Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-02-14
THE MORGAN REGIS TER.
COLUMBUS ON THE REGlSTERS-(RE-
VIEWED.
From the Western sportsman.l


MIDDLEBURY, VT, November %, so.
Ed. Sportsman In the last issue of
the Sportsman which has reached me
(Nov. l5), note a somewhat astonsh-
ing article under the above head. |
have noticed that when a man who either
knows nothing about what he pretends
to discuss, or chooses to misrepresent
what some person not ashamed of his
name has claimed or stated, he general
ly hides his identity under the name of
some daring discoverer, pioneer or pa
triot of by-gone age. Who "Colum-
bus" may be do not know; but | do
know that every statement of fact in
his communication is false, and every
inference and argument fallacious. The
object of the article seems to be to make
an attack upon Joseph Battell and his
forthcoming Morgan Register. As |
have been engaged, from time TO time,
in aiding Mr.. Battcl in this great work,
and have seen all that he has expressed
in print concerning the matter | pre-
sumo may discuss the questions raised
by "Columbus" without accusation of
ignorance of what affirm.
First, then. Mr.. "Colunbus'' says
81 am surprised at the amount of work
being performed by Mr.. Battel of Mid
dlebury, Vermont, in order that he may
have the glory of establishing new
stud book"
Now beg to assure Mr.. Columbus
that this work is being performed by
Mr.. Battell for no such reason. "The
glory of establishing new stud book
is not among his incentives. He has
observed that at the present day all
breeds of domestic animals are depend
ent to certain degeee on literature.
The Durham, Devon, Jersey and Ayr
shire breeds of cattle, the Mcrino, Cots
void and Southdown breeds of sheep
and the Suffolk and Berkshire breeds of
swine could hardly be kept distinct
without their Registers. In the equine
kingdom we have already stud books
or registers for the thoroughbred, Nor
man, Percheron, and "Standard'' trot-
ting families, and welcome addition
in the Pacing Register is coming. The
more good work in this line the better.
Mr.. Battell perceived that there was no
register cXtant of the Morgans; the
peerless roadster family Of the world
He preceived also that, by the Jealous
of other road and trotting families. and
particularly by errors, wilful and other
wise, of the editor of the American
Trotling Register, and the periodical
running herewith, the Morgan family
was being robbed of its just honors.
unduly preiudiced in the minds of the
inexperienced and thereby unfairly
crippled in the contest for recognition
He believed, and yet believes, that it is
only by putting their merits in print
before the country, and by giving them
register where their breeding can be
authenticated and preserved, as has
been done with other families, that the
Morgans can be placed on fair level
Nltl lHtlI IINdlS anu nave an equal
opportunity before the world. To this
end he has turned his liberal means and
lent his untiring industry and distin.
guished ability. Now who is "Colum.
bus" that he should sheer at Il work
like this?
But Columbus continues: SIN few
years we will have so many registers
for horses that it will be necessary fol
number of men to fit themselves es.
pecially for the work, as lawyers now
do, in order that the blood lines of q
given animal may be safely established
TO begin with, these pedigree experts,
as am pleased to style them, mus,
need IA library whose volumes will eX.
coed in number those of the Congress.
sional library at Washington; and they
will be compelled to burn the midnight
oil in their vain endeavOrs to trace out
the breeding of "A colt foaled in 1886
until they are gray with age. How
pity the men who are to tabulate pedi
grees one hundred years hence. BY
that time it will be necessary to endow
colleges wholly devoted 10 equine lit
erature and horse nomenclature, and
the course will be only limited in length
by the Size of the students pocket-book. A"
1t is more than probable that these