FIRST LAW FOR ANIMALS

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 21, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 21.

FIRST LAW FOR ANIMALS.

That is, first Human Law.

THE first movement ever made in the British Parliament to obtain some law for the protection of animals from cruelty was by a distinguished English statesman, who was met by such a storm of ridicule that he abandoned the attempt. Some time later there came into the House of Commons, from Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, Dick Martin, who was noted widely for two things: (1) that he was very fond of animals, and (2) that he was equally fond of fighting everybody who he thought insulted him. He had an established reputation as a fighting man. One day he brought into the House of Commons a bill for the protection of animals from cruelty. Some one immediately gave a cock crow. Martin at once stepped out on to the floor of the House of Commons, and said he would be very much obliged for the name of the gentleman who had seen fit to insult him. He waited, but the gentleman did not give his name, and then went back to his seat amid the cheers of the House of Commons, and his bill became a law of Great Britain and the first law in the world for the prevention of cruelty to animals.—Our Dumb Animals.