Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1910-09-01

EDITOR Beacon 81 am somuch inn
pressed with raciug and breeding
conditions in st. Mary's County
since my recent visit to Leonard
town. that l am impelled 10 present
some views for the consideration o
all. and especially for the consider
alton Of merchants and business
men generally of the town.
| shall attempt, through the col
umns OF your widely circulated
newspaper TO state my case brief.
ly. The Inhabitants of st Mary's
have. In large sense. inherited the
sport loving instincts of their an.
cessors. This is manifested by the
way they patrouiza contests between
horses. Way back in Colonial days,
Southern Maryland owned and bred
bl 'oded horses; some OF the citizens
OF the section named, imported from
England some Of it's best blood.
The effect Of the blood Can be quick.
ly detected in modern horse-kind,
by persons conversant with blooded
horses.
On this foundatiopal stock II thr, g
and four milers, has. from time TO
time. been grated trotting blood OF
more or less excellence. Without
going too far back. will begin with
old Garrison, SOP OF Orange Blossom.
Z:26 t. Later the blood of Happy
Russell was used. This horse re-
presented one Of the families founded
by Mambrino Chief III. His sire
was Mambrino Russell, by woodford
Mambrino. 2:2l !, and his dam was
the famous Miss Russell, dam also
OF Maud s.. sTpsne only mare, liv-
ing or dead. that has Eve genera
lions In the BIO list, and is repre-
scented By six generations in the 2:3O
list.
Following Happy Russell, and, is
some measure CT incident with his
cunning, came Combs Don Cozine.
2:lO. Within the past year have
been imported into the county. Lord
Bingen and Bedworth Jr., repre-
sentatives Of race winning families.
Now, there you are. These two
horses. and others to come, are ex-
pected TO takeupthe workof strength
ening and vitaizing the blood al
ready 10 existence; and there is not
the slightest evidence in sight that
they will not be successful. The
recent meeting demonstrates that
the public will patronize racing when
properly conducted. 1t does not
matter with them so much whether
the time is slow or fast, provided
every driver tries" and drives
his mount as ifhis life was at stake.
What enthuses the public is close
finishes, and to produce this result
horses must be deftly and skilfully
classified.
Betting on races Is q more incid-
ent OF the sport. and. IL not carried
TO extremes adds to its z,st. Bet.
ting is much like strong drink, a
good servant. but q dangerous mas
ter. Betting is form OF gambling
on results, and when the appetite OF
man is once whetted by speculation,
1t is apt 70 grow into q strong pas
SIGN that gets beyond ones control;
hence it's danger. Another prop
osition / lay down is this: When
racing becomes a business, instead
OF q sport, it becomes o public nuts
ance; il passes beyond the bord-
or line Of sport aud becomesa met ace
TO the morals OF community, where
bookmaking and pcolselling is con-
Quoted. The moral sense OF every
well regulated Christian communi-
ty is rising against it, and. in some
states, stringent laws have been
passed against ID. / am well aware
that book making adds to the re.
venues of racing associations; but,
70 do evil that good may come from
10, Is false and q dangerous doc
trine. Lead rs not into tempta-
ton and deliver us from evil, is
the closing sentence OF the Lord s
Prayer. Again: what profit it to
o man. IL he gain the whole world
and lose bis own soul
Having said all this, / pass on to
the object Of this letter, which Ia
an appeal TO the business men OF
Leonardtown. They are as mush
Interested in well conducted race
meeting as those who are directly
associated in getting 10 up. The
meeting brings large number OF
people 10 Leonardtown frem St.
Msry's and contiguous counties.
-