Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-04


that was q reason why we should
still be protected. Tho committee
put in the clause that anyone finding
a dog killing sheep may kill the dog.
They did not go far enough and say
that we could catch the dog that
was worrying calves and poultry. and
in my section there are many dollars
worth Of poultry killed annually for
which the State pays nothing: the
farmer loses 1t. / offered an amend
ment to take care OF poultry and
young stock. and was asked to leave
that on the table and did 80, being
told at the time that they thought
that 1t would be all satisfactorily ar
ranged. But they would not accept
the amendment. and turned 1t down:
and what did they say? They said
this. that they thought that II that
amendment was adopted 1t would kill
the purpose for which this bill was
drawn. Now what did they mean by
that: That amendment did not say
anything about dogs chasing deer
and which they claimed the dogs
were shot out Of spite while chasing
deer. Now it was intended to give
us a chance to protect our property.
and If that amendment killed the
purpose for which that bill was put
through. what could the bill have
been meant for? Now I contend
that the farmer today has about all
the encouragement that he needs.
and if we are going to pass anything.
it should be something to give him
encouragement. Therefore. hope
that the bill will be indefinitely
postponed.
Mr.. GREENLEAF Of Auburn: Mr..
Speaker and members: We plowed
this ground all over in the Legisla-
ture once before and this amendment
was defeated. Now this matter or
killing chickens and calves and other
domestic animals. aside from sheep,
means but very little IL mans dog
is shot. AS I said before. he cannot
get back his dog. Hardly a weex
has gone by this winter when we
have not read in the papers some-
thing about the heroism of the dog.
Only last week there was a fire in a
house. and the dog had been taught
to look after the baby. Every time
they asked him Where is the baby?''
he went to hunt for the baby. This
building was ablaze with fire and
somebody unwitting!y said Where
is the baby?" Now the dog did no,
run around behind the barn. but he
went to the point of danger. went
into the burning building and that
was the last seen of the dog. / be-
lieve that the dog was not chicken
hearted anyway. Another case is
where a little boy was playing on the
ice with a dog and broke through.
The dog grabbed the child by the COL
lar and kept dragging him out on the
edge of the ice. the ice constantly
breaking through until he finally
went in himself: but even then he
kept the child from drowning untA.
some people came from the shore and
rescued the child. Another instance
that 1 remember was where little
child had gone out with the dog ana
failed to come home. The dog Kept
trying to get people to go with him.
until finally. feeling that something
was amss. they did go with the dog
and found the place where the child
had fallen through the ice and dis
appeared. and they finally discovered
the body of the child. Now we do not
know what the dog did, or whether
he tried to rescue his playmate, but
the chances are that he did. l hope
the motion to indefinitely postpone
will not prevail.
Mr.. WYNN of Lisbon: Mr.. Speaker,
referring to the dog. 1 saw an ac-
count in the paper last week where
little boy jumped overheard and
rescued a dog. There is a difference
between a good dog and a bad dog.
No doubt there are lots Of dogs that
are all right. we have great regard
for those. On the other hand, there
are dogs that are disastrous to tho
farmer. and l believe the farmer
should be considered. Some years
ago I was on a farm myself. and \
know that these small dogs are dis
astrous in the sheep pasture. Take 1t
in the village. l know Of a part:cu-
lar friend of mine who a few years
ago owned q bulldog that he thought
a great deal Of. Every night whent
he went home some of the neighbors
would come to the house with a bill
for him to pay for the destruction Of
hens. He finally got sick OF that
himself. and in the heat Of passion he
threw the dog overheard over the
dam. AS have said. we have had a
law for several years to protect
sheep and hens destroyed by unruly
dogs. and l believe that the good uog
at the present time is not unjustly
punished. l hope that the motion OF
the gentleman from Chelsea (Mr
Hayes) will prevail.
Mr.. GREENLEAF: Mr.. Speaker
as the bill reads now. if dog is a
confirmed chicken killer. Of course
they can set the right to kill such
a dog.
The SPEAKER: The question is
Mr.. CUMMINGS OF Portland:' Mr.
Speaker. l did not care to take up
the time Of the House on this mat
ter. l am little in doubt about the
particular merits of this bill. and
have not in mind az this momen,
clearly the facts in reference to It;
but l do feel like entering a protest
against an attempt to influence the
vote on this bill by. recounting the
virtues Of good dog. We under
stand perfectly well that there are
good dogs. but this bill does not ap-
ply to them. There are men who are
dishonest and steal. We have laws
against them and we punish the man
who steals. There are plenty of men
who are kindhearted, and yet we
have laws to punish murder. feel
like entering my protest against this
talk about dogs saving life with a
view of influencing this vote. 1t
seems to me entirely out of place
here.
Mr.. LORD of South Portland: Mr..
Speaker, it is unfortunate that this
bill has come back into the House.
AS you all know. we enacted THIS
measure last week. 1t was engross-
ed and enacted in the House and en-
crossed and enacted in the Senate.
and should be law at the present
time. but an error by the engrossing
clerk mixed things up so that this
whole thing had to be reconsidereo.
and that is the reason it is here now.
We have already voted to engross
and enact this very same bill. An
amendment was offered in the Sem
ate taking care of the clerical error
in engrossing, which brings 1t back