The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-07
M EN, W o FEN
 A ND T HIN G s

| than is his fight against the yagrant dog for the benefit of the citizens
 Little as you think, and it's always a case for joking, when we mention the temerity which it requires for any or- flee holder to advocate dog tax, see to it that they muzzled or killed when impounded, it takes courage to brave public opinion the matter.
 l It took years of propaganda before the taxing of dogs in the state was in the raLge of practical politics. For years it meant the political death of any member of the legislature who voted for it. But at last it became state law and some os the cities took hand in adding an additional tax.
 I have heard some of the defenders Of the constitution on the street cars, in hotel Hobbies and other public places get red in the face, and with explosive voice argue that it was unconstitutional to pay both state and city licenses on canines as it was pure and simple double taxa ton; but until some outraged dog owner
 
 courts I'll not get excited, but withhold my opinion in deference to the supreme court.
 ! am sorry for the man who does not like dogs. All my life I have loved spe- cially those of the hunting species, while having liking for many of the other breeds. Not all of us can be bird hunt CTS, for some like to chase foxes run rabbits, or tree possums and squirrels Each fellow to his own particular sport 1 but as for me l would like to own bird dog, and a combination hound pup This admission shows where l was born and reared, for every southern boy has gotten his chieftest joy out of the two kinds mentioned.
 But there are others who do not care for hunting, vet have fondness for different type of dog from those used for birds, ducks and turkeys and for the chase I have a friend who thinks a bulldog is the best specimen of the canine race. He is simply crank about fighting dogs, and maintains with per- fectly straight face that bulldog likes to fight and gets pleasure out of 1t just the same as a hound does in running his tongue out to catch a fox. The strange thing to me, knowing the man as I do, is that with all of his tender-hearted- ness he gets joy out of what to me is brutal exhibition.
 But &sxhaven't time to take Up all of l1nh of any more than I have time or the disposition to enumerate the various pet dogs of women. All that I wish to em- phasize here is the fact that it seems almost inborn in the average man or woman to care for some breed of dogs. I'll not go so far as to accept the die tum that "a person Is known by the dog kept"
 I daresay that there is hardly home in the state which at one time another has not had in it a dog which was loved almost like member of the family and whose death was mourned with real tears by old as well as young. I found this out a year or two ago when I sat down and wrote the story of the tragic death of ''Wolley," which put my whole house. hold into crepe. People would stop me on the street to tell me about dog they had loved and lost. and I got letters of sympathy from all over Alabama.
 As much as I love dogs q use the word love advisedly instead of the lesser one of '1ike), yet I think the crusade being xrre oad p;rr,n a n, for the r,rotectjop of the public against the ravages of hy- drophobia is one which ought to have the conimendaton of all who are ac- quainted with the situation. I am not going here to open the question of hy- drophobia. I'll just state that ever since saw the opening of the Pasteur insti- tute, during my student days in Paris, 1 have never doubted the horrors of it, ai- though even at that time there were those in the medical faculty saying there was mo sich things
 l have been believer in it's terribfeness in their uncomfortable fury. They may |, have named the attack from rabies with wrong word; but if the nomenclature may be at fault in describing the disease, it nevertheless incarnates to me one of the most horrible forms of death, and so far as I am concerned I freely admit that since my days abroad.~ when l saw dogs in every state of madness and people from nearly every, land and cline being treated for hydrophibia. I have always been willing to give even the tiniest poodle the sidewalk or road if he made . bold to claim it. It isn't the size Of the dog which gets my nerve. but the mere fact that he is a dog starts my im- agination to working.
 No one takes any pleasure in shooting the stray dogs in Birmingham. The squads sent out to do the work would rather leave the job to others, yet in the line of duty they must be obedient to their superior officer. I heard a big hearted officer say: T just don't see how I could shoot boys dog. for l have one at home which me and the old woman loves, and every night when ' get off duty and swing in the gate . ne is always there with welcome for me-"
 Nobody loves fat man." is favorits s vaudeville joke, but I'll undertake to find ' score of people who love a fat man to one who loves a "dog-catcher." So true :, is thic that whenever any one wishes to 7 show in what contempt they hold cam didats for office, the worst opprobium thev can give expression to is the saying: