The New York herald., 1868-06-09
The Spring Meeting ct Jerome ParS.

The opening of the spring meeting at Jerome
Park to-day suggests word of comment, not
only on the advantages afforded by that park for
the display Of the improved capabilities of the
trained American horse, but also on the ad
vantages of the liberal and judicious expendi-
ture to which the park owes its origin. In the
British press, and even in the British Parlia-
ment, popular complaint has found expression
against the persistent mourning which the
royal widow of Prince Albert has maintained
to the direct injury of numerous branches of
trade and industry in London. Even what
might be called the extravagances of fashion
able life in England, as affected by Court infu-
ences, are profitable to manufactures and
industry throughout the British empire. In
France, also, political economists recognize the
material benefits conferred upon the shop
keepers of Paris, the silk manufacturers of
Lyons and all the tradesmen and manufacturers
of the French empire by the so-called extrava-
gances of the imperial Court.
In democratic America we have, and we
wish to have, no Court But the prodgiously
rapid accumulation of wealth has fortunately
led to such disbursement of it on the part of
some of our millionnaires as must prove both
agreeable to them and highly advantageous to
the community at large.
Two signal instances of this fact are offered
by the successful results of the efforts of
Messrs. Jerome, Belmont, Irving and Hunter
to give character and tone to American eques-
tn ha aft
efforts of the late Commodore Stevens, Mr.. G..
L. Schuyler, the late Mr.. Wilkes and other
founders of the yacht club, as well as those of
ex-Mayor Kingsland Mr.. Moses II. Grinnell
and their associates in developing and sustain
ing it, with view to accomplish similar
purpose in behalf of yacht racing as an amuse-
ment of national interest and Importance.
All classes of our metropolitan society will
now take personal interest in the horse races
at Jerome Park and in the yacht races off
Staten Island. Formerly, the cries Of ''Hi hill"
as the swift wagons whirled through the blind
ing dust of Bloomingdale road were almost the
only indications of lively interest in horse
flesh. But now the interest has become uni
versal, and ladies and gentlemen, after an ex-
hilarating drive over the winding and we'll
watered avenues Of the Park, may en-
joy amid equally attractive rural scenery
the pleasure of witnessing the animated
scenes of the race course at Jerome Park. So,
too, at the new yacht club house at Clifton it
may be expected that every facility will be af-
forded for the qualification of the most highly
I'd An 1iofo M
of the great change which has been effected
within q few years in what may be termed the
holiday life of New York will be patent in the
improved style of both vehicles and toilets ex
hibited at the meetings at Jerome Park and at
the regattas Of the Yacht Club. And thus
Jerome Park, on the one hand, and the Clifton
rendezvous of our yachtmen, on the other, bid
fair to become the centres ofinfuences abundant
ly beneficial to those directly interested in horse
racing and in yacht racing, and, moreover, to
all who indirectly affected by the stimulus
which the one and the other must give to a
variety of manufactures and trades. To the
elevating and refining social influences of the
increased cultivation of these healthful and
noble pastimes we have already alluded.
Some of our rich men are still unaware of
the splendid opportunities within their reach
for enhancing the value of their wealth by rem
dering it the source of additional enjoyment to
themselves and of incalculable advantages to
others. But the founders and active promoters
of the New York Jockey Club and of the New
York Yacht Club have been wiser in their day
and generation, and they will assuredy reap
the reward to which they are richly entitled in
the grateful consideration of their fellow citi-
zens for them and their memory.