The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-07-11

THE COMING HORSE.
Belief That H. Will C,lss to Be
a Beast Of Burden,
He Will Be Improved For PuT-
poses of Speed.

There was time when the wiry
thoroughbred of English breeding,
and perhaps the Arabian barb, we're
looked to as the surest means for i'm
proving the common stock of horse
flesh. Consul-General Judd reports
from Austria Hungary that the Amer
lean trotter is now the favorite breed
in use for improving the native blood.
If Austria Hungary cannot do better
than to come to America for this pur-
purpose it argues we'll for the superb
ority of the trotter. As n beast of
speed the distinctive trotter is an ex-
ample of modern evolution. II is not
many years since speed of three
minutes for mile was reckoned good
at trotting gait. Now there is hard
ly farmers son in the country that
does not own colt that "can clip
mile in three minutes, and not turn
hair, " at least so the young man says.
A speed of two minutes is not only
possible, but probable in the immedi-
diate future, and the time may be not
far of when the American horse can
trot alongside the best Derby runner.
With the constant inroads or ma
chinery on the field of the horses use
fulness, n change is coming in the evo-
luton of the animal. Already electri-
city supplants the old horse cars, and
no one is sorry. One need have no
sympathy for the over-burdenod fluid
on n hard grade. An electric van for
pare i delivery in now working in
Lon IN, and is said to be cheaper than
horse power. Promises have already
been made by our inventors of electric
plows, and feasible plans for freight
and produce tramways across the
country on roads hitherto traversed
only by the aid of the horse and mule
are suggested. The old.fashioned
horsepower in running incidental ma
chinery is giving place to the "coming
power"
The coming horse is to be less and
less beast of burden. Many places
there are where horses will con-
tinuc to drag heavy loads of n neces-
sity. The handsome draft horse is
not yet entirely to be dispensed with.
But pleasure driving will continue to
give motive for the improvement of
the trotting horse. The bicycles takes
the place of few saddle horses,
perhaps, but the majority of cyclers
care for horse just as much as before
the silent steed came into being.
Many of them own wheel who
would not own horse, but the wheel,
even If built for two, is not so agree
able after all as holding the lines be.
hind glossy coated, lightly stepping
horse. Electric motors for carriages
are talked of, but they will be expen-
sive for long time yet, and until
their proficiency is somewhat ad-
vanced from the present stage man
oven with n balky horse would be less
helpless in case of accident.
The noble, intelligent horse will not
be lost sight of in the advance of civ
ilization. Relief for the heavier duties
will leave the more energy for the
driving, of which every American cit
izen OF means and leisure is fond.
Whatever question there may be as to
the morality or advantages of horse
racing, the improvement of the trot-
ter has made the animal more service.
able for the legitimate uses of man.
If anyone believes that the interest in
the horse is to give place before the
inroads of electricity, let him attend
some great "horse convention" and
note the attention paid the splendid
specimens of endurance and intelli-
gence there on exhibition. Boston
Journal.