Nebraska's Cowboy Race.
Turning from its position of antagonism to
the cowboy race from Chadron, Neb., to Chicago,
the Humane society has allowed two of
its representatives to become judges of the
long contest, and the riders are already a day's
journey and more on their way to this city.
According to arrangement, representatives
of the Humane society will inspect the horses
at each of the twelve registering stations between
Chadron and Chicago. If anything approaching
cruelty is manifested the animals
will bear the mark of it at these stations and
the society is to interfere. Otherwise the
agents of the national organization will prevent
the interference of any petty officers of
local societies.
This arrangement seems well enough in its
way, but it is not easy to see wherein it is to be
8 race at all unless the vitality of horses and
riders is to be taxed. If each rider urges his
horse only to the reasonable limit of the animal's
strength, a good judge of horses might
have decided the race before it was started.
If the rider mounted on the poorest horse
urges his animal to compete with the best animal
of the lot, there will be the elements of a
race-and also the elements of cruelty. Where
is the line to be drawn?
Probably the best end attained by this novel
is the sympathy which has everywhere
been awakened ed with the Humane society's
mission. Every state traversed by the course
has been prompt to urge vigilance on the part
of the state officers to prevent cruelty, and in
Illinois a proclamation has been issued by the
governor calling upon officers and all good
citizens to see that the laws of the state are not
violated.
All of this goes to show that the mission of
Henry Bergh years ago in the city of New
York has not been in vain and that the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
is one of the cherished organizations of this
Christian land. It is hoped that it may acquit
itself creditable in the supervision of the cowboy
race.
