The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1901-07-10
STILL WANT TT RSES<
Wars h Other Countries Have
Raised q Fresh Demand.


'The big prices the United States
government finds itself compelled TO
pay for mounts for its cavalry, and
their scarcity, make horse breeders
and dealers feel like kicking them
selves for their lack of foresight, and
that glimpse into the future could
not have been had several years ago."
said South Washington horse dealer
to Star reporter recently.
"When the bicycle fever caught the
people where the collar catches the
horse, the breeders of that reveref
friend Of man threw up their hands
in despair, and fell in line with the
other wiseacre prophets who chimed
about the passing of the horse, and
like rot, until your ear ached. They
stopped breeding, sold off their stock,
grimly sat down to await the inevi-
table crash, and to witness with tear
full eyes. the aforesaid passing
"But the horse refused to be passed,
and balked. There were two OF three
years of stagnation. Then the clouds
of war between this country and Spain
gathered, and with them came an in
creased demand for horses and mules.
This demand steadily increased, and
former breeders and farmers found
themselves unprepared to meet il.
''The dream of the passing of the
horse proved iridoscent. Following
the Spanish war came the war in 4 he
Transvaa.. and the demand. already
stimulated. Increased to nnprtcsdent-
Ell proportions. Mule breeders and
horse raisers found the mselves objects
of tender solicitude on the part Of the
agents of the British empire.
And now to cap the climax comes
the army reorganization bill with its
provision for the new regiments Of
cavalry. and 20 abundant supply Of
horses for the cayafrymem. These
regiments must be placed in commits
sion at once, and horses are an inn
operative prerequisite. Following in
the wake of the agents of Great Brit,
ain are the agents of the war depart,
ment. who are literally begging snit-
able mounts ut the formerly unheard-
of price of $125 and $1a0 each. as
against $40 and $50 a few years ago.
st is my opinion that there is no
danger of overriding the horse-breed-
ing business for some years to come.
If the long-eSpected European war is
not in sight. it looks as if good tele-i
scope might discover the date, and
whether it materialiHes or not, the
state of preparedness deemed neces-
sary by the different countries will
cause stiff demand for horses which
cannot be supplied at home, and their
agents must look TO us for the supply
precisely as did Great Britain.
''1f there is war in the east the
price of horsefiesh in this country will
go up high. 1t takes from four to five
years to turn out good cavalry
mount, and breeders who have not
kept abreast of the times had better
wake up and increase the output Of
their stock farms.
There are many good stock farms
in Virginia and Maryland from which
we get good proportion of horses
for the Washington market. There
are lots of other farms in these states.
which are now scarcely self-support.
ing which could be devoted to stock
raising to advantage and profit. As
side issue horses are easily and profit
ably raised in this climate. | made
trip among some of these farms re-
Gently lookink up horses for our city
trade. and had great difficulty in find-
ing the stock ! wanted. Instead Of
writing about the passing Of the horse
for the lack of occupation by reason
OF motor vehicles. il would be more
appropriate to chronicle the scarcity
of the animal by reason of decidedly
heavy and healthy demand for his serv-
ices in this and other countries. and
the immediate prospects of still
greater demand. 1t it keeps up, cav
airy mounts will go to $3.50 to 5000 each,
almost as much as well-bred horses sell
for at auction"
EnRlfah Cr0wmr a~A wn~.a-. Fl