The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11

country Increased between 1888, the last year Of
the. period of rising prices, and 1893, the year in
which the number OF horses attained its maxi.
mum, from 0,e3s,1 ITO to 1872 1902, a gain of
b,38s, 692, or nearly so per cent.-a rate of In
grease about twice as high as that Of our popu.
latlon. which increased n fraction less than 20
por cent. during the decade 1sS0-1s90. Is It not
obvious, therefore, that increase Of supply has
crease OF demand from tho causes above men.
toned In bringing about the present extraor-
binary depression In pricosi
But to understand tho manner In which the
effect has boon produced. we must look at the
matter a little more closely. or the 5,36s, 6e2
States during the decade 1Ss3-ls83, no loss than
what the department report designates in gen.
nlnsty-nfth meridian. comprised within the
limits of the two Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas,
tories lying between these and the Pacino-a
region which IN 1890 contained but little moro
than ono.eiShth Of our population. .
region as this had ever before been made avail
able to the paetoral industry, for while grazing
agriculture, at any rate from the time when our
easternmost prairies wore reached by tho ad-
vancing tide Of settlement. II could not advance
collision with hostile Indians. The transconti.
Southern Pacific we're not completed until 1883.
erected a vast and sudden change in tho situh-
t t,Gp Up to the year Just named prices wero
irlefinite increase in the number Of animals
that could be raised at a nominal cost on
seemed very short-sfshted policy TO sell any 1.-Two
stock that could be utilized for breeding pur-
during Its earlier stages. the development Of
tho pastoral industry must have been a cause OF
increased demand, rather than increased sup
ply, In the markets of that time, since tho ami
mails takon into tho grazing region for breeding
would fora considerable period outnumbor those
wouiJ bn sra n b eb For ar T h,n Utmgr Pur r,oro H. Mh.rn
markets. Such an excess oidomand over supply
from that particular cause and from the rapid
country may have contributed somewhat to tho
advance of prices that occurred between 1879
tho long depression which followed the panic OF
1873 was doubtless the controlling factor.
Tho fall which appears In the prices for 1885
the sign Of a reaction from extreme and some
what speculative figures, the average. for 1884
the year Immediately preceding. As late as
' isss thS s Average price was stu higher than
Iss3-IsSs. the prices of horses had ruled high
and on TIE Whole steady: In bis report on farm
note the frequent expression OF correspondents
s animal ''' Tse l s2sP. any Ry,D S'hs or fhs at o.
rioultural Department for Kentucky, in his
report for tho same, year. spenks OF ..,the great
Ing TO all parts OF the State, even 10 the noun
tains." and tho agent for Iowa is quoted in the
effect that i breeding horses, raising horses. sell
Ing horses, is the topic OF conversation heard on
every corner Reports OF q somewhat similar
per capita shown by the average for Jan. ]. 1890,
put an end TO the boom in horse raising. 1t did not,
however, put an end to increase OF numbers.
for this continued for a considerable time as a
result Of measures previously taken, including
In many cases the Importation of fine foreign
stock expressly for breeding purposes. Still loss
did 1t put an end to the multiplication OF ami
mails on the Western ranges, for in the States
The Western, Division. comprising Montana,
Colorado, New Mexico, and the coun.
try to the west OF them the number Of horses in
from l,479. 76S in 1859 TO 1872. 523 in
1893, an increase OF almost onethird.
1t is only within recent years that we begin TO
ranges, and IN reports from States east OF the
Mississippi OF Western horses being received in
eI re- numbers though reports from the
ences TO increasing importations Of Texas
ponies. We have seen that. up to Jan. !, 1898,
was rapidly increasing. Since that date it has
declined from ,9s2. 500 to 1926, +02s a decrease
OF Ste'l2l, or nearly IS per cent. These facts
period within which the States anu Territories
OF the grazing region have been pouring their
kets OF the more populous States TO the east
That an increase Of one;third OF the number OF
cured in the four years iss9-Isa3 over
and above the numbers, whatever they may
have been. that were shipped to outside markets
In the mean time, shows how rapid the natural
increase must have been. Had that rate con-
tinued. It would have given an increase Of 657,-
during the four years ls93-ls97, in
stead OF the decrease of $40. l2l which, we have
seen. actually occurred. That is. the result in
tho supposed case would have differed from tho
actual one by moro than one million horses.
Granting that this difference was due in part 10
breeding among horses under control
ON farms. those on ranges forming a larger pro-
or the whole than in any other part OF
the United States would breed as rapidly as
ever; and, after making due allowance for
losses caused by tho indifference and
consequent on low prices, AS well as for
tbs, numbers actually shot in some cases, there
will still remain a vast number whose disappear
ance can only be accounted for on the SUPPOSE
ton that they were shipped TO markets outside
Of tho division named. If now we bear in mind
owing to the boom in horse raising already
mentioned. the markets to which these Western
horses were shipped were well supplied without
these large accessions. and IL we also remember
just about the time these Western ship
tude the country was swept, through lis length
and breadth by a financial panic, VIC shall have
no difficulty in recognizing a combination of cir.
In the horse market ceases TO be a marvel.
II the causes OF, this depression have been
permit IA continuance OF the present low prices.
Already there are reports from many localities
that thna.ttdiIn indicate dsaso, e scarcity Of the better class Of
horses hor sf are Slowing R?9asG so%o " signs .n Of PstsS = .! ' Sas
ohAy, huo a. uloil II IdhetHd
reached its limit, but the extension OF agri-
culture, in the grazing region is gradually
diminishing their extent and still more their
capacity. Since the decline In tho price of
horses began. the area under six of
our more widely cultivated crops. namely,
corn., wheat. oats. barley, potatoes, and
bay, has increased by nearly 27,OOO.O00 acres,
and Of this addition TO our cultivated area over
Ds pei. cent. was in the States and Territories
,omprising the grazing region AS above defined.
And, while the spread OF agriculture thus en-
rroaches upon the ranges and tends 10 diminish
he supply OF horses from that source, il Mt the
time, creates IA demand for them for Use on
he farm. On the whole, there is much reason
10 believe that the depression in the horse mar
has already passed its lowest point.
In former times our exports of horses have
been insignificant. From 1850 to 1873 there
were only five years in which the number cx-
ported had exceeded 5000. In tho fiscal year
ending June 80, 1894. the number WAS 1895:
The next fiscal year II rose to 10, 1884, and in the
one following to %, 1876. In the calendar year
800 The number was still larger by something
Ike 5000 head. or course. even these large
numbUrs are very small IN comparison with our
total supply, hut their rapid growth under tho
stimulus OF low prices Indicates that expectation
would NJ least afford some aid in checking any
decline. especially II war should break
in Europe, But the decrease in numbers now
going on As the result OF diminished breeding.
4 decrease OF ,Si2 1876 horses, or nearly ia
per cent. since 1898, will prove II far more