view raw text
CONGRESSMAN SHOUSES WISE VIEWS. Cites Benefits to Kentucky to Show What Correct Breeding May Produce Elsewhere. . By C. J. Fitz Gerald. Saratoga Springs, N. , August 7. Congressman Jouett Shouse, of Kansas, who is a guest at the Initcd States Hotel, was formerly the editor and proprietor of the Kentucky Farmer and Breeder, published at Lexington, Ky., and for many years he was actively engaged in promoting the thoroughbred interests of Kentucky. While -Mr. Shouse represents a district in Kansas where there is an automobile to every six of the population, he Is still loyal to the horse. "I am glad to see Saratoga thronged as it formerly was." said the congressman a few days ago, "and the Jockey Club is only reaping the reward it so richly deserves for the courage it displayed in keeping the breeding and racing interests alive. In Kansas we have the heavy draught type of animal at its best. He belongs to the farm and does his work well. When we want to go anywhere we use an automobile, but I know what the thoroughbred means to tin; country at large anil particularly to communities in which horse breeding is an economic asset. It must gladden the heart of every man who is fond of a good horse to see these tests of speed and courage continued. AVith-out them a selective type would be impossible and our breeding would have no objective. "During a recent tour through my district," continued the congressman, "1 was forcibly reminded of a movement which had its inception in Kentucky in 1HIS. when a breeders organisation was formed to purchase all undesirable or barren thoroughbred mares at the various auction sales and re-sell them without name or pedigree. AVIien I saw the sorry nondescripts which were being picked up by the agents of foreign governments I couldnt hobs thinking how much superior these thoroughbred outcasts were to the riff-raff which had neither breeding nor individuality to commend them. The Kuropcnn war has been a great benefit to the horse breeding industry in the United States, as it has taken a lot of -worthless material. "What we now need is a little intelligence and initiative to remedy the mistakes of former generations," resumed Mr. Shouse. "and it should be easy with the Jockey Club and the Kentucky State Kac-ing Commission blazing the way. In 1005, when the breeders organization I have already referred to considered its work as accomplished. Hon. Johnson N. Camden. Col. K. F. Clay. O. H. Chenault, George II. AVhitney and myself took the funds then on hand and formed the Kentucky Breeding Bureau. Ae modelled our organization along the same lines as the Breeding Bureau of the Jockey Club and had as our objective the improvement of the general purpose type of horse in the outlying districts of the state. Central Kentucky already nail an abundance of good blood and we placed the fifty thorougbred sires in regions where nothing had been done in the way of breeding along approved lines. Colonel Clay was chairman and Mr. AVhitney treasurer of the body. My record as secretary attests the benefits of the plan and only recently, when in Lexington, the Wilson Brothers, who shipped most of the horses for us, told me that in purchasing remounts for the foreign market they had secured the best specimens in the region in which we had placed these horses of pure blood. I recall that, some of the Bureau sires wen; mated with as many as 125 mares and the gooil work is still going on. I am glad to say. "Kentucky is essentially a horse breeding stale." said Mr. Shouse in conclusion, " and we naturally look for progress there, but in the same class may be placed Tennessee. .Missouri, Montana. Now York and Virginia and it is from them that we must loot; for the greatest development."
