Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-07-26
PLEA FOR THE TURF.
GEN. ABE BurosD on rae PLArroRl

Horse Racisg and Christianlsy Nos Jneom-
patibls.-Hew g Abolish Gambling
ssd Other Evils OF tho Turf.
General Abe Buford, the celebrated
Kentucky turfman, who has recently
Joined the church, lectured Tuesday even-
ing to . small audience at Hershey . Music
Hall, Chicago. on Church and Turf. -
Ex. Governor Hendricks, of Indiana, was
among the listeners. Mayor Henderson
introduced the speaker, WHO spoke in SUBJ
stance as follows:
Il am by birth and education turfman,
and I come mere as Christion turfmen to
assert that there ought not to exist any
antagonism between the church and the
turf. It is by tradition alone that the
church is opposed to the turf. Tho cause
of the antagonism arises from the fact that
ministers Of the gospel do not understand
tho relative positions of turfman and .
sportsman. A turfman is . gentleman who
owns soil, breeds and trains and runs and
trots his horses to develop its speed and
endurance. A sportsman is . gambler,
nothing more. A turfman lives in the
country. God set man above all the ami
mails of the earth, and one of his duties is
to improve and develop them. The horse
is spoken of in the most sublime passages
Of the Bible. The prophets say, ''Ths
glory Of his n0strils is terrible" All
through the Bible tho horse is spoken of
as brave and powerful. The advance of
the church to-day may be justly compared
to . troop of thoroughbred horses with
their trappings hitched to the chariot of
the Rev. De Witt Talmage. In America
there is, properly speaking, NO turf, but q
race course instead. The best specimens of
horses are to be found in the blue grass
region of Kentucky.
The speaker then advcrted to racing in
various sections and said that the Lexing-
ton association was managed by Chris
tians and no gambling was going on. This
association differed from the speakers
views in allowing running, but no trot-
ting. His reasons for supporting the turf
are that horses are common defence for
the country, and contribute to the pros
perity and happiness of the people. The
cavalry and light infantry are the strong
est arms of the service, and the greater
speed and endurance . horse has the more
efficient he is. Our progress West
depends on the horse and the machinery
of to-day is estimated by the strength of
the horse. The evils of the turf are its
surroundings of gambling, fraudulent
running and scatching at the start. These
evils Christians must suppress. The
speaker then showed up three modes of
gambling-auction pools. Parish mutuals
and book betting. These evils might be
lessenel by introducing in the charters of
jockey clubs feature organizing such
clubs as banking institutions and making
it penal offence for any officer or agent
of the club to be guilty of fraud. The pool
box must be removed by legislative en-
actment and jockey clubs regulated like a
board of trade.
The pardoning power of the governor
must be taken away in cases of gambling.
This would be its death blow. Racing is
not an abuse, for through it tho horse is
made prince of and is treated with kind
ness. Scratching is robbery and means
should be taken to prevent it. 1t is il
liberal to say a turfman cannot be q true
Christian. The turf has its abuses, but
abolish the abuses and purify the turf.
The proper position of the church on
amusements is to leave them 20 the indi-
vidual consciences of each member. The
duties Of Christians are positive. They
must be active for good and against evil.
They should make money, but not abuse
it. They may own and trot or run horses,
and must not only steer clear of attendant
evils, but oppose them, aud the turf will
be ennObled and Christianized.