The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-24
A Private Zoo
BY FREDERIC J. HASkIN

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Sept. "a
Unique among geological collections is
that known as Longfellow gardens,
near Minnehaha Falls, just outside of
Minneapolis.
Most geological gardens in all parts
of the world are government institu-
tons, provided ostensibly for the edu-
cation of the populace, and kept by
persons who hold their places by po-
litical preferment This zoo is the
work of a private individual, who has
collected wild animals from all parts
of the world because he loves ami
mails, starting with little capital. What
is more, he seems to have made some
of the animals realize and even re-
turn his love. Creatures as diverse
as seals and pelicans, tigers and bears.
respond to the sound of his voice and
show pleasure at the touch of his
hand
/ Zoos in general are places where
/ animals look supremely unhappy and
often unhealthy to boot. There is q
considerable tendency of late to make
| fun of them and criticize them as sur
vivals of a more barbarous age. The
custom of keeping wild animals in
captivity certainly goes back to bar
| barous times. 1t was the successful
warrior and monarch of the more
primitive nations who first caused
lions, tigers, elephants and all sorts OF
4 strange and ferocious beasts to be
! brought together for his amusement
In these days, of course, the animals
! were made to fight with each Other
and with men.
| Nnwa1aVc the z0n < Cannra1lV 9hOnt
what it was then, but it's ostensible
purpose has been changed to suit the
times. 1t is now justified as an ed
ucational undertaking for the benefits
of the children. This educational pur
pose has been a good deal Laughter at
One satirist asks what education there
is for the average child in watching
the amours of a hippotamus, or II
) observing the technique employed b.
a chimpanzee to rid itself of fieas. Thu
habits of animals are the things bes
worth studying, and their habits air
hopelessly cramped and distorted il
, cages.
A modern anthropologist contend
: that, in spite of the educational pre-
: tense the motive back of the zot
today is the same one that impellej
the barbaric conqueror to caus
strange creatures to be brought from
all parts of the world-the desire Il
assert power over creatures of low
: er order. 1t flatters the vanity of tn
, average citizen TO look through tn
bars at some fierce creature from ia
. away Africa and reflect that he is
! part of the government which is pow
; erful enough to catch and confine thi
' animal for his pleasure. CondescenC
; ingy, he offers a peanut.
If there is any justification for cor
. filming wild animals, it is genuln
! interest in them and affection 70
them, and the best proof of such a
lection is the health and happiness c
, the animal Both the justificatio
: and the proof are found in Mr.. Jones
little zoo. He has. for example. eigl
! lions, and they are the latest, slickes
: looking lions in the world. At least.
!, is hard to imagine any fatter Q
3 slicker. Two of these lions were bre
. and raised by Mr.. Jones and hav
= never known any world except thei
- cage.
= Mr.. Jones employs a professions
: trainer to put them through the
tricks. but upon special occasions
= himself enters the cage with then
. Unlike any other trained animal ma