Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-29
knights of the RiObOns--JOhm sp1an.

In his No. 6 of his pen sketches of
''Knights of the Ribbons" in The Breeders
Gazette, NJ. t. Grattan pays his respects to
John Splan who is to guide the Midway
string to victory or defeat this coming sea-
son, from which we extract as follows:
"Other able and noted knights are
awaiting their pen pictures; so to shift the
scene and focus another character make
way for the irrepressible Splan, the gentle
man who does not drive in Chicago, When
horseman thinks of Splan he also thinks
of Rarus. would not give cent for a
driver with a irst-class horse who does not
in his inmost soul believe that when the
sign comes right he can down the world to
an even hitch. The sign for Rarus and
Splan was in the ascendant for
many a day, and the latter thinks it would
not have waned up till the present had the
partnership not been dissolved. While IN
many things it is my province to differ
materially with the commodore's new
driver, in this we agree. Rarus, but for
his enforced retirement, would still be
king. Splan is another ready driver who
gets hold of new horse quick. l saw him,
same race one day, make most marked
improvement in him, while his tenacity in
cIinging to a good one, in hope that he
will become the best, was demonstrated III
the persistent effort made with Wedgewood.
| Splan's life and education have been strict
~ in the line of his profession, and he
is very proficient in all its details. At
the same time he is bright, cheerful and
not offensive in his manners. These are
among his good qualities; what he lacks
| is a rugged independence and sense OF
| LOYALTY that will enable him to turn his
back upon the men, or rather birds of prey,
who lay in wait for all who occupy posi-
| tions of trust. From his early life and
surroundings it is not to be wondered at
| that the grand gentleman who beseiges his
victim with studied care as to his most vul-
nerable points of assault should have
found weak places in the armor Of Splan's
resolution as we'll as that of many another.
The driver who attains real eminence,
who exalts and ennobles his calling, who
makes the trotting- horse power
in the land, is the one
who always wins when he can;
who resolutely refuses seat behind horse
that is not to be driven to the front. The
name of such a man is a name to excite
enthusiasm, to draw a crowd, to command
respect and win the affections of the PEG
ple Such man does not need suave man
ners; his tongue may be vinegar-tipped,h e
may bristle like the porcupine to all com
ers-the mantle of incorruptibility will
cover all this and much more. Why is the
name of Hiram Woodruff cherished to-day
by the masses over that of any driver llV-
ing or dead? Because he would never ride
behind when he could ride ahead; beca use
he would not hippodrome; because he
loved honest sport and gave the people
horse race every time. When he lost, peo-
pie knew the reason why and were con-
tent. So much suspicion has been engen-
dered that occasionally driver is CEN
sured unjustly; but hold that man who
deserves confidence will, in the long run,
get it, and that the public verdict is gen
orally a righteous one. 1t is one, too,
from which there is no appeal, and no
reversal of judgment can be obtained
save by honestly deserving better opin-
ion. 1t is not only bad form to sheer at
this public tribunal, it is suicidal and a
| blow at the sport we love SO well. There
are rich men who order their horses driven
| lions, who constantly mimic the tactics
of some poor devil of an owner
and driver whose poverty offers a
palliation for the fraud. l have such
| man in mind now, the head of a
great commercial house, bank president,
| railroad director, al owner of endless
properties, whose instructions to his
dri0ers not to win if given to the public
would make his name infamous. Does he
wish to have it done? More than once my
pen has been dipped in gall and STEPPED
| in wormwood to draw such a picture of
him and his class as would bring upon
them the contempt they deserve. Not an
Indictment of generalities, but specific as
to names, times and places, with evidence
that will be as startling as convincing.
Splan's new employer is happily not of
| this class; his sole policy is to win. He
has lavished his money like a prince to
give the public honest sport. The driver
| he has selected for 1888 is energetic and
competent; he has had rich ex-
perience in racing complications, and
| if he proves as loyal to the Commodore as
he did to 'Pop' Conklin, there is a great
future in store for the Midway stable.
Splan will have Witherspoon and Minnie
R. steady as clocks before the year is out.
Won Arnim will be great horse in his
hands; to my notion he is the best one of
the lot. The only show for jug is to get
back into races again; in that way he may
recover his speed. Splan's temperament
is we'll adapted to the management of Gem
as well as the other nervous, fighty mares
in the stable. There is nothing morose or
sullen about him. His appearance is so
familiar from one end of the country to
the other that any description seems need
less; but as that is the precedent estab-
lished I will not slight him. He is tall,
slim, dark young man, with big, ex-
pressive black eyes, and type
of face that has been called Jewish
in its expression, but which, to
my eye, has Sigh trace of Hebraic origin.
A better chronological guess woald be that
his immediate ancestry was Celtic, with a
remote admixture of Spanish blood. This
type is very plenty in parts of Ireland,
and its counterpart in facial peculiarities
is found among no other people. In this
admixture the stately politeness of the
Spaniard, the big black eyes, the clear
dark skin, the amatory tendencies, are all
appropriated by the ready solvent of dane
ing, mercurial Irish blood, and behold we
have a suave, ready, active person, with
mental and physical qualities that will
IS,I-o 1Iooo Gov Cuob ;c