Pueblo chieftain., 1921-09-24
By FREDERIC ]. Ha.kin

Minnca polls. MINI. sept. II. -
Unique among geological lection. Is
near Minnchahs Falls. just outside Of
Minneapolis.
Most geological gardens in all parts
Of the world arc Government institu
tion-. provided o.tensibly for tho s-iu-
cation OF the populacc. and kept by
PERSONS who hold their places by pol
itical prcfcrmcnt. This ZOO Is the
work Of a private individual who has
collected wild animals from All parts
Of the world because he owes animals,
starting with little capital. What IL
more. he seems to have mad some OF
the animals realize and even return
this love. Creatures as diverse a.
seals and psiicsns. tigers ard bears.
respond to the sound OF his voice and
show pleasure in tho touch OF his
hand.
Zoos In general are places where
animals look suprcmcly happy and
often unhealthy to boot There I. a
considerable tendency OF late to make
fun Of ths--n and criticize them a. sur-
vivals OF n mon, harbsrous age. Tho
custom OF keeping Wild animals In
captivity certainly Eoes back TO hs--
harou, times II was tho succc~srul
warrior and monarch OF tn. more
primitive nations who r-st caused
lions. tigers. elephants and all SORTS
OF other strange and frrocious b asf-
TO b brought together for his smus~-
rnent. In those DAYS. Of course. tho
animal, were made TO irht with each
other and with men.
THE MODERN ZOO
Nowadays the ZOO &. generally about
what IL was then. but it, ostenSihis
purpo-~ has been changed to ruit tho
times II H. now justified as an cdu-
cstionai undertaking for tho bcurnt
OF the children. This -iucationai pur-
rr~c has boon a good deal laughed al.
one -atirist asks What education there
IL for tho average child In watching
tho amour. OF hippopotamus or IN
observing the technique employed by
a chimnsnz.. 70 rid himself OF rsas.
Ths habits OF animals arc the things
hos; worth studying. sad their habits
arc hopel.-sly cramp.d and distorted
In cages.
4 modern srthropolori- contends
that, in spite Of the educational pre-
t~n.e. tho motive hack OF tho ZOO
today Is tho suue on, that impcilcd
the barbarir conqueror to cause
stranE- creatures to h. brought from
all parts OF tho world-,he desire TO
assert power over creatures Of a lower
order. II nnttsrs the vanity OF the
average citizen TO look thru the barr
at some fierce creature from far-away
Africa and reflect tnat ne is part
of government which 4, powerful
enough TO catch and conhne this ami
NAL for his pleasure Condcsccnding-
Is. he offers It peanut.
II there In any Justification for con-
nning wild animals. IL is genuine
interest In them and affection for
them. and tho b~s proof OF such If
/ fociicn is tho health and happiness
or the animal. Roth tho Justification
/ and tho proof arc found in Nj Joncs'-
| little 700. IIc has. for example eight
/ lions. and they arr tho fattrrt. slick
/ ost1'oosing lions TN the world At
| least. u l- hard to Imagine any rattcr
or siickcr. Two OF the~. lions were
/ hrcd and raised by Mr. Jones and
have never known any world except
4 thcir csEe. Mr.. Jones employs n pro-
fessional trainer to put the lions thru
their tricks. but upon special occa-
sions he himself enters the cage with
them. Unlike any other trained amt
| mai master. you can sec he carries no
weapons, not even whip, and yet h>s
lions go thru their PAGES with perfect
| docility.
on ono occasion ono Of the lion, at
tered fcw snsrls. but Mr.. Jor : e,-
| plained that he had recently been de-
privei Of his mate for y titna and was
| therefore in a bad humor. One Of the
tricks performed consisted in making
| all Of tho lions stand on row Of high
stools. each ono a little higher than
tho ono trhird it, Mr.. Jones climbed
10 tho highest stool and sat down cr
tho lions back.
CAN 4 LION BE ThMEpr
| Animal trainers will tell YOU tina,
a lion In never really tanned. that
nothing but fear keeps him In sub
| lection. and that sooner or later every
| lion rebels against his trainer and is
| kept in control only hy physical vio-
| lence. MIR. Jones. who has been going
! into tho Hons den as unarmed was
| Daniel, for 20 years, seems tn he n
| living demonstration that some lions
| are really tame.
In his work about the 700 MIR. Jones
| wears a swallow tail coat and high
/ rilk hat n has been suggested by
some that tho lions arc completely
av-rsH al nv his dignity.