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Vol. 45 Boston, June, 1912 No. 1
The Humane Movement
By JEFFERSON BUTLER
HERE is evidence to show that in
prehistoric times there was no
conception of crime or morality
I T ] and consequently though men
slaughtered their fellows and ate
their victims, cruelty was not ex-
istent in the sense it is in a civi-
lized community. When we try
to think of all that happened in
moral and humane development
from that early time to the day
of George T. Angell we are con-
strained to be hopeful of the future, appalling
as are many of the cruelties of our day.
Aristotle, considered by many as the greatest
of Greek philosophers, doubted the propriety of
considering a slave as a man. When we read
that according to the Roman Law under the
Republic, a father might kill his child, because
the child was said to be his property, and the
state made no remonstrance because under the
law it was none of the state's affair, and con-
trast that with the treatment children are
receiving today, we are likely to be satisfied
with our progress. Yet there is much needless
suffering today among children whose sur-
roundings are such as to dwarf their mental
and physical natures and to lead them into
crime, and indifference to the best things of life.
When we read in the statistics that there are
millions of children in our land suffering from
disease due to lack of sufficient food, then we
realize there is much to be done to give those
children a fair chance in life and to prepare the
coming generation for a better citizenship.
During the middle ages children had no
rights and animals were shamefully abused. In
fact down through the Puritan and Revolution-
ary times and well into the nineteenth century,
childhood was a time of sorrow. In the course
of time it dawned on the mind of the adult that
children had rights that should be respected,
though there are those in our day who deny
this. They claim that the child is subject
absolutely to the will of the parents. In regard
to animals, Descartes taught that they were
not conscious of pain. Voltaire ridiculed this
theory, by saying that animals were given the
Jefferson Butler, who tesides in Detroit, is president of
the Michigan Audulbon Society and secretary of the Michi-
gan State Humane Association.
organs of feeling in order that they might not
feel. Rousseau and Voltaire both championed
animal as well as human rights.
H. S. Salt, an Englishman, some few years
ago wrote a book entitled, Animals' Rights,
in which he forcibly presents the side of the dumb
creatures, claiming that they are not merely
property but have rights that should be recog-
nized by the law. There are those who, not
admitting this, are, nevertheless, workers in
the humane cause because they are aware that
kindness to animals cultivates a refinement
in human beings.
Great scientists as well as lovers of justice
have supported the rights of the dumb. Dar-
win says that the senses, intuitions, emotions
and faculties, such as love, memory, attention,
curiosity, initiation and reason are sometimes
found in a well-developed condition in the
lower animals.
The first legislation in favor of animals passed
the British Parliament in 1822. When the
measure was being debated it was considered
in the nature of a joke to offer protection to
animals. Under that act no punishment could
be inflicted for cruelty to animals unless the
creature was owned by some person, therefore a
homeless dog or cat, or any wild animal might
be tortured at pleasure. There are many today
who think they have absolute right to beat and
kill their horses or other animals, and that it
is no person's concern but his own and who con-
sider interfering humane agents as meddlesome.
Teachers and Scholars Are Interested
In spite of the religions of the ages the humane
element has made exceedingly slow progress,
and not tintil education became popular and the
intelligence of men began to expand, did the
humane feeling become universal. It must be
admitted, however, that education does not
of itself develop the humane mind; it simply
prepares it to understand and appreciate
humane efforts and teachings. This is why it is
necessary for humane societies to bring the
attention of teachers and scholars to this work.
The influence of humane. education in the
schools is wonderful in its effects, as may be
seen by the following: George T. Angell went to
Chicago and attempted to do something to
mitigate the sufferings of the cv ttle in the stock-
yards, and was giving up the matter as hopeless
because he found himself unable to stop the
prodding of cattle with spikes stuck in poles
then used. He published the fact in Chicago
papers that he was leaving town because he
had been unable to accomplish any reforms.
The president of the Board of Trade read the
notice and sent for Mr. Angell, and said that
when a boy he had a teacher who had him read a
poem on kindness to animals which greatly im-
pressed him. He said the time had come for
him to help, and he raised several thousand
dollars, with the result that a transformation
took place in the stock-yards that affected the
whole nation.
Humane Study Decreases Crime
Teachers frequently say they are over-
crowded and cannot take up humane work.
They do not realize that the neglect of this work
means that much of the other efforts in study
may be to a large extent wasted. Fifteen
states have realized this and have laws compel-
ling teachers to give some time each week to
humane study. As the result of these teach-
ings, the public officials claim that crimes among
children have decreased in these states, that
better discipline is maintained in the schools,
and that the children are kinder to each other.
Why cannot all the states have such a law? It
has been offered in several legislatures and defeated.
When asked by critics why animal protectors
do not give their attention to children they
reply that by teaching humaneness to animals we
are getting down to fundamentals. It goes
without saying that those who are kind to animals
will be interested in children.
If humane subjects were taught in our schools
war would cease in a generation.
Teaching that Patriotism consists in carry-
ing a gun is pernicious. To realize our relation-
ship to humanity means infinitely more than
hurrahing for a nation. A child has a keen
sense of justice. Said one school-boy: I know
why the teacher don't want us to rob birds'
nests. She wants them to grow up so she can
wear them on her bonnet. Teaching by ex-
ample is the most potent. Children are in sym-
pathy with animals and come closer to them
than adults. They should be taught that each
animal has a personality of its own.
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