The Republican journal., 1871-02-09
Farm, Garden, and Household,
HORSE RACING AT FAIRS.

iaS Tar too prominent place i'll our State and
'pIintS Fairs. 1t ha, The tendency to drive ont
3.j better class who attend, or would attend for
miormdion. observation. elevation and compeli-
N7h in Agricultural matters. Our leading crops
81" pissed over with hui meager encouragement
- 'omPeiiian Gnd Improvement by onr fairs.
we've IL not Tor The State premiums that enable
tnn1ls Fairs Ia Offer some niurpmant 10 wheat
Altdr7 and increased attention to its production
LAis moSi important grain would Emguish in its
lnrmer neglect.
ihe enormous sums Of one, two and even three
dollars are offered 81 premiums on such important
-tsUles corn potatoes oats rye barley ans. gar
deu Nsgelahles- The premiums or rather prizes
1ti-d 10 trotling horses. range from five to tlty
IIii,. and even more, while breeding mares. and
'.4ilon,, have to contend by their merits for beg
[-.y Iilt4nre compared To these fancy pieces OF 10
tl- former, Useless h0r-ehe>h. Horned cattle when
hey obtain premiums, hardly pay The owners
UGahl' in tskiug them to and from fairs
lu" premiums are 80 low consequently many
good animals are hot exhibited. The man
'-el> Who introduce racing at fairs, could take no
h'iI'r coarse 10 keep more meroriou- horses and
stock away.
praught and carriage horses form far more
Useful clas, of animal, than the racing trotters,
4nd Are the horses That should he bred and raised
by tie farmers. Speed is good quality in a horse,
tat II Is 40 more valuable, outside of the ring,
Ihan endurance, gentility, draught power. OF walk
ng traits yet ii Is thought be-r to give the lions
sHlre OF the Societies money to the Trait Of
speed, and that obtained oft times by unfair means.
II Is not only wrong upon the farming COM
manity, aud false position for an Agricultural
liy tNiti i f.. 4 inn, of
immortality drinking betting, gambling and other
vices even attend the modern ''horse lrot" We
know that sometimes respectable and wealthy men
.0i women countenancr it, with their presence,
whl they 10 unthink inqly and can not hp claim
u> Inthing it harmless and innocent. Cruelty often
Utrnd- these desperate races where "neek moth
a2 i the motto. II Is lemortlizing 10 the specta
lor>, a mol very mid dose Of the ''hul fights" of
spain. the gAdislorial combAs of the fierce old
homans. And our societies for the promotion of
tIlnlng and the mechanic arts not only countenanee
and sanction this but offer fourth or a third of its
prizes direct encouragement. Innocent "eattlc
shows" deliberately bring in these aids TO ''draw
The crOwd!" If they serure ''ihe crowd" it is not
''the crowd that they were intended to benefit to
rnghten and 10 make better. What depths will
mot fairs yet stoop lo secure lhe dollars and
uphold yitiated taste.
We give below some extracts from the debates OF
lhe St. Louis Farmers club, relative to This point
with comments made thereon by the Boston Cnlli-
'.toF. fl Is well worth reading and thinking upon
it goes to the root of the matpr al once"
PRIZE FIGHTING.
There WAS then some c0nvers ation as to the in
t.odueins Of prze-1ighi- well a. horse races at
u&rcuitura fairs
kIr. Morse said that if they ,yprn n ot,.r ram-
aim OF $1,000 they might get rom Allen. Mike
AeC 0ole or some other famous pngilist, and have
IL splendid nrze-light He spoke OF The training
which pugiist- go through and the muscular de-
'elopment and physical power which are the re-
suit.
pr. SPanl'.ing said that prize-iahtS are an unmy-
Ell evil. He denied that there is any parallel be-
tween horse racing and priZe-ti@hting.
l'r. Morse said there were some good things in
pl1ze-hshling He had read with great deal OF pro-
M The training that the men 90 through 1t show
ed what men 90 through. 1t showed what men
Shauli est--ShoWel lhry should exercise in order
10 develop their physical system. He had studied
lhe milli.r OF their mode OF Ii. ing, and had made
i 'iiS business NJ physician Ia Investigate the mat
cot. ohn.m sand il0il a pugili~e eomhal, III
y,f,ah men ge, thei. heads bruised ami 1Irir rlhs
bruEen would tie ahh0rren AMI fephgnanl TO every
visitor 81 refined tasle. 1t would have The reverse
li-ri to what tie gentleman l4tr,t, and lie lid not
5hHa hlri -ncttr i hi ir' "h'tneNdatioh-
,ye ,olie4 lli. ti.o5e from HE 81. i.oni- Weekly
kapuDhvHu, al he beql canduetcd paper, Of
lu Mississippi alley. The discussion nl the Club
timely and pertinent. We have remarked in
I'plf u those who nanAn, a. many now do, that
'' 4Jtle Shows, as 1hev were called 40 wears ago,
lJw Agricultural Fars cannot be made 10 pay
swGhnItt horse racing" and Gambling nece sarily
,l,!ieH thereto, thlt ii snth entertainments be
us-e~sAry 10 make ii pay, then why not introduce
.as-tu entertainments, What some call muscular
Christianity aud Other even gro4-rr exhibitions OF
-HiH4lism or >ensualsm: We saw il lately stated
some paper that Two female pugili-iz--4 variety
ui the srE becoming quite too comlnon We exceed
in4ly Ic3fel 10 say-were ii training for an agrcul-
lur1l fair Why not; il what will pay is To he
liberated. ay, advocated aud pnt INTO practice
It it be believed and can he proved that the true
objects OF our agricultural fairs cattle shows 50
well sci forth by The ee.ayiSl above, have ceased
longer TO attract public sliention, then why nom-
u-lls keep them mp, when, really those attending
lhem nothing for Gum Slock and farm and
3lrdsn products: Why should the Commonwealth
ut Massachusetts pay thousands upon thousands OF
i'Ilar' ont OF Al overbultenel Treasury 10 sup
pott What are nnmnaily called Cattle Shows the
grounds ot which county societies are, in many ill.,
7'ah'e', beroning little more or better than horse
taeIng parks. The fact which came out at the late
-" England Fair, that farmers refused TO exhibit
Premium stock the track in consequence of
"Ateh Tue eAlipitioh Was reported sm they say
ia8, and very peftnently too, thought if their
stock had failed 10 attract visitors to the pens or
stalls when shown, then they should not be to the
trouble and risl, Of taking it our on the track to
show il to those who had taken their position to
Witness the horse racing" Sensible men, we saw
ms feeling among farmers is becoming more
manifest. and justly so, we think. What is the
remedy for this evil. that has become 80 common
ami popular:
As stated above, two of The beat State Agricn
tuf4i Societies, and so far are able to Judge
tLe best in this country, the Illinois and the New
ork state Societies, have never introduced horse
larhg and yet they the foremost State Societies
80 lar a. We are able to Judge, both from observa-
llln and from the results accruing therefronl, as
eyhihited in their able and valuable annual reports.
We Well remember in connection with the New
f7Fk State Society, that popular band of music
onefed TO play within their fair grounds gratis. vet
'he trustees or Board of Managers refused re-
"APkingto this effect, "That we l.ave never found
AZ necessary to add anything to the legitimate OBJ
l-''' vi an Agricultural Exhibition to attract yisi.
'''9 ana we see no good reason now for departno
''"'i "uf usual course; you will therefore annre.
a'e our reason tof declining your generous offer
would that ali agricultural societies too, lilo cop
sislent, high and honorable ground. and ,hoSa that
iannot be supported thereon, let them oo .,o,r,,
he. hal