The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-04
MAKING WAR ON MOBILES Drivers Are Those to
 Object. VETERANS UP IN ARMS Movement Is Headed by Geers and
 Mcdonald. Unsightly Harness Rigging, Has Been Responsible For Nearly All The Fast Marks Made By
 Pacers.

The most astonishing bit of news in the harness world for months past is Tenn, that Lon Mcdonald, Ed. Geers and dozen other drivers who are a part of the Grand Circuit proceedings year after year. have drawn up a docu- ment and forwarded 1t to all grand cir cult secretaries. requesting them not to allow hobbled pacers to start in handicaps that will be the principal features on so many of the seasons programs s.'down the big line" The wording Of the document is as fol- lows;
 We. the undersigned. are glad to near that you are going to give a handicap race for pacers and we be- lieve 1t will be good move. and we further believe that you could add greatly to the race by not allowing g hobbled horses to start. We believe seven out of ten trainers would be in favor of It; we also think the public will be in favor of such a move"
 The signatures attached to the let ter are Lon Mcdonald Ed F. Geers, R. W. Rossmire. H. M. Childs Ed. Benyon. John Benyon. John Dickerson. George J. Fisher. D. L. Dodge. S L. Taylor Shaffer.
 For the past two years or more a war on the hobbled pacer has been brewing. Such veterans of the game as Ed Geers and Lon Mcdonald long ago refused to drive horse rigged In the leg-straps, ani the feeling against pacers of the hobbled variety has rapidly become more intense. Several States have bills before their legisla- lures to prohibit the use of the straps in races where admissions are charged. and 1t begins to look as If the battle was to be fought to a finish soon. Wind shields Were. some years ago. ruled out by the American Racing As sociation and records so tcken were pronounced unofficial. This action was taken because 1t was universally agreed that a windshield was an un- natural aid to the speed of the horse. The same argument is being used in the matter of the hobbies. and when the record is reviewed and the casual reader observes that nearly 33 per cent of the pacers to go to records of 20s or faster were rigged in the straps at the time they took their marks. 1t will be easily seen that the unsightly does not tend to elevate the sport. al- though 1t does aid the horse In an un- natural way to gain greater speed. All of the critics agree that many horses would be good, speedy. useful animals if properly trained to go at the pacing gait when being broken. On the other hand. there are trainers who are in such hurry to go after the money In races that they slap the straps on to and start for the purse money, when. with little more patience and little more training. the same horse would be smooth going. easy gaited pacer, naturally.
 A cry has already come up from some of the trainers who have for years dealt almost exclusively In hob bled pacers. These men are, however In the minority. and 1t is clearly case where the majority should rule.
 As an instance take the case of the wonderful gray pacer. The Eel, 2:02 l-4. that was one of the turf sensa- tions of the past season. Everybody that animal is aware of the fact that he only wears the straps to keep him from Jumping up. in other words. from breaking" Naturally he is as true but of 8 nervous temperament. and go- ing round turns. or in big fields he is apt to go to break" According to Dan McEwen this horse wears the care and training when young this fault could have been remedied. but now McEwen claims to have tried. on more occasions than one, to get the gray horse to go free. with the result that lie breaks" at frequent intervals and would be useless in a race.
 Not only do the straps look ungain- ly and uncouth, but as well they re- duce the price of horse from 50 to 60 per cent Only last week when Fred Upton. known all over as critic and starter. was in Buffalo he took oc- casion to discuss this point with a par ty of friends In the Iroquois Hotel In speaking of The Eel, he said: If that horse didn't wear the hobbies he would be worth from s20,000 to $25- 900. AS he Is. Entricken would have trouble to get $10.000 or $12,000 for him"
 The burning question of the hour In harness circles for some weeks or months to come will be, Shall the hob bles 20 or Stay2'