The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-02-20
LOVERS OF HORSES
NOW BAND TOGETHER
United States Cavalry and Artillery
RemOunt Association Formed
at Dinner.
AUGUST BELMONT'S IDEA
To Help Preserve the Thoroughbred
Enthusiasm at Big Affa at
the Waldorf.
AUGUST BELMONT'S IDEA

The second annual dinner OF men in.
tereeted in turf and field in America was
held last night in the Astor Gallery OF the
Waldorf Astoria. when moie than 200
took part in the organizatio of the United
States Cavalry and Artillery Remount
/ Association. the purpose Of which is to
take steps to further the breeding in this
country OF horses suitable for artillery
and cavalry purposes Maior-C'en. Leonard
Wood. Chief Of staff of the army. made
one Of the principal speeches of the eve
| ming in which he drew attention to the
lack Of suitable horses in this country for
army purposes as compared with the sup
ply in other countries.
F. Sturgis. who introduced the reso-
luton by which the association was or
ganized amid cheers, nominated Gen.
Wood as president Of the organization,
and he was elected, with full power to
name the other officers and to formulate
the rules for the or rganization. August Bel
mont. president OF the National Steeple-
chase and Hunt Association. said in the
opening speech that Col Theodore Roose-
welt had been informed of the purpose
would be willing to act as one OF the vice.
presidents. and it is likely that he will b'
named
The settings of the dinner we're fitting.
Around the walls Of the dining room
and in the corridors outside were pic
lures and photographs OF horses and
subje related to them which had been
lent for the dinner. and in the room also
we're gold and silver cups Of almost price,
less value. the relics Of hunt meetings
and races OF the past. On the walls were
the familiar colors Of the stables Of James
r. Keene. August Belmont. Stephen San
ford. Thomas Hitchcock. Perry Bel
mont, John 4. Madden. Harry w Smith,
J. Z. Widener, r. H. McCotter Potter.
William Garth and other owners Of racing
stables.
Harry W. Smith. master OF the Grafton
Hunt at Worcester, Mass. who had much
to do with the organization OF the dinner
was toastmaster and introduced the ma
jority Of the speakers by means OF stere-
opticon slides. At the guest table with
him in addition to Gen. Wood and August
Belmont were Major Henry T. Allen
Eighth Cavalry. U. ). A.; Horace White
Devereux Milburn. Paul d. Cravath
F. X. Sturgis. Perry Belmont, Theodore n
Vail. Capt. E. +. {. Sowerby. British En-
bassy at Washington: Major W. A. Wads-
worth. Oakleigh Thorne. Charles ". Boe-
worth. Robert A. Fairbairn, Charles X
Harrison, Redmond G.. Stewart OF Balti'
/ more and William Du Pont of Montpelier
ca, all of whom spoke on subjects con-
,Ncted with the turf and field.
At the tables were Raymond Belmont
MajortGulick. W. G. Hayes. Bronson Rum.
sey, Herbert n. Straus, W. j. Clothier
Newlin Haines, Ivan Fox, Harry D. Hol!o.
way, f. Il. Carle J. Watson Webb, Johr
I'd. Chetwood smith, Il. &. Cheney. b
c. Sands, Frank J. Binsn. Lieut.. Rock.
well. Arthur Seldom. Schuyler Parsons
H. 4. Oxnard. Andrew Miller, Capt Fen.
ton. Mitchell Harrison, 4. B. Legare. a
Howard Ford, Fo1hsl keene. VI, Howard
West. David Gideon. William Garth,
John F. Ryan, John E. Madden. II. C.
Hallenbeck. Andrew Crawford. Joseph
W. and Chester Burden. II. y. Page. L.
erick W. Allen, H. A. Bourne. l.. Victor
Froment. Charles Fowles. Grant c. Hollis
ter and Mantsgu LaMontagne.
The diners represented all the leading
hunt clubs in the East, the delegation
from Baltimore alone numbering six
teen. One feature OF the welcome by
| Harry W. Smith was the announcement
. Of the presentation OF an extensive
library to every cavalry post in the United
States. the cost Of which is to be betrayed
fby the majority of those at last night $
dinner. This library is to include books
ship" Racing and Steeplechasing,
Riding and Hunting" and on miscella-
neous subjects. The list OF books has
been submitted to all the experts in this
country and Europe and to Col. Roosevelt
as we'll. 1t includes subscriptions for
five years to the leading English and
American sporting magazines and peri
odicals.
In his opening address Mr.. Belmont
: said
When had the honor to address you at
our inaugural dinner last year spoke OF
the serious menace to the cavalry horse
by reason OF the depletion Of our thorough
breds which was then in progress and has
continued unabated. touched also upon
the general decline both in the quality
and the number OF the American horse
in general. The events OF the last year
not only confirm all ! said but make IL
clear that the dangers OF the future we're
understated
The question before us surely is, after
all, what do We intend to do 10 combat this?
tlearly one answer is that active sup
port should he given by citizen organiza-
} tions TO the efforts OF the Government. both
through its Agricultural and War Depart
ments. to hetter existing conditions and
give intelligent direction TO the breeding
of horses in the localities best suited 20
raising horses and on lines profitable 10
breeders. That the nited States Agri-
cultural Department is throughly alive 10
this is evidenced by the excellent circular
referred TO above. which was prepared by
George NJ, Rommel, chief Of the animal
husbandry division, entitled. The Army
Remount Problem" and another from the
same pen. dated April 10. 1911. entitled
Breeding Horses for the nited States
Army"
A most interesting article was written
n the September number OF the Nme-