The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-13

! of nerforming the duties expected of
them The contract system has tended
to discourage the horse breeder OF the
country, as the money paid him by the
contractor, after much haggling, WAS
ofDen very little more than the cost OF
raising the horse. There has been no
incentive for breeders, even In the best
naturally endowed sections, to breed the
TYPE of horse that the army needs.
Again, in recent years, the demands for
heavy, draft animals for farming pur-
poses, the high prices that these ami
mails are bringing, the fact that they
cost no more to raise. and bring even
a higher price, although blemished, has
had further bad effect upon the breed
ing of the desired saddle type. Even be-
fore the present high prices of all horses
and the higher price for the draft horse
existed, the breeding of the type consid-
cred best for army purposes received an
other severe setback by the adoption Of
electric and cable street railways and
the extension of the trolleys. While not
generally appreciated, the best rail-
readers" as the horses used for street
cars were called In the market. were
the very kind that made the best cavalry
mount. This horse was desirable for
street car purposes because of his en-
durance and his Willingness to work.
The contract system received its first
serious setback, from the contractor 9
standpoint, when the army, due to the
clamor for better mounts. insisted upon
a closer compliance with the contract
specifications and rejected more Of the
horses presented by the contractor. The
sudden rise in the price Of horses further
embarrassed the contractor. and the add
ed difficulty of, obtaining horses to pre-
sent for inspection caused many of the
contractors to fail in their deliveries.
made others reluctant to bid, later led
to the impossibility of obtaining horses
under this system in certain sections.
and finally led to authority being given
by Congress for open-market purchases.
This method, while apparently little
more expensive to the government. had
the advantage Of eliminating the middle
man, giving the breeder all the money
which the government was willing TO pay
for horses. and giving the government
value received in horsehesh. The latest
contract price of cavalry horses Is
s1SS75; for artillery horses, s2lS.70.
We have thus far. in a fragmentary
way, presented to the readers of the
Sunday edition Of The Herald the plans
and purposes of the United States gov
breeding remounts for the army. II
they succeed in improving the 'breed OF
the horse, and at the same time produce
the type of remount needed for efficient
service. they will have accomplished a
great work and added to the wealth OF
the nation We have thought that II
would be better policy on the part Of
the government to raise It's price for
remounts of the kind needed. and thus
encourage the farmers of the country
to breed them. But there are two broad
sides to this great subject The ordinary
farmer Is hardly fitted 20 grapple with
so profound breeding problem, and. in
too many cases, he is Indifferent TO it.
On the other hand. the government,
through its trained officials. can dedI-
cate itself to a single purpose along
scientific lines and accomplish. sooner
what is really needed-practical results
And, personally. we wish 1t all the tri-
umphs 1t has set out to accomplish.
j.. r. Crawford. of Baltimore, located
in 1872 at this point. has presented to
him this year greater opportunities to
make lasting reputation than falls to