The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-06-25

every noted morse Is protected from pc
ing hocussed" before the race, are
indications enough of the moral stand
ards of the profession. 1t is managed
much more finely now than of old, but
we have yet to see any more signs of
hopesty in it. The whole business is a
game to get somebody's money without
an equivalent-in principle not differ
ing from any game of chance, honestly
or dishonesty played-or from the vii
lainies of the stock exchange.
To trials of speed between horses
there may be no objection; but sepa-
rated from gambling they have never
been found any more attractive than
the agricultural exhibits of which Mr..
Dyer speaks so slightingly. 1t is rather
an indication to us, from his free speech
and evident contempt for all who OBJ
ect to the prostitution of the agricul-
tural fair to the purposes of the horse
gamblers, that the true farmers of Adj
olson county are not in control of its
agricultural society. His hold of the
position he occupies would be rather
feeble, we should imagine, if it were
different.
The truth in regard to the connection
between the horse.gambling element
and the agricultural societies is that
the former has always sought to con-
troll the latter and to use them as tenders
to the larger race-courses, as well as
primary schools, in which to interest
the people in this sort of licensed
gambling. By it hundreds of our peo-
pie are demoralzed and robbed by the
"sharps" who control these affairs.
But that is not the only evil. 1t had
drawn away the attention of most of
our farmers from breeding the proper
class of horses for farm work to breed
ing exclusively for style and speed.
This is curse to our husbandry in
Vermont, hardly second to the dog
curse, which has nearly put an end to
our sheep industry.
We have not word to say against
the Morgan horse. On the contrary,
we regard him as the best general pur-
pose horse in the world. He is great
deal more than fast trotter; but that
is the only quality in him that the horse
gambler values-and the result is that
being bred in that direction chiefly, our
Morgans are not in the line of improve
ment as farm horses. The difference
between the true Morgan and the racing
Morgan is becoming as wide as between
the English hunter and the English
running horse. All the influence of
the race-track in our state is against
good farming, and the improvement of
any of our farm stock-horses not ex-
copied. The business is dishonest
through and through, and being so, it
is harmful to every honest business.
When farmers boy begins to be alb
sorbed in the races, he almost invaria-
bly, begins downward course that
ends in ruin, and often in disgrace. If
the farmers of Vermont were of our
mind they would as soon ally their
fairs with the rum-shop as with the
horse-race. In spite of all the at
tempts to make it look respectable and
to keep out the bad clement" the
evil influence still prevails, and will
prevail. Mr.. Dyer's contemptuous
language and his absolutely false as
sertions are themselves an evidence of
the fact. If he may be fairly judged
by them, he is unfit to hold any re-
sponsible place in a true farmers or
| ganiZation.