorable Legislature. which appro-
prIated heavens knows what amounts
OF money and time on legislation for
the welfare OF humanity--the short.
euing OF hatpins. the lengthening Of
sheets. stc.--refused $4,000 10 the
Humane Society OF Portlandg II l.
well 10 speak OF the Humane Society
but how are officers 10 be kept on
the watch for cruelty to animals In
city the size of Portland. without
any funds 10 pay for offieers9 In
California every private citizen lntor-
ested In abolishing cruelty 10 ami
mails has authority 10 arrest anyone
practleing such cruelty Those in
power refused to pass such law
here.
have spoken only of the suffer
ings which horses endure on account
OF slippery streets, and which alone
should be snffleient to arouse people
Of any feeling to discover some
10 prevent this horrible suf-
lering. In Germany where the
streets in an the larger cities are as
as here. they have strict laws
every horse 20 be rough
'hod. and cruelty TO animals is pun
Portland Is growing; Il is adyane'
ng and improving fittlng itself -
DIN The ranks OF the great cities Of
he United States. Isn't II time we
,habIe IN manner fitting the crime.