Page:Henry Stephens Salt - A Plea for Vegetarianism and Other Essays.pdf/91

Rh really “not to take life unnecessarily” (the last word, conveniently omitted by our opponents, containing, in fact. the whole essence of the Vegetarian creed), and partly in the strange idea that because it is sometimes necessary to take life, it must be always allowable. Vegetarians are not so Foolish as to deny the necessity of sometimes destroying animals, both intentionally and by accident; but that is no reason for killing more animals than is really necessary, but rather the reverse. It is quite true that we must in self-defence keep down vermin ; but it does not follow that it is advisable to eat their carcases. It is quite true that we cannot avoid accidentally taking life; but that can scarcely justify us in purposely breeding animals for the slaughter-house. To assert that because we accidentally tread on a beetle, we are justified in deliberately slaughtering an ox ; or that because we chance to swallow a fly, we are right in bleeding a calf to death and enjoying our veal, is an argument which must equally justify homicide and murder of every description.