The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-09
Race Preiadice and Mules.

A traveller who has teen diligent
observer of the things he has seen in the
various countries he has visited, states
that mules are generally employed in
al places where the inhab tants belong
10 one of the Latin races, but that horses
are used where the people are of the
Anglo-Saxon race. He declares that
climate has very little to do with deter
mining whether mules or horses shall be
selected for doing work on farms or as
beasts of burden in towns. Mules are
very common in all the countries bor-
dering on the Mediterranean Sea, not
tecause the climate is more favorable to
these animals than to horses, but be-
cause the Portuguese, Spaniards, Ital-
ians, Turks, and Arabs take kindly to
them They are scarce in Northern
Europe, not for the reason that the eli
mate is more favorable to horses, but
beca Iss the people are prejudiced against
mules without cause. In this country
he found many mules in the Southern
States, and comparati ely few in the
North. He was informed that this state
of things was due to dihe ence of eli
mate, mules doing better in the South
and horses in the North. He noticed,
however, that the race of the person
using beasts o. burden had much TO do
in determining whether horses or mules
were preferred. He came to the con-
elusion that mules were common in the
Southern and Southwestern portions of
the country for the reason that many of
the people We're of French and Spanish
extraction. Neither they nor the ne
groes had any prejudice against the
mule. Yankees and Englishmen who
engaged in ia ming or transportation in
the South generally discarded mules
and substituted horses in their places.
As in peace so in war. English and
American soldiers dislike to have mules
about a camp and in train. They in
variably find fault with them and gen
eEally abuse them They praise the
noble horse. but give the mule bad
name. II ey declare that the mule is
posse sed OF all the vices but of none OF
the irtues common to brutes. They
accuse it Of bang obstinate and vicious,
and altogether wanting in gratitude, at
lection, Kindness and intelligence. I They
would be heartily ashamed to beat a
horst, but they have no scruple about
pounding and kick ng mule. Nothing
is ever done with a view of developing
the bet Ell qualities in the mule, as is the
ease with the rise. Few seem to think
that the mule possesses any good quail
ties Soldiers in the Latin countries,
however, are partial to the mule.
Strange as it may appear, they pet
mules and they are favorites in the
camp and march. On account of the
treatment it receives it is docile, affec-
tlonate and well behaved Mules do
not have a bad reputation in Southern
Europe or in the neighboring portions
of Asia and Africa. They do not have
as good care and feed as horses do for
the reason that grain and fodder is
scarce, and they can stand much poorer
fare and still endure much fatigue and
do large amount of hard work. There
is probably considerable truth in the
conclusions of this traveller that are
founded on observation. The mule is
not a fayorite among the people OF
Northern Europe and their descendants
in this and other countries. Quite likely
| they have an aversion to it without
cause. If this is the case, they should
learn to overcome foolish prejudice
| that interferes with the economy of such
important industries as farming and
portation.- Chicago Times.