New-York tribune., 1912-02-20
WOULD IMPROVE HORSES
Belmont Speaks for Thorough
bred at SportSman'S Dinner.
TO FORM AN ASSOCIATION
General Wood Tells of Lack of
Remounts Suitable for Pur-
poses of the Army.

night, ana heid the spotHght during the
whole Of the evening in the brilliant scene
fet in his glory. And though other breeds
OF horses were mentioned by some of the
.peakers tho thoroughbred held sway al
The sportsman's Dinner at the Waldorf
Astoria given by those interested In the
turf and field.
The keynote Of the evening was struck
by August Belmont when he spoke Of the
loss TO this country OF thoroughbred stock
caused by the expectation of whole stables
10 Europe during the last few years. and
the consequent result of reducing the
sources from which army horses could be
recruited. lie pointed to the great diff
Guilty of obtaining each year the 125 horses
necessary for the remount of the New York
police, and predicted that soon the cavalry
and artillery would be unable 10 find in
this country the necessary number of
horses for their remount.
To meet this danger Mr.. Belmont sug
gested the organization OF a Cavalry and
Artillery Remount Association. with head
quarters in Washington, and branches in
eli desirable sections of the country When
this motion was put by Horace White the
diners passed il by reclamation
Major General Leonard Wood. Chief OF
Staf Of the United States Army Joined
fully IN tho tribute TO the thoroughbred
horse.
The thoroughbred strain means every
thing 10 our horses in the army" he said
our cavalry horses must have II TO give
proper service, and our artillery horses
need it, too. because they need speed as
well as drawing power
The questions of proper mounts in the
army has become very serious, General
Wood said and in the twenty-six years Of
his experience in the service he has noted
q gradual falling off in the quality Of
remounts. Among the two thousand horses
needed annually the army managed to pick
up a fair horse now and then, he said,
but the horses here were not nearly so
good I'm quality as the European cavalry
horses.
During the last year or two General
Wood said. the Department of Agriculture
had laid out a very good programme and
the War Department was cooperating
with it. But the appropriations made by
Congress. he added, usually carried the
provision that none of the money should
be used for breeding purposes. This re-
fected the shortSightedness Of farmers, he
suggested as they seemed to think that II
the government went into the breeding
business they would lose instead Of gain
The wear and tear ON horsehesh In war
is more han 20 per cent he said. 1T is
difficult 10 obtain 1000 horses each year
now. and unless something is done l think
that during the next war we VIII be with
out horses. and will have 10 send to other
countries to buy them. We have 2,00o,0O
horses in the country now, but ] don't be
leve there are more than 100000 fit for
army use.
Mir. Belmont spoke in part as follows:
When ! had the honor to address you at
our inaugural dinner last year spoke Oh
the serious menace to the cavalry morse
by reason of the depletion OF our thoroush5j
breds. which was then in progress ana
has continued undated. l touched also
upon the general decline. both In quality
and the number, of the American horse
in general. -.
The events OF the last year. not only
confirm all have said. ~ but make II clear
that the dangers OF the nv tutuTe re must all
be disheartened over the lack OF the rear
ization OF this generally. ana sun NOR NOR q
over the apparent Indifference manifested
by our lawmakers and the absence or IN
terest in the subject on the part OF tne
public Must this state of anairs connihueG
until the trouble has reached cIlllcai
uass before a remedy is even thought o.
or are we going to see the danger In iiihe
TO ward off what seems surely aheaa W oL
us and what has been apuy termed Wy
Maior General Wood "a hauohai cdiai'i-
The War Department has sounded note
OF warming TO the State OF SGM ~ lVi nbIomid n
be read by every thinking cltzen.
Mir. Belmont then quoted from the an
nual report of General Wood on the loss
OF thoroughbreds in this country by the
animals being shipped abroad and sus-
costing that the attention of Congress be
invited TO the subject Mr.. Belmont also
quoted from the letter sent by Governor
Dix 20 the safe superintendent Of Agri-
culture on the subject Of furnishing suit
able mounts for the national guard and
police departments, IN which the Governor
asks for q report on the subject with
view to having suite BILE action taken by
the Legislature.
Speaking Of the supplanting OF the morse
by the motor vehicle, Mr.. Belmont said:
The automobile. the auto truck, the aero
-f,isfe.-the trolley, the traction plough, are
audazzling the eyes of the old and youhs,
hxTe no doubt that many. an intelnseI,
civilian would venture 10 assert 10 an am ,iia
officer that in his opinion me au'VtoD1t, ,I,,,e q,
war. with all tine improvements. ho"sNt'
10 automobile has yet been known 10 yuInt
fences and 90 across country uhueI PViA'0
control ..,,
No breeders Of thoroughbreds, trottine
horses and Morgans have common cause
and interest In joining hands ana eaIhesL.s
cooperating with the government IN thIs
natter in every way that lays III ou'
power
Tho Astor Gallery in the Waldorf re-
fected the importance of the thoroughbred.
Well known sportsmen had contributed
their trophies and pictures OF FAMOUS
horses for an exhibition. and the long din
ing room Was decorated with them ana
with the racing colors of the best Known
breeders IN the country. The white oiue
spots- OF James r. Keene looked down al
the diners and seemed to bear approVal N
his enforced absence. Prominent among
the other colors we're those OF the late
August Belmont.
Henry ". Smith was the toas'lhaster'
lie announced that sportsmens library
carefully selected on highest authoillieS:
was TO be presented TO the caValry Pos'S
OF the United States army. TEen ne pro
ceeded 10 introduce one OF the longest hs's
OF speakers ever known at dinner
The only one at the speakers taDIe ho'
scheduled 10 speak was Theodore ~ Nai'
president OF the Western Union
Among those present we're Raymond Dc
mont, Hamilton Hadden. Captain :. w
Fenton. Foxhall Keene. John X. To"nsenu
John T. Ryan Horatio Bain' AcA.-s
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