Appeals for Racing Law in Ohio, Daily Racing Form, 1914-12-26

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APPEALS FOR RACING LAW IN OHIO. Charles E. Brossuinu, noted as the trainer of Imn, writes the Cincinnati- hnquirer from Columbus, O.. where he makes his home, as follows: "If the Ohio legislature recently elected earnestly desires to make an honorable name for itself let it go on record and pass a law somewhat similar to the one now in operation in the state of Kentucky, for the benefit, encouragement and development of the thcroughbred and standard bred horse industry of the state. "Ohio is naturally one of the very best agricultural and stock-breeding states in tne Union. She bus the luscious bluegrass, clover, alfalfa, timothy, carrots and all other kinds of the best of feed and grain grown in abundance on almost every farm and in every county in the state. The soil is usually deep, productive and well watered with just enough rain in the summer time to keep the pasture permanently green and nutritious, obviating the nec.S-sity of feeding in the summer mouths as is the case iu some of the better known horse-breeding states. So far as feed is concerned, Ohio stands siejiid to none, and with equitable laws, would stand second to none as a horse-breeding state. That she can luted champions is proved by the fact tint Imp," the greatest race mare that ever stood on riiur shi:es, was bred by D. It. Harness at Chilli-cothe, Itoss County, Ohio. Cresceus, the champion trotting stallion, was bred by George II. Ketcham. of Toledo, Ohio, and away back in 1S77, the peerless Iocahontas, champion pacer of her day. was bred by John C. Dine in Butler County. Ohio, and did as much in the opinion of many well-informed horseman to make turf history, as any other pacing mare in the stud book. The United Stales government is experimenting on the burse-breeding problem, but the Bureau at Washington does not seem to be able to comprehend anil master the situation, and shrewd horsemen laugh at the feeble attempts to substantiate a theory on breeding instead of taking for granted the facts which the race tracks and actual contests have already proved. They are endeavoring to regenerate the .Morgan horse." In the lirst place thnrc is no such thing, and in the next place, the more they breed, the farther they are o!f, in the animal produced, in the percentage of Morgan blood. Th-y j might as well try to regenerate the .Messengers or the American Stars. T.iere appears to be great carelessness or ignorance concerning the value of a good pedigree, for on Iage 137. tilth report. Bureau of Animal Industry. the wrong pedigree of so famous a horse as Alcantara appears, which is given as j by Ceorge Wilkes, cut :f Miss Alice by Squire Sal-ningc. when as every horseman knows, he was one of the celebrated sons of the great Alum Mate", second dam the thoroughbred mare, Bstelia by imp. Australian. "From bolii a patriotic ami an economic staul-Itojnt I he recent importation of the thirty-two he.1.1 of thoroughbred stallions, mares and yearlings, by Air. JetTerstm Livingston, will lie of greater actual benefit to the country at large than all the work ever accomplished by tin? horse department of the ItilleHil at Washington. The dilecting, promoting ami advancing the live stock breeding interests of this great country, whether it be hur.se, cattle, sheep or hogs, is no pink tea affair, and requires tne best endeavors ,f earnest, conscientious, competent men. The state of Kentucky was the first to comprehend the necessity of an equitable racing law, and did nut let the opportunity pass, consequently her breeders reap the benefit. The race, tracks of tlit state never had a more successful season than th? tie just closed. Large crowds attended the races, horses of class competed for liberal purposes, the races, were spirited and the betting good. T-ie prices of yearlings has advanced to a point where there is some profit to the breeder, providing employment to a number of people that would otherwise bo idle, nil on account of and brought about by the law that the legislature of Kentucky so wisely enacted for the preservation and promotion f the horse-breeding industry within her lmrdcrs. Tile Ohio legislature should do likewise. What a grand, good thing it would lie for the breeders! Always remembering that the soil of Ohio was once trod by such mighty champions iu equine history hs imp. IJonuie Scotland. Hurrah. Kyrle Daly. Van guunl, Devolver. Chiilicothe. Grenada. Ballard. Mon trofO and other great sires of worth and renown, that have left their impress upon the stock of the , statu tbut has been visible for generations, and that unwise and unjust laws have always put a quietus on the blood-horse breeding business. There is no grander sight in the animal kingdom than to see a well-trained race horse bounding over tlte turf like a rubber ball, just touching the ground In spots or like a swallow skimming along on th; surface of the quiet water of a placid lake, the very poetry of motion, the emlHidimont of health, strength, speed, beauty and endurance, a living, breathing, perfect picture. "We .seem to lie returning to. that old proposition that "It is the very essence of freedom that each man shall do what he likes without injury to another. There has always been a disposition in certain members of any community to try to force all of the others to conform to their way of thinking not giving unto others the liberties and freedom of thought that thev demand fpr themselves. The old Connecticut blue laws stand as a ludicrous example of what a conscientious, fervent, misguided people would endure. The Puritans came to the block shores of New England with the main idea that iu that plice each man could worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. They toiled, suffered, etiditred and succeeded, yet they were no more than established In this country than they dened to nil others the same privileges their constitution guaranteed to every one. "The following are some of tlie ohl blue laws: No food or lodging shall be offered to a heretic. No one shall cross a river on the Sabbath hut authorized clergymen. No one shall travel, cook victuals, make lieds. sweep house. Iet hair or shave on the Sabbath day. No one shall kiss his or her children on the Sabbat h or feast days. N " shall eat mince pies, dauiy. play oiids or pluv any instrument of music except tin? drum. tru:tiict or jewsharp. "The Puritans believed tbutanyX-pue uot belonging to their church was a heretic a dangerous ungodly person that should be driven out of the community. Consequently they burned the first Presbyterian Church built by lnemebrs of that denomination at Worcester, Mass., and expelled the peaceful Quakers from the colony as undesirable citizens. Tlie same spirit of Intolerance of tlie opinions and desires of others exists in a limited way today. Conscientious, but uninformed persons are aided by moral demagogues, who for revenue only excite the prejudices of people, who have given no thought to the matter or who are easily influenced. This element, combined with the strife and jealousies engendered by tho racetrack wars between rival racing associations, each hoping fo destroy Us competitor, all but destroyed the breeding interests all over the United States, depreciating the value of the live stock, real estate and everything else connected with the business, wrecking and scattering the achievements and accumulations of years of thought and toil. But the pendulum is beginning to swing back. Kentucky, Now York. Maryland and other states are once more favorable lo racing, now let Ohio fall in line and pass an cuuifuhh: law that would allow a vaeing circuit to be opened un belweeu the live great cities iu Ohio Cincinnati. Dayton. Columbus. Toledo ami Clevelfnd that would provide pleasure and enjoyment f many people and bring in and distribute a lot of nioiiey throughout the state."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1914122601/drf1914122601_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1914122601_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800