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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1906)
ZEBROIDS LIKELY TO SUPPLANT iy WASHINGTON. March 11. (Sicrlnl JE Correspondence of The Sunday Or eponlan.) Now that the Bureau PJbmi Industry has commenced to meet avMi encouraging success in Inventing new jphuit species by hybridization, or eross- breeding. Its sister Bureau of Animal In- 1 Austry is about to undertake the inven- t tlon of new animal species by the same ( tntcrcettttg process. By crossing the ' utrlpei zobrn with tlie horse, and per- 1 Imftg with other draft animals, it hopes te create a hybrid which tvlli put .the Minmon mule to shame. The mule, as we know, is itself a hybrid of the jackass and the mare, while the "ninny" or "Jen- j net" is a similar offspring of the horse j as the male parent and the ass as the mother. Both of these hybrids have been esteemed In this country, especially since . ihe King of Spain presented to George Washington two Andaluslan jackasses . ami a iiiuny. ancestors of out) best mule '. stork oi today. It lssomcwhat of a coincidence that the animal sploctod to be one of the ancestors of the new hybrid breed which may now replace the mule Is also a royal gift. It is the valuable Grevy zebra "Dan." lately sent to President Roosevelt by Emperor Menellk. of Abyssinia. The Grevy zebra received Its name from the fact that Menelik fent one as a gift to President Grevy. of France, irt 1SS2. A second zebra of the same species to be used In the ex periment Is that which was a few months age presented to our Government by Ras Makonen. Menelik's nephew and prlncl al general the warrior, in fact, who walloped the Italians ten years or more ago. At the same time the Ras sent a sefera mnrc of the Grevy species, but shc Med before tho Abyssinlans got her to the Red Sea. To compensate for this loss the Ras threw in a Hon and several other beasts. The two zebras have been quar tered at the National Zoo since their re spective arrivals. "Dan" is five years old. measures 13 hands 2 inches and weighs 750 pounds, while the Ras colt is 3 yours old and weighs 600 pounds. Six ordinary good farm mares have been pur chased for the experiments, which will be conducted at the Burenu's experiment sta tion. College Park. Md. Kinp of Striped Hordes. Grevy zebras, so far as Is known to our authorities, have never been used to pro duct hybrids with the horse. These speci mens are the only zebras of that species ever brought to the "Western Continent. The Grevy zobra is the king of the entire striped horse family, and the most pow erful beast of Its kind It sometimes stands IS hands in height, but in form resembles the ass more than the horse. Its cars are particularly large and mobile, and. unlike some other zebras, it Is striped down to its hoofs. But the characteristics of marking which distinguish It from all other species are the narrowness and con trast of its stripes, the contrast increas ing with age. it Is much more powerful and active than the ordinary donkey. Its homo is among the plateaus of So- Recollections of Judge George H. Williams No. X.VI. Tho Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, Continued. WHEN Judge Curtis had concluded his address, the defense proceeded to put in it-s evidence. General lxrenzo Thomas was the first witness called, and his examination and cross examination occupied hearty two days. General Sherman was the next witness, and over a question as to ru interview be tween him and the President a long and heated discussion took place between counsel, after which the Senate, by a vote of 28 to 23 decided that the evidence was inadmissible. The whole purport of the testimony of General Sherman was to how conversations between hlm-and the (President about the object of tho Presi dent In the removal of Secretary Stanton, and the Senate ruled out a large part ot this proposed testimony. Secretary of the Navy Wells and Postmaster-General Ran dall were also examined, with several Other witnesses, and in addition to this the whole history of the Government as to removals and appointments to office was put in evidence, and this, with tho numerous questions raised and discussed occupied the time of the court from the ith to tho 20th of April. Gcrcnal Liogan's Peroration. Attorney-General Stansbury was taken sick early in the trial, and thereafter was unable to appear for the President until after the argument had commenced. When the cvidenco was closed, General Logan, by permission of the court, filed a long written argument, which he had evident ly prepared with great care and with i good deal of ability. -Among other things. .h said at the conclnsIen his address: OUR GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENTING IN CROSS 1, war maliland and Shoa. AVcstcrn Central Af- rlca, whore. csiccially In cortain seasons of the year, when It becomes ver Cat. its flesh le prized for food both by the native tribes and by Hons. Naturalists regard the Grevy spoclcs as the most primitive of nil zebras, and it Ls now belloved that tho striped horse exhibited In tho amphi theater of Rome, in the third century, A. D., was of this family and not a mountain zebra, as previously supposed. The mountain zobra, once common In South Africa and generally referred to in old works as the "common zebra," has legs barred to the hoofs and stripes sug gesting a gridiron on either side of the tall two characteristics of the Grevy. also. The mountain zebra, which stands at about 12 hands, was once very numer ous in the mountains of Cape Colony, but has now almost entirety disappeared from South Africa, although there is a variety left in Angola, Portuguese West Africa, A third species, named after its discov ererthe Burchell zebra, is found in South Africa, down as far as the Orange Hlx'cr and along the north and cast borders of the Transvaal. It Includes some of the striped horses now erroneously referred to as "quaggas." in spite of tho fact that the quagga Ls now lost.or entirely extinct. The Burchell zebra is characterized by its perfectly white legs and has scarcely a vestige of transverse stripes across either lis croup or its loins. When wild herds of Grevy and Burchell zebras have been seen grazing together the former have ap peared like horses among a flock of "Tho world in after times will read the hlstorj of the administration of Andrew Johnson as an illustration of the depth to which political and official perfidy can descend. Amid the unhealed ghastly scars of war. surrounded by the weeds of widowhood and cries of orphanage, asso ciated with and sustained by the soldiers of the Republic of whom at one time he claimed to be one, surrounded by men who had supported, aided and cheered Mr. Lincoln through the darkest hours and sorest trials of his sad yet Immortal ad ministration men whose lives had been dedicated to the cause of justice, law and universal liberty the men who had nominated and elected him to the second office in the Nation at a time when he scarcely dared visit his own home becauso of the traitorous instincts of his own people, yet as shown by hi? official acts, messages and speeches, conversations and associations almost from the time when the blood of Lincoln was warm on tho floor of Ford's theater, Andrew Johnson was contemplating treason to all the .fresh fruits of the overthrown and crushed re bellion, and an affiliation with arid a practical official and hearty sympathy for those who had cost hectacombs of slain citizens, billions of treasure and an al most ruined country. His great aim and purpose have been to subvert law. usurp authority, insult and outrage Congress, reconstruct the rebel states In the In terests of treason. Insult the memories and resting places of our heroic dead, outrage the feelings and deride the prin ciples of the living men who aided in saving the Union, and dchVer all snatched from wreck and ruin into the hands of unrepentant but By him pardoned trai tors." Manager BoutweJl opened tho oral argument for the prosecution in n very lengthy address, "which "was generally THE SUNDAY OREGOXIANV PORTLAND, MARCH ii, 1006. BETWEEN THE STRIPED ZEBRA 1 Ax'" 7A GZSSZCX'J Z7ZA5. pontes, and it has been noted that where- as Grevy stallions fight viciously among themselves. 'they never molest the small er Burchell stallions. A reason for this is suggested by M. Horace Hayes, late captain of "the Buffs." that Englishman whose book, "The Points of a Horse." is now recognized sis a standard work. Captain Hayes says: "The society rules of these animals appear to bo much more strict titan those of the English people, for, although they have no objection to associating with foreigners, they marry only members of their own class." These white-legged Burchell zebras breed well in confinement, and arc easy to break in compared with tho far more rare Grevy and mountain species They have been utilized for coach teams in the Transvaal. "While being liarnosscd to the coach they stand quite still and wait for the signal tp start, pulling up when re quired and appearing to be perfectly amenable to the bridle. They are softer mouthed than the mule, and never kick, but when first handled are apt to bite. To. Get DlMNisc-Rcslstnnt Hybrid. To obtain a disease-resistant hybrid is the prime hope of the Bureau of Animal Industries. Zebras are found in tho Trans- vaal to be entirely free from that South well reasoned, but in the course of his remarks he made use of this far fetched and silly illustration: Trav elers and astronomers Inform us that In the Southern heavens near the Southern Cross there Is a vast space which the uneducated call ' a hole in the sky, wnerc the eye of man with the aid of the powers of the telescope has been unable to discover nebulae or asteroid or comet, or planet or star or sun. In that dreary, cold, dark region, which is only known -to be less than infinite by the evidences of creation elsewhere the Great Author of celes tial mechanism has left the chaos which was in the beginning. If this earth were capable of the sentiments and emotions of Justice and virtue which in human mortal beings arc the evidences and the pledge of our divino origin and immortal destiny, it would heave and throw with the energy of the elemental forces of nature and project this enemy of the two races of men into that "vast region there found to exist in solitude eternal as life or as the absence of life emblematical of. if not really that outer darkness of which Savior of men spoke in warning to those who arc the enemies of themselves, of their race and of their God." Other Speeches. He was followed by Mr. Nelson for the defendant. Mr. Nelson was a warm personal friend 'of the President from Tennessee, and his feelings were deeply enlisted in his spech. He spoke for nearly two 'days, and his speech, though at times eloquent and strong, was gen erally too florid and too full of poetry to make much impression upon the Judicial Blind. Mr. William S. Groesbcck followed in an address fer the President. Mr. fit- frlcan scourge called "horse-slcknfss and to be immune from the bite ofuho poisonous "tsetse" fly, a carrier of sure death to horses. It thus appears thuUhc blood of the zebra family has a dlseae- rcslstant constituent a natural antl-tox which would greatly Improve that our horses if admixed therewith. Profes-" sor J. C. Ewart. of the University of Edinburgh, who lately imported Int Scotland several Burchell zebras. And moreover, that they possess marvelous powers of recovering from severe Injuries. One of his zebrrf marcs dragged front its place a heavy Iron water-trough, and while rearing with fright, swung the re ceptacle about until it had severely bruis ed and cut Its forelegs. In a few days, and much to the professor's surprise, the animal had entirely recovered, the wounds having healed without swelling or the appearance of pus. Another of his zebras knocked against an upright fence rail and tore out the flesh between the two halves of its lower jaw. leaving a pocket large enough to hold a walnut. In a few days the pocket had closed and the wound mended without a scar or the least Irreg ularity In the striping. Although our scientists will be the first to attempt hybridization with the prized 1 Grevy zebra sought by others, hut never Groesbcck was not as well known In the profession as Judge Curtis or Mr. Evarts. but his speech impressed me as the most lawyer-like argument ad dressed to vhe. Senate during the trial. It was shorter than the others, and was a clear, condensed and logical ar gument, free from irrelevant matter and closely confined to the questions before the Senate. Mr. Thaddcus Stevens then com; menccfl to read an argument for the prosecution, but was so feeble that he could not proceed, and. General Butler concluded the reading. The argument of Mr. Stevens was short, crisp and pointed like his speeches. Mr. Thomas Williams, one of the man agers, next addressed the Senate for the prosecution, in which he discussed the Constitutional and legal aspects of the caso in a fairly good argument. Invitation to a Duel. Here an episode appeared in the trial. Judge Black, at the commencement of the trial, withdrew from the defenso of the President upon the alleged ground that the President had taken some action with reference to Alta Vela, a guano isl and, displeasing to him. Mr. Nelson had referred to this matter In his speech vin dicating the President, and reflecting upon Judge Black and some of the mem bers of Congress. General Butler now asked permission to make a statement of what he called facts, which was al lowed, and his statement led to a sharp personal colloquy between him and Mr. Nelson, which the Senate was compelled to stop. Mr. Nelson In the course of 'his remarks at this time, referring to Gen eral Butler, said: "So far as any ques tion that the gentleman desires to make of a personal character with mc is con cerned, this Is not the place to do It." Mr. Sumner introduced a resolution that this language indicted an Invitation of a duel, and expressing the disapprobation of the Senate. After some talk and an apology from Mr. Nelson, the matter was dropped. Mr. Evarts tfee addressed the Senate i5 AND THE HORSE vfe 7 - -ii obtained because of its scarcity and diffi culty of capture others have made the experiment with the smaller, more com mon and more docile Burchell species. Professor Ewart. nbove referred to, has at Penyculck (pronounced Pcnnycook), Scotland, bred some Interesting hybrids by crossing marcs of various sizes and breeds with his Burchell zebra stallion "Jlatope," also by crossing Burchell zebra mares with donkles and ponies. Some of the hybrids to which have been, given the name "zebrule" or "zcbrold" In form and disposition strongly suggest their zobra sire, others their respective dams, but even the most zebra-like In form are utterly unlike the zebra parent in their markings. Rather than resem bling a parent, or even a grandparent, they appear to inherit the characteristics of a remote ancestor In all probability the professor opines, thousands of generations removed and far more like the Grevy than the Burchell zebra. This is thought to be due to the fact that the Grevy zebra Is the most primitive of sur viving types. In some of the zebrolds the stripes were abundant and pro nounced, while others were but faintly striped and only upon the neck and hind quarters. That the hybrid Inherits the hardiness for the President. His speech, not with out strong argument, was full of wit, sar casm and ridicule. His reference to what Boutwell had said about the hole in the sky was Inimitable. He said: "I may as conveniently at this point of the argument as at any other pay some attention to the astronomical punishment which the learned and honorable manager. Mr. Boutwell, thinks should be applied to this novel case of Impeachment of the President. Cicero. I think It Is. who says that a lawyer should know everything, for sooner or later there Is no fact In hlstopy. In science or of human knowlcdgo that will not come into play In his arguments. Painfully sensible of my ignorance, being devoted to a profession which 'sharpens and does not enlarge the mind (quoting languago used by Boutwell), I yet can admire without envy the superior knowl edge evinced by the honorable manager. Indeed, upon my soul. I believe he la aware of an astronomical fact which many professors of that science aro wholly Ignorant of. But nevertheless, while some of his honorable colleagues were paying attention to an unoccupied and unappropriated Island on the surface of the seas (referring to Alta Vela). Mr. Manager Boutwell. more ambitious, had discovered an untenanted and unappropri ated region In the skies, reserved, he would have us think, in the final councils of the Almighty as the place of punish ment for convicted nnd deposed American Presidents. At first I thought that his mind had become so 'enlarged that it wa not sharp enough to discover the Consti tution had limited the punishment, but on reflection I saw that ho was as legal and as logical as he was ambitious and astro nomical, for the Constitution has said 'removal from office,' and has put no limit to the distance of removal, so that It may be without shedding a drop of blood or taking a penny of his property or con fining his limbs Instant removal from of fice nnd transportation to the skies. Truly this Is a great undertaking, and If tho learned manager can only get over the obstacles of the laws of nature the Constitution will not stand in his way. THE MULE - BREEDING Mix. of the zebra parent is Indicated to Pro fessor Ewart by the case of a zebrold colt two "months old. which was found with a flap of skin five Inches lone and an Inch and a half wide, hanging down over tho front of Its left fetlock. The skin being replaced and stitched, the wound soon healed, leaving only a slight war. There was no lameness or swelling cither below the wound, at the fetlock or above. In the vicinity of the knee. More Docile Than Mules. Some of his hybrids he describes a3 hnvlnpr "the very elegant action" of young stags. In disposition the zebra parents are in all respects more In tense than horses, more on the alert, more timid and suspicious, and yet more inquisitive. When ho once de cides to take action the zebra moves more rapidly than a horse, is more re gardless of consequences, and in caso of accident suffers more from shock to his nervous system than from phy sical wounds. Tho stallion Matopo is terrified at a coil of rope and any scr-pent-lllcp object he strikes with his hoofs. When his legs aro touched .with a rope he drops upon his knees or lies down altogether. The first time a -blanket was thrown over him he ran, kicked and reared until It was thrown off. But the zebrold. compared with the zebra parent Is, Professor Ewart says, "as water unto wine." Although ho finds that it may take longer to break zebrolds than horses the former will,. He can contrive no method but that of a convulsion of the earth that shall project tho deposed President to this infinitely distant space, but a shock of a nature so vast an energy and for so great a result on him might unsettle even the footing of the firm members of Congress. "We certainly need not resort to so per ilous a method as that. How shall we accomplish it? Why. In the first place, nobody knows where that space Is but the learned manager himself, and he is the necessary deputy to execute the judgment of the court. Let it, then, be provided that In case of your sentence of deposi tion and removal from office, the hon orable and astronomical manager shall take Into his own hands the execution of the sentence. With the President made fast to his broad and strong shoulders, and having already essnyed the flight of Imagination, better prepared than any body else to execute It In form, taking the advantage of ladders as far as ladders will go to the top of this great Capitol, and spurning, then, with his foot the crest of Liberty, let him set out upon his flight while the two Houses of Congress and all the people of the United States shall shout: 'Sic ltur ad astra.' "But here a distressing doubt -"strikes me; how wilt the manager get back? He will have got far beyond the reach of gravitation to restore him. and so ambi tious a wing as his could never stoop to downward flight. Indeed, as he passes through the constellations that famous question or Carlyie by which he derides the littleness of human affairs upon the scale of the measure of the heavens. What thinks Boeotes as he drives his dogs up the zenith In their race of Sl derlal fire? will force Itself upon his no tice. What. Indeed, would Boeotes think of this new constellation? -Besides reach ing this space beyond the power of Con gress even to send for persons and papers, . how shall he return and how decide in the contest then become personal and perpet ual, the struggle of strength between him and the President? In this new revolu tion thus established forever who shall de i cide which Is the sun and which is the he thinks, bo more amenable to train ing; than ordinary mules and infinitely more easily managed than zebra-ass hybrids. He predicts that hybrids be tween the largo Grevy zebra and the horse such as we are now to, produce would be as easily managed as ordi nary mules. For use by the British in India and Africa, he says they would be in every way more useful than mules. Whether the zebroid would be sterile, like the mule, has not yet been answered by these mo'dern experi ments. However, there is this testi mony of Darwin's on the subject, from which the reader may draw his own conclusions: "Many 5'cars ago T, saw in the zoological gardens a curious triple hybrid from a. bay marc by a hybrid from a bay mare by a hybrid from a male ass and a female zebra." Will Be the Mule or This Century. The Brazilian. Minister has forward ed to the bureau of animal industries some further data regarding the crossing- of the Burchell zebra with the eommon mare, the experiments having; been, conducted by Baron de Parana, who has a large plantation in the Staio of Rio Janeiro. The Baron's hy brids are described as very sprightly but gentje, becoming very docile in the hands of those who care for them. They feed as well from the manger as In the pasture, and have extraordinary muscular strength. The Baron be lieves that their size, slcndcrness of form, pace and disposition depend upon the dam, and that they may. therefore, be bred at will for either the saddle or heavy or Hghtdraft. Crossing; zebras with mares of the heavy Suffolk, Clydesdalo or Percheron breeds gives zebrolds that are large and very strong, but not so heavy and thick set as their dams, while crossing with marcs of lighter breeds, such as Arabs. Normans, etc.. produces zebroids that arc tall and slender and suitable for work that requires quickness rather than strength. Baron de Parana fs convinced that the zebrold will prove of great economic Importance, especially in the warmer countries, and advises all stock breeders to consider It. He says that when the zebrold Is better known there will bo no further use for the common mule, and that "the zebrold will be the mule of tho 20th century." Hagenbcck. tho animal trainer, hast also crossed the zebra and horse, using a 3pecles of zebra from the German coast of East Africa and one which, although it Is striped below the "knee nnd hocks, appears to belong to tho Burchell group. A pair of tho result ing zebroids, harnessed. to a carriage, are shown in the accompanying pho tograph. At last account Dr. Ewart, the Scotch Investigator referred to. had commenced experiments in the crossing of zebras with zebus, or Indian cattl If he succeeds in this perhaps tho world will profit by a horned mule, equipped for .heavy offensive action both fore and aft. (Copyright. 193.) JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS. moon, who determine the only scientific test which reflects the hardest upon tho other?" Last Speech for the Prosecution. This delivery of Mr. Walt's, convulsed the Senate with laughter. The Boutwells never forgave him for this speech. Ho occupied two days, and his argument sparkled with wit and sarcasm. Attorney General Stansbury then appeared much enfeebled by his late Illness, and mado a feeling and earnest appeal for the Pres ident. Manager Bingham then concluded tho argument In a speech that took the most of three days to deliver, and was an able resume of all that had theretofore been said against the President. He said in conclusion: "I ask you' to con sider that we stand this clay pleading for the violated majesty of the law by the graves of a half million of martyred hero patriots who made death beautiful by the sacrifice of themselves for their coun try, the. Constitution, and the laws, and who. by their sublime example, have taught us that all must obey the law, that none arc above the law. that no man lives for himself alone, but each- for all, that .some must die that the state may live, that the citizen is at best but for a day, while the commonwealth is for all time, and that position, however high, patronage, however powerful, cannot be permitted to shelter crime to the peril of the Republic." This subject will be continued and con cluded In the next paper. GEORGE H. WILUAMS. According to the Boot--. Chicago News. Miles By the way, old man, do you be lieve in dreams? Giles You bet I dol One night about a month ago I dreamed that an angel ap peared at my bedside and said; "Prepare for the worst." then disappeared. Miles Well? Giles The very next day our cook left, and my wife has been doing tha cooking ever since.'