General Townes Vigorous Views, Daily Racing Form, 1913-01-21

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GENERAL T0WNES VlGQRfJUS VIEWsT _ The Tiioroiighbred Record prints under a t.il uv. Alberta, dale, a letter from General V. T ToWSCO. who was formerly eonaeeted with the diplomatic aer- viee 1 f tin- United Stales, from which the toll,, wing extracts are made: "The ami racing laws of New York and other states hare driven me from my Virginia breeding farm and out of racing as well. Yet 1 -till retain an abiding pleasure in the memory of the past, and in all that concerns the goad of the thoroughbred horse. I love deeply, good, honest blood in both man and beast. To me the development of the different -train- and kind- of animal- to their pre-eiil high standards, is one id the sr notable triumphs of civilization aceompUshed bv the British people, for it must Im- acknowledged thai the tight lilll. Isles have been the worlds chief deretopers i.~ improved breeds of animals. All honor to them lor that Ihhiu lo humanity. •The wisdom of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, tin- great Randolph of Roanoke. Ceoeral Hampton and other great soldiers, statesmen and gentlemen of the old school of blessed memory, was surely prophetic in preaching and practicing the doctrines that the infusion of thoroughbred blood is indispensable for the improvement in constitution, stamina, action and courage of th,- lighter breeds of horses -general utility animals. No -ate man will dispute this a- a fact aceompUshed. The people of the United state- recognize this as a fart. What a lamentable pity it i- that th. .lockev Club. which had controlled racing -nbstantially all over the United states tor many yean, had not pm in force, years ago. some -mil system of wagering as the pari-mutuel. which has proven so satisfactory o the people of Kentucky these last three year- or more. Tin- pari mutnel s.vstem returns to the people substantially all of their money. No graft is poa sible. Racing i- a iiaindi— institution in itself. Tlie people welcome innocent amusement. The fair e.-i treatment id the people will result in their endorsing the most libeial laws. Tie- wont that can be said against the pari-mutuel system .is that 0110 man today exchanges a few dollar- with another man. until tomorrow or the next day. Prodt ami I,,-- i- soon adjusted in the eventualities of tin- lavv nf chance: and there i- no ■kitty to eat up the capital employed: no percentage of leakage to empty the purses of the players collectively. No grafr for a few: all fair -pott to all who mav choose to be amused. ■Highly important is it to keep up the standard of excellence of our genera] utility horse for cavalry purposes alone: The nation- of the world Wei.-never so heavilv and thoroughly armed and equipped .1- at present. Their lust for tesBttorisI and trade aggrandiz nienl was nerei no rampant. War. like :, loud from a far distant, placid horizon, i- liable to be upon us with a devastating storm al almost any time. Recall how the sleeping giant. Bnssia. was ignomlnously defeated by the wide-awake pigtnv. Japan! The giant not only dreamed dreams of giant greatness, but. iulliver like, lay still until the Lilliputians Pound her hand and foot, l.et u- no-be caught napping with an iinlliiiently mounted cavalry service! Every nation across the great ••pond" i- spending hundreds and hundreds of thou sand- annually in breeding and developing the th n • Highbred horse crossing the tinest pi 1. best rare tested animals with the other general utility ani mal- of their countries, and tint- providing a supply of suitable horses for enduring hard nses. The rerj best stallion-, only, are used for breeding purpose* and UO other method is practical to determine i he best, sare that of racing, and. too. testing speed and stamina over long distances under be* .-J weights. This i- solely the acid te-i. General W I and seres of ether army oaseers have sounded this -ame note. Their warning i- surely worthy of earnest consideration. They declare that a strong infusion of thoroughbred blood i- absolutelj esscn tial for effective service in borate."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1913012101/drf1913012101_2_5
Local Identifier: drf1913012101_2_5
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800