Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-08-01
Editors Letter Box
Dogs and Poultry.

Editor of Kennebec Journal:
AS / have seen no words Of ap-
probation of your recent editorial In
favor of that most abused (by city
editors in generaD animal. mans truest
friend among domestic animals-the
dog-I want to thank you for 1t and
for your steadfast courage in uphold
ing the unpopular side whenever you
believe it to be the right. 1t has be-
come so much the fashion to cry out
against the dog. that many writer's who
perhaps get their entire knowledge of
farms. and farmers, and their needs,
from books and papers. that some of
us are almost afraid to say word in
behalf of what they condemn as utter
~ useless. True, there are some neg
lected, half starved dogs that would
be better off if mercifully laid away.
but we do not deprive the whole human
race of life or liberty. because few
commit crimes, and the same rule
ought to apply to other living crea-
lures. If, in this age of greed and
hurry. we can stop to admire an ex-
ample of the dogs fidelity to his mas
ter, read in your Waterville CORES
pondent's column of Monday his ac-
count of Mr.. Kings old dog following
his masters body to the church and
after the service there. close behind
the hearse to the grave, which he left
only after repeated urgings by a neigh
tor of Mr.. Kings. We have read In
poetry and history of similar in
stances, but I think we sometimes for
get that affection between dog and
master may be just as real now as
ever.
Leaving out the sentiment, who Is
the farmers policeman? Who warns
him when the tramp is coming? Who
arouses him when his buildings are
burning? Who give the alarm when
either four footed or two footed thief
is in his hen-house? In certain locali-
ties of Kennebec county about three
years ago, nearly every place was in
vaded by some of the latter. They
came once, twice and even three times
in some cases, until the last chicken
was taken. But these owners had lis
tened to the voice of the adviser who
said "The dog is a curse to the farm
and had disposed of theirs much to
their own sorrow and to the detriment
OF their hen-roosts. The light fingered
gentry who make living stealing
poultry avoid the farms where they see
or hear a dog.
And now we come to the second
part of our subject. What is to be-
come Of one of the country's greatest
assets-the poultry business-if some
thing is not done and done at once to
| lower the price Of grain for hen feed
l haven't the figures at hand, but Mr..
Editor can probably give the value of
poultry products for year, and how
they compare with other staple pro-
nearly every other. but with corn at
j $3.50 per bag, no one can long afford to
keep his hens and chickens, and they
VIII be nearly eXterminated within a
few weeks unless some authority steps
in and does something at once. Every
one who buys corn believes there is no
valid reason for its advancing soc a
rag every week or two. To DESTROY
the poultry business would be greater
injury to our country, would cause by
far greater loss to our food supply.
than 1t would If every farmer and
Would-be farmer had refused to in
crease his usual average, or If every
housewife would refuse to listen to the
cry for conservation" Whether
stored in the elevators. tied up in the
breweries, give us Mr.. Wilson, not
three grains of corn, but corn suf-
ficient for our chickens at a living
price and give it to us NOW.
JUSTICE.
Waterville, Me.