The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-06-14
Plant OF The kentucky Colonel.
[From Cincinnati Times-Star.l

FROM CINCINNATI IlmeS-Star.
In the course of the trial Of Col
Thomas Buford, who had expressed hi.
disapprovai Of an adjudication made
by the Kentucky Court of Appeals by
shooting to death the chief justice, i
seemed to be desirable on the part OF
the defense to establish a lack of men.
tai poise. The task was made difficult
by the fact that Col. Buford, while
erratic, lwas a very strong minded man.
Equally cratic, equally strong minded
but much more sweet tempered was
Col. Abe Buford, brother. AS a
witness the latter was asked if he had
ever noted anything about Col. Tom
to indicate lack of mental balance, to
which query he responded: ''Yes, he
once told me he knew as much about
race horses as l did,. The court
recognized the point as well5taken.
This is d bit Of history, but it is il
Illustrative. Down in Kentucky public
sentiment is expressing itself in vocif-
erOus protest against protracted rae
ing. At first blush this might be taken
by the initiated as evidence that the
Kentucky colonel had lost his love for
his racer and his racing. Not so. 1t
isn't because he has, but because ne
mas not that he mourns this modern
departure. In it he recognizes the
reign of sordidness usUrping the reign
of sentiment.
Since Kentucky was a mere county
of Virginia, her sons have bred and
run thoroughbreds. But it was for
pleasure and not for profit. The spring
meeting was a gala occasion, the
autumn one scarcely less so; both were
brilliant social functions, drawing to-
gether the cream of the BEae Grass
and the Pennyroyal, the lowlaads and
the highlands.
Racing was sport, the sport of gen
tlemen, a game Of gameness and skill
and judgment in which brain and
stamina and squareness controlled the
tourney and sentiments ruled the realm.
1t was a game fair women loved to
watch and men loved to play for the
very zest of seeing the best victorious.
And who can say the horses loved it
less. But it was a game limited to two
brief meetings each year at each point,
Students of conditions tell. us that
the trend of times is toward CONNER
cialism. Racing has become bust
ness. That which was pleasurabEe
pastime has become q profitable profess
sion. Just in proportion as it has taken
on Importance to the poolroom and the
bookmaker, it has lost in interest to-
the people of Kentucky as people.
Hence the protest of Kentucky against
continuous racing over the State cir
cult is less a wave of moral reform
looking to the elimination of the sport
than it is an expression OF sentiment
looking TO it's establishment anG
future preservation as a sport. 1t is
rather a protest against the greed of
gambling than against the game. 1t
is a prayer for redemption from the
era of the sport by re-establishment
of the era of the sportsman.
Just as much as OF old does the Ken
tuckian love his race horse and his rae
ing. What he deplores is that he no
longer owns the one nor controls the
other. Nor has the heritage passed to
his sons in direct line. There are yet
Abe Bufords in the Blue Grass. The
Harper spirit that always runs them
from eend to eend'' is by no means
dead. Paroles, Harry Bassetts, Long
fellows and McChorters there may be-
And that is why Kentucky thinks thai
little reform of her racing just now
would be good thing.