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* — — +| AUGUST BELMOMTS STR0G PLEA IIM BEHALF OF THE THOROUGHBRED AT THE SPORTSMENS DINNER 1 i Homage to the bone was 1 1 • ■ whole theme ol the S|Mirtsm ns dinner in the Astor gallery of tin Waldorf Astoria at New York hist Monday night. It i saf to -ay that never before was there a-notable ■ gathering of sportsmen in this country. Two hundred were present. It wa- largely in tin-nature of i lovi feast and in the speeches of Major General Wood, chief ol start of the Pnlted States Army, August Belmont and many others ii was clearly demonstrated that tin noblest horse of them all the thoroughbred still ha- champions who wil liln rigorously fot his preserraUon. A l.iu thing thai wa-. accomplished was the munching .■! a nation-wide association thai i t.. hi known as the Pnlted Si.it.-- Cavalry ami Artillery Remount Association. Ii I* primarily Intended, as its name would sm_r;;.-st. to better tin- system ol i. mo unis for toe army, but aj the .-aim- time it looks t.. tin- preservation of the hoist-, ami naturally tin preservation of tin- sports in which he is tin- most important part. Ma J. -Gen. Leonard Wood, chief of staff ... tin army, made om of the principal speeches of the evening in which he drew attention to th,- lack of suitable horses m this country for army purposes as compared «ith tin- supply in other countries. I". K. gturgis. who Introduced tin- resolution by which the K« mount Association was organised amid cheers, nominated General Wood a- president of the organisation, ami li.- was elected, with fnll power to name tin- other oflkcer* and to formulate tin- rale* for the organisation. August Belmont, president of the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association, mid in iln- opening speech that Col. Theodore Boost veil had been Informed ,t tin- purpose to organise tin- association and that in- would be willing to act a- Mil. of Cm rice-presidenta, and it .- likely that l.e will hi- named. Tin- settings of iln- dinner wen fitting. Around the walla of tin- dining room ami in the corridors adjoining wen pictures and photograph* of boraet and subject* related to them which had been lent for the dinner, and in the room also wen Bold and silver cups of almost priceless value, tin- relics of hunt meetings and races of tin- past, "u the walls w, n the familiar colors of tin- iaides of James li. Ke.-n.-. August Belmont, Stephen Sanford. Thomas Hitchcock. 1errj Uwiuinnt. John K. Madden, Many W. Smith. .!. E. Widen**, B. II. MoCnitev Potter. William thivih and other owners .,f racing Stables. Marry V. Smith, master of the Grafton Hunt at Worcester, Mass., win. had much to do with tin- or ganlsatlon of the dinner, was toastmaster and in i ii . lue.il tin- majority of iln- speakers by means of stereenticon slides. At the guest table with aim in addition t.. lo-neral Wood and August Belmont Wen Mat- Henry T. Allen. Eighth Cavalry. C. S. A.: Horace White. Devenus Mil born, Paul l . Cra rath. I-. K. Sturgls, Perry Belmont, Th ion- N. Vail. Capt. C. F. C. Sowerby. British Embassy at Washington; Maj. W. A. Wadsworth. Oakleigl ih. .inc. Charles W. Bosworth. Robert .v. Fairbairu. Charles K. Harrison. Redmond C. Stewart of Haiti nn, r«- and William I hi Ioul of Moulin li-r. Va.. all of whom spoke on uij.-.;- connecteu with the turf and field. Among others pii -.-nt w.-re Raymond Belmont. Major tiiilhk. W. C. Hay.-. Bronaon Ramsey, Herbert N. Straus, W. J. Olothler, Newlin Haines, Ivan Ftox, Harry 1». Holleway, B. II. Carles, .1. Wat son Webb. John Tucker, Harry r. Peters, I.. C. t owdin. II.. Chetwood Smith. II. ;. Cheney. 1. c. Sands. Frank -I. Binan, Lieutenant Rockwell, Arthur Seldon. Schuyler Pars. n-. ||. r| . Osnard. Andrew Mili.r. Captain Fenton. Miichell Harrison, A. I.. Legan. .v. Daingerfield, A. MCCarter Potter, -I. Howard Ford. Foxball Keene, W. Howard West. Davhl Gideon. William Uarth, John F. Ryan, John i:. Madden, il. C. Hallenbeck, Andrew Crawford, Joseph W. and Chester Burden, II. s. Page, c. c. Rumsey. -I. Armstrong Rawlins, Frederick W. Allen. II. A. Bourne. I.. Victor Froment, Charles Fowles, i.iant C. Hollistei and Montagu LaMontagne. Tin- diner- represented all tin leading hunt cluh-in th.- east, tin- delegation from Baltimore alone numbering sixteen. One feature of tin- welcome by Harry W. Smith was the aanOUOCCBBCnt of the presentation of an extensive llbrarj t. every cavalry post in tin- United Stat.s. tee cost ot which i- t. i„. defrayed by the majority of those at last nights dinner. Thla library i- to include books on •Breed-bag and History." "Horsemanship," "Racing and Steeplechasing," "Riding and Hunting" am, oa miscellaneous subjects. The li-t ..t books has been submitted to all iln- experts in this country and Europe ami to Colonel Roosevelt ;.s well. It Includes subscriptions lor five year- to th. hading English ami American sport bag magastnes and serfodicaTs. In his address, August Pelmont said: "When I had the h lo ad, Ire-- you at OUT inaugural dinner last year, 1 spoke of tin- serious menace t the cavalry horse by reason of tin- depletion "f our thoroughbreds, which was then in progress and has continued unabated. 1 touched also ii|H.n the general decline, both in th.- quality and tin- number, of the American horse in general. Ih.. events of tin- past year not anil confirm all 1 Bald, I. ut make it eleai tli.it tin- danger* of the lutiiii- wen uini. rstal.-.l. Wane than llii-. we must all l.e disheartened over the link of tin- reali sation of this generally, and -nil in. .re over the . appanqt Indifference manifested l.y our lawmakers, ami tin- absence of int. -rest in the subject .-u th • ■ I art ••! th.- public. •-.Must tin- -:ate of affairs continue until tin-trouble has reached a critical mis- before a remedy u even thought of; or at- we .,in_ t,. -ee the danger in time n. ward off what seems sanrelj ahead ..; a-. .,.,1 what has been aptlj termed by Major General Wood, a national calamity. ••The War Department ..f tin- nited state- has sounded a note ,. warning t, iln- Stat.- of New Vork; ami the words of Major-Oeucral Wood in hi-animal report should I,- r.-ad bj every thinking ell Isi ii. 11.- v, rites as follow -. •• -As :• result ..t i -..it statu legislation affecting racing there ha- been and still continues m be a rerj ext omen I out of tiiN country of the very best thoroughbred 1.1 t. These shipments :, some cases consist of entire -ni.ls | tnorongh. breds, ami arc assuming tin magnitude of a national calamity - far a- tin- effect on the breeding ol tl ugubred stock in thla conntrj is concerned. if;- matter touches the mounted sarrlea in men a iial wa that iln- War Department cannot be Indifferent i" ii. Whii.- other countries an spending immense sumi ,t naonej in Imported thoroughbred -..h. inau] "f ..or in.. -i renowned bleeders have ■ litii.-h -.id .,u:. shipped abroad. * sn gradually reducing their establishments. Tin- 1.,-- ..t tbor ..uulihf.l -. • . i. to -mil an extent as i- BOW. lakm-: plan ti,:-, :■•■ - tlie further Itupronment in the American horse and will gradually reduce iln- Sourc. from whk*h the srmy can secun a proper mount, i iii — matter Is on.- of sin h ImptMrtsnce llim it i-tboughl tin- aiteiiin.il of Congress should be Invited I., ii. "Govern i Dti if no less alive i.. th. danger that threatens as. Ih ha- called attention t.. the sab j.ii in iln- following letter to our -tat.- superln tendenl ..: agi ■■ altan: •• -lt has been brouglit t.. my attention that the problem ••! obtaining suitable mounts of tin- araaj national guard ami police departments of tin country i- be it u more ami more ditti.-ult. and it so. -into me that the farmers Of .New V ik State could . • ■ iml Should he induced to produce the t.V| e of horse suitable for the various branches •! mounted service in tin- country. •• The Federal Government has been making scientific efforts toward the re-establtafamenl ..t standard lir.-r.l- in New England ami I would he glad to have your opli Ion aa 1.. th. best method of stimulating Iln- interest of and cooperation by the breeder* of this state toward the improvement id this im-portant branch "f animal husbandry. If. in your opinion, it will he necessary to expend any asoneys in addition to tin- regular budget of your department in order lo take up this question, I shall Ih- glad .. have vou submit an estimate as to the probable ■ -t "f -m-li Investigation, looking to the Introduction of such an item in tin- appropriation and oipply bills. This seems to lie a mailer which your de|.annicui can will lake up to the great advantage of all concerned, and 1 hope that you will he ai.le to uie in,, -i report in tin- mallrr at an early date." "Men pride in success ha- been sufficient to cause this country to excel in many fields. Our cities and their beautiful parks and public a- well as private buildings, our rapidly growing museums. libraries and galleries attest this. Tin- energy, ,, r..a.l minded progressiveness, too. of our agricultural population has placed us abreast, and in some branches ahead of the world in our farm implements, products, ami the ujuallty of our live stock, while annum domestic animal- our trotter i- tin- adniira tion of civilised nation*. Thej an- buying trotters from ii- l.y the shipload, month in and month out. All honor to th..-.. who against assay discouragements, produce and keep alive this .ureal strain of bones. "The clouds have been gathering, however, for all of as who lov.- tin- horse of whatever breed or strain. Tin- extent and character of tin storm to follow are understood by us; am tin- problem for us ought ti. I..- to ei.nvince our fellow-countrymen ili-it tiny arc not disinterested spectators of what is impending. We are prone, when we see seine ihinus languish in these times, to rush to the oon-cluslon that the reason is because they are being • si elled and supplanted by something new, and in consequence the scrap heap is the place for them. The horse is son tin- subject of seen a hasty jmisc- nient. The a iitnuinh.il - and ant,, truck, th. aeroplane, the trolley. Ih.- traction pTOugU, are nil dasxllng tin- eyes of old and young. A test v.ife might even disclose that, in tin- popular Judgment, the horse was practically destined to in- a plaything and a luxury. I have no doubt thai many an Intelligent civilian would reutun lo ssattl to an arnu officer that in his opinion the automobile would soon supplant tin- none in time of war. With all the Improvements, however, no automobile has yet In en known ;,. jump fences and go across country under perfect control. ■If "iir civilian is not satisfied or convinced by tin-.- statements he is more than likely to say that it does not make any difference, anyway, tiiat soon then will he no war-. The folly of taking i his for granted may. I think, he also tensed a national calamity. 1 he most disbeartenmg feature of thla whole situation is the lack of correct Information .n th. part of the public at large on tin subject, and Hi. ease with which it can Ik- mis led. The utcss figures of tin- census and the in -creasing cost of horses in general are aajoted as conclusive arguments sgalnst what it suit- aosse persons to designate our unfounded fears. The Incorrectness of these most misleading assertions should h clearly understood by those who are striv bag ; . arrest the deterioration and depletion of those classes of horseflesh which, we can ay without exaggeration, arc really of vital Importance to every patriotic American. For example. Hie census ..f 1910 showed the existence of about 22.800,000 horses of all aes in the Initeil Stales, with an estimated valuation of ,498,302,000, or an average ot about Slisi. In 1911, there wen shout 22,900.000 horses, with an srersgc price Of about sill, and on January 1. 1912, the total number is assumed to be shout 23,000.000. Dealers tell nn- the average .■est has in* tensed again. Exact fig una an not obtainable. •The increase in our horses, all of which is In the far w.-si. seems to be at the rale of Ioii.iniii per year throughout the country, or only at the ratio of one in 2Kt. whereas the increase of our population of about 1.000,000 per year U om in every 100. Oa the om- band, ii is the draft hone that is reallj responsible for the Increase in numbers; ami on the other, the adde.i cost responds to two elements, the added eost of raising a bone, and the rapid dis ii pearance ot the bone for ases other than commercial draft, ai a rat.- out ..f proportion to the decreased demand for such sue. 1 quote from a I. ti.-r lo nn- written by tin- most conspicuous dealer in N.-w Vork, if not ill the I nited Stat.-, whose business covers almost tvery state in the Pnion, am! win.-. Brm handled upward of 65,000 horses in 1911 •Years ago, when sou gentlemen cause to Tin -my fourth street to buy your carriage horses ami raw material for hunter* and -addle horses, we .nil other dealer* had no difficulty in purchasing lid- .la-- ot horse; and we could make a fairly - ,, profit and - -ll you a first -. lass bone at thai time from 90 to MOO In the rough. This da— of bone is very scarce now, ami win n we do buy one in- is --nt to . ur training farm in Teaneek, N. .1.. v. h-i ii costs from 100 to v.oii to gel biin properly schooled for the purpose suited. With th. keep bill ami otbei training fsrm expenses added on, we ai.-compelled t -ell the sasac class of none from ?40o i st ....ii which sets us a sssaller profit than in • met years. Relating t the police horses which we s,i the city, our fourteen buyers west of Chicago have instructions to buy a hay In. rse Willi blsck !» hit- whenever they .-, on that comes up to tin specifications ■•: the police department. We keep this class of borses on band and have a difficult time in buying them all over the ITnited states in order to gel the i-" boran ■ year which is the amount they require i keep an the standard of thai pp ii nn. ut. A gnat change has taken place in the i-i-t iiii- ii years. If yon want any more detailed information as t.. ti.is. and ststlstlcs, 1 will be very -.lad lo fllllli-ll ih. Ill to VOU. •A most Interesting article was written in the September number of the Nineteenth Century Maga slm of 1910. ..a the subject of remounts In Great Britain. There. t.M . tin- government has waked up to tin- neetssltj of helping the development .i the army type of horse; for In cum f war a short Sjge -tares them in the face, -,:i in that bone loving country. Lord Cardigan, the author, states Unit the Boer and •; Rnsso-Jspanese wars proved that tin- treslendous Incresse .md consumption f ammunition in modern warfare, .n.i the necessarily plater mobility ol armies, require a rastly Increased use ..f borses, the ad. led use of the suto-moblle in w.-n- notwithstanding. "I SSked Majoliomi.ll Wood If this wa- SOl all accepted fact, mid i assured me that ii wall-no-, we breed.-!- • I In,, in-hl. r. ,|-. trotting horses and Morgans have a common csuse and interest in Joining hands „n,i earnestlj co-operating with the government in this mutter in every waj that Ins in .•a. power. I., this end I propose that we form a aii, ii ui.!.- orgsntsatlon t- I ntltled "The ITnited Slabs cavalry ami Artillery Remount Associstion " Mi suggestion, if you will bear with me a little Continued on second page. I AUGUST BELMONTS STRONG PLEA. Continued from first page. longer, 1 bare outlined in a sketch of an organisation that, it you desire, you can start this very evening. "First, create from all ranks of sport and from every walk of agricultural life, a national membership, with nominal dues at S3, with the center of tie organization in Washington. Then organise locais in every desirable sectioa of the land, organized on the line of a general plan, but permitting each section to draft its own by-laws and method ef government, amount of dues, etc. Bach local to become, as a separate organization, a member Of the national organization, and represented in its counsels by a delegate of its own choosing: these delegates in turn to elect from its membership, at an annual convention, a governing board with such powers as will insure an intelligent and effective administration of the national association affairs. I propose that for the payment of #2 per annum the individual member shall receive such pamphlets as are published by the association, and lie ou the governments list of those to whom its circulars on this social subject shall be sent, and a stud book it register of marcs registered under govern ■sent Inspection suitable for breeding remounts and artillery horses. "I have gone over the skeleton of the plan with Major-General Wood. He approves of it to the extent of being willing to become its president, if We so wish. I have also outlined this to another good sportsman and soldier, who has some other titles to his credit, and he. too. will help us and be a vice-president, if we Wish him — Theodore Koesevelt. "A united effort of this character is absolutely necessary. Of all countries in the world, our very enterprise and the rapidity with which we adapt eui elves to new ideas have combined to devi lop the most disastrous competition to the American none. "We have gone far beyond other countries in making the automobile a factor in our daily bast-ness. The ehi ap commercial car is turned out by our factories in hundreds of thousands. The doctor. the surveyor, the contractor and practically all tradesmen, even more in our country towns than in our cities, use the runabout and moderate lowered cars for their business primarily, and for pleasUM Incidentally. Europe has done nothing of this kind on any sort of scale. In fact, our makers have begun to establish manufacturing branches abroad. Automobile Manufacturers of Detroit take exception to a report recently issued by the Department "f Commerce and Labor, showing that the exports of motor cars from the United States amounted to 0,000,000. They give tigures to prove that the exports from Detroit alone were in excess of this. "It may be that we shall have influential opposition to our effort-. Many worthy men cannot dissociate the kind of horse are bare to cultivate from what they honestly feci is a pernicious amusement, failing to recognize that then is no substitute for the eliminating tests, without which the breeder has no guide and which are possible only through horse racing. "It is a favorite saying among those who condemn racing that they believe more in breeding men than horses. I doubt that any one would hesF tate if a choice like this hail to lie made; but has it.- As a matter of fact the breeding of good horses has. with many nations, helped to an exceptional breed of men. "If some lives can be spared by having a better quality of horse in war. which the bravest soldier always deplores no less than the ardent peace-lover, is it not a humane and patriotic duty to promote the careful breeding for cavalry and artillery re-mounts. in producing Which the thoroughbred trotter and running horse are indisponsible? "Let us strive then to make clear to the community at large, the justice, the value and the meaning of our cause for the sake of our brothers and tin national welfare.
