The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-19
WAR HORSES FOR
THE PHILIPPINES.
Uncle Sam is Borrowing Them From His
Neighbors in Canada and From the
South for Fighting in the Pacific.

The President has called for volun-
teers for the Philippine campaign, and
soon the transports of men and horses
will be setting out from the coast of
is determined upon-from the eastern
gates of the United States.
The question of horsefiesh is one that
engag es the time and attention of the
army authorities, for the campaign is
to be conducted on the most modern
lines.
Strange as it may appear" said one
of the United States attaches of a
Western port, Gin this day of bicycles
and electric and cable cars, and the
consequent cheapening of horsefesh,
there is more difficulty in procuring
Suitabl remOuntS for the cavalry SerV-
ice now than at any time since the war.
This, too, in the face of the fact that
the Government pays good price for
horSefiesh.
Last year and the year before, when
tens of thousands of horses that had
been demanded for street cars and the
saddle remained uncalled for through
out the United States, the new mounts
for the cavalry cost the same as in
the previous ten years. From 1868 until
about 1880 thousands of horses were
brought to us for purchase that more
than filled the requirements.
1.-THE reason was that the demands of
the war had shown horse breeders in
Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and other
big horse breeding sections of the coun-
army use, and the good, fat prices paid
for such horsef1esh stimulated activity
in the raising of cavalry horses.
Then came the days of fabulous
sums for crack trOtters and runners,
and the fad for immense draught
horses for show purposes among brew
ers and wholesale grocers in the cities.
1t was natural that horse breeders
should turn their attention then to win
ming some of the prizes in the trotting
and draught horse markets.
I'VE often pick out a horse that
ssThe horse that passes muster with
the present horse boards in this country
is the shOrt-cOupIed brute, and the one
that has strength of bone and big mus
cles about the upper legs and backbone.
The farmers everywhere in the Middle
States have a great number of horses
that would suit our demand for army
horses, but they have seldom paid any
attention to our advertisements for ami
mails, so the horse boards have got the
habit of looking elsewhere.
In an active Indian campaign a cav
alryman and his horse are called upon
sometimes for march continuing,
with only an hour or two rest, for sew
eral days and nights. Civilians have
little idea of the endurance that both
man and beast must have in a long
campaign in a hostile Indian country
In Indian warfare the cavalry is in
dispensable. I have had something to
do in Indian campaigns, from the Rio
Grande to the British line, and have
never seen a time when a strong, we'll
drilled cavalry was not constantly nee
eSsary. The Redskins never attempt
outrages near an army post, and they
always plan to escape on their horses
Immediately after their raid. I cannot
recall an instance in which the Indians
did not have a big start of the cavalry.
Horses for the Philippines need to
be well broken, for there is always dam
ger of ambush. That is the principal
point with them; they must be gentle
and willing. The question of endurance
is not so great a point, for there is