The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-03
AUTOMOBILE AND HORSE.

1ndL the nOTSSloS$S' carriage ana Wa
gon have passed from the stage of
novelty and pleasure to that Of utility
must now be conceded The automobile
vehicle for individual use for trucking
and carrying passengers and mails is
no longer a thing of speculation. 1t is,
however, as yet luxury in that the
cost of these vehicles is so heavy as to
preclude their ownership by persons of
moderate means.
Nevertheless it is maintained that if
all things are considered the automobile
is not more costly than the horse vehicle.
Thus if there is taken into account the
time saved by reason of speed secured,
the power gained byrreason of capacity
in excess of that of the horse, it is held
that the vehicle is less costly than the
ordinary run of carriages and wagons.
As for the cost of operation it is warmly
commended that the care, repairs and
furnishing of motive power only about
equal the cost of horse feed, care,
stabling and the incidental outlay at
taching to the keeping of a good ami
NAL
As the automobile is not coming but
is here; as it is no longer a thing to
speculate and doubt about, the ques-
ton naturally arises what will its effect
be upon the use of the horse The an
swer is to our mind not difficult The
horse will, of course, be considerably
less employed when the automobile is
generally in use. But he will not be
abandoned and put out of use On the
contrary, until first class, well graded
and surfaced and exceedingly we'll kept
roads are universal, the horse viii not
be superseded by the automobile The
latter then may be well considered as
another motive pushing society on to
good road and street building and main
tenance.
But the horse will be somewhat de-
graded correspondingly as the automo-
bile advances. That Is to say he will be
relegated, to a certain extent to the
road drudgery, to employment on bad
road sections. This must come to pass.
but it will be very long time before
it is fully realized. In cities and large
towns for driving purposes the auto
mobile will supersede the horse to a
certain extent no doubt But there will
always remain very considerable
group of people who will use the horse
for pleasure because he is an animal of
intelligence and not machine. The
pride in his breeding and exercise will
not decay. On the contrary, he will
become more attractive in contests Of
speed and still greater attention will
be given to his high culture.
The horse will be less used in near
by horseless age than now, but he will
never cease to be mans best friend
among animals, nor will his breeding
fall into decay. At worst it will be
many years before the automobile can
make any very serious inroads upon the
domain of the horse in the country
generally. When it does, shall We not
say that he has earned kinder place
than that he now fills, become more a
pet and pleasure and less a drudge
and slave? AS one recent writer,
who has for the horse the kindliest feel
ing, well says:
Long years of slavery-and too often
abuse-have earned for all equine kind
place in the greenest of pastures. be-
side the clearest of waters, where shoe
Pless and unencumbered, they may throw
up their heels in exultation that steam
and electricity have replaced them;
while they, secure from kicks. blows
and abuse, can give their whole atten-
ton to becoming more intelligent and
happy creatures. For in spite of the
most advanced stage of mechanical pro-
pulsion, while men and women con-
t1nue to be animal-1oving beings, the
horse win never become entirely obso-
lete.
1t is very pleasant to learn by recent
advices that since his landing at Hong
kong Admiral Dewey has rapidly re-
cruited in health, and is already SO
much improved and restored in
strength that his friends are extending