The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-03-28

been asked to take part in a great ma
tlonal movement to secure more hui
name treatment of horses used by mai
carriers. The fight is being mad,
against the government policies. The
local agent has just received the fol
lowing letter:
To Officers of Societies for the Proven
tion of Cruelty to Animals in the
| United States;
Dear Friends
For several years, this association
has received more or less complaint
from many parts of the United States
that horses employed in the mail serv-
ice were in Unfit or unsound condition
for use.
The trouble seems to be that the
federal government allows fixed sum
as understand it, to mail carriers fol-
horse service, both in rural free de
livery and in the collection of mails in
cities. This allowance is, possibly, in
adequate to get good sound horses, in
the present inflated condition of prices
for the same. Some mail carriers Get
good horses in spite of this. l have
seen horses employed collecting the
mails in a city that were obliged to
cover a great many miles in a compare
lively short time, hobbling along with
diseased feet and unsound legs, in an
entirely unfit condition. frequently,
the horses are old and skinny, and
plainly show their poor state for
service.
This is a disgrace to our national
government and certainly should be re-
formed by some plan to be devised,
either by the postofice department or
congress. In the "New York World
of February 4, 1912, / find a statement
that the superintendent of the Amer
can s. P. G. A., the day before had
examined in New York City seventeen
| Of the horses employed by the New
York Mail Company, which has con-
tracts for carrying the United States
mail in that city The horses were ex-
| amined while in actual service by the
| superintendent and two expert vet
erinarians Not one of the seventeen
animals was in a sound condition.
| They were emaciated and suffering ;
some were foundered; others had
strained and swollen tendons; or had
sprung knees and were otherwise unfit.
| They were also mismated, large and
small horses being matched in teams,
with the result of throwing the burden
largely on one horse.
This condition of affairs is certain
lily very discreditable to the present
government system of managing this
work. In order to ascertain concern
| ing mail carriers horses throughout
the United States, this circular letter
will be sent to 423 active S. p. G. A..
May we not count upon the co-opera-
ton of your society to report prompt
| ly on the condition of such horses, in
your locality, whether used for rural
free delivery, or in any department Of
the postofice service in larger towns?
If necessary, please make a special and
prompt investigation, and specify CON
ditions in detail exactly as found, es-
pecially if abuses exist.
It is nay purpose to tabulate these
reports and present the same to the
postmaster general of the United
States, II we cannot get satisfactory
regulation of these abuses from the
postofice department., propose to pre-
sent the subject in detail, with abuses
found, to President Taft and to every
member Of congress and ask for CON
gressional action. May we not have
your co-operation9
Earnestly urging you to take action
in this matter, as the best work can
be done by collective effort, and hap
| ing that you will write me promptly, in
any event, 1 am, with thanks.
Faithfully yours,