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THE THOROUGHBRED ENDANGERED. To thoughtful people s— WSJ 111 by pivdiijiee the epidemic crusade against racing now limning its course is one th.it in a fruitless effort to suppress tin- minor evil of betting is likely to work great harm to an Important national Interest. This is one of the great horse breeding nations of ihe earth ami our hoists constitute an essential Item in Hie tlund aggregate Of our national wuulth. lu the most mmtrh ami valuable of all horses, the thorough -bud, the United states now- stands preeminent, owning more than arc now owned in England, the home and place of origin of the thoroughbred. The inevitable effect ef the al.- li~hiiicnl of racing w..iild bo to greatly diminish the breeding of thoroughbreds if it did not obliterate this valuable industry altogether. What all this means is well told by Major P. A. Paingerlield in the following timely article published in the Thoroughbred Record: The work Undertaken by the breeding bureau in the various states, if intelligently carried out. must resiili in adding mil. .1.1 millions to the value of the equine product of America. All utilily horses are largely indebted to the English thoroughbred or to his progenitors, the Arab. Barb and Turk for their quality and most desirable properties ot eon rage ami endurance, or "slamina:" and when our hunter, trotter, saddle horse, coach horse, or even our heavy draught horse, becomes deficient ill these essentials we must revert to their source and restore i; by an additional infusion of pure blood, just as WC recur to the bull dwg to restore courage and tenacity when our pointer, hound, greyhound or terrier becomes deficient in these needed qualities, Bvery citizen of every country where the horse is bred fof pleasure or profit is benefited by the breeding of the thoroughbred in his highest development in their midst. The test of the excellence of the thoroughbreds produced is the rue ionise. The racing of horses necessarily involves betthtg. Betting OS races, under propel restrictions, is not apes to more unfavorable comment than any oilier speculation. The element of chance as to results is Inseparable from everything in the range of hum an enterprise or endeavor: II has been "wholly eliminated* froth nothing except "the result of p .pillar elections in Kentucky." one of the iimsi learned and competent English writers on the subject of breeding and racing. :i lifelong Student of the subject and a nan of con servatlve views, wrote recently of two breeders and turfmen the one in England, the other in America: "They have won more on the turf than any other breeders or luifiiieii in cither country, yet lie earnings of their stables have not paid expenses by thousands ami ten of thousands of pounds." I his being true, it must appear that the enthusiast who breeds, trains and races the best thoroughbreds, supports at his own proper cost a public uiiliiv for the pecuniary benefit of the many. The owner gets his sport, inn he pays for it. The purchase ef the best breeding stock, ami the army Of retainers for the conduct of the breeding ami racing establishments, with salaries and commissions to trainers. Jockeys, etc., costs ■ Kings ransom annually: ami this is certain, while the winnings are problematical. Destroy racing by Inimical legislation, and with the [passage of this cleanest and most healthful of outdoor sports, the m..si essential equine goes down and oat; or is sparingly produce. I by lln.se made real gamblers by being forced, privately, to wager against each other, thus evading laws for the passage of which there is no justification. Eliminate the public money to he run for in slakes, which are chiefly made up of entrance fees and moneys added by the associations and who could afford to keep up his stud and racing establishment when, as we have seen the largest winning stables here or ill England, Where the conditions are more favorable, do not pay expenses. The Improvement Of our thoroughbreds or their deterioration, can only he determined by the test of Hie race course. The Improvement of all utility breeds of horses rests largely upon the keeping of the thoroughbred up to the highest standard in purity of IiIihmI and Individual excellence. Make the breeding, rearing, ami training of the thoroughbred Impossible by means of inimical legislation and with him passes the occupation of Ihe nns of thoossnds who find employment in his production; the healthful "half holiday iii the open air of tlie laborer and his family:" the harmless outing for the gentleman and lady of "elegant leisure:" the "lasi pleasure remaining" to the octogenarian with the sleek hat ami. perchance. coat sleeves, who wants his opportunity to tell flic boys "how easily Lexington could have beaten S.s.,nbv at four mile heats:" and last, but not least. with tin- thoroughbred would pass "down and out" the only hope of Improving, or even keeping to their present standard of excellence, the general utility horses of our country. Are our legislators ready to sacrifice the countrys interest in the most beautiful and useful animal of Gods creation to the unconsidered clamor of the few "Unco 8nM?"
