The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-06-26
HORSES
Are Badly Needed By United
States Army
Horse Flesh Owned By Gov
eFnment Runs Into Billions
Of Dollars

Army arithmeticians are busy
these days; and, in fact, have been
busy for some time, figuring out to-
tails and percentages that war or
threatened war make necessary.
In the first place, it is imperative
that the army shall get pretty good
line on the number of Immediately
available horses in the United States,
At the time of sending troops into
Mexico for the holding of Vera Cruz,
the calvary branch of the army Of the
United States comprised fifteen regi-
ments, with total of officers and en-
listed men reaching nearly $4,000.
Every one of these men of course,
has to be mounted. A large number
of infantry officers also require
horses. And the horses needed for
the artillery service foot up to a big
figure. The total enlisted strength
prior to the occupation of Vera Cruz
was about $4,000 men, and for all
branches of the service, including
hospital attendance, it is likely that
at least 10000 horses were regularly
required.
Now, with 10000 horses, the NOR
tality percentages must be constantly
reckoned with. In fact, it is more
certain than the mortality of the SOL
dier himself. A horse cannot be bouy-
ed up by enthusiasm, and when feed
time comes promise Is of no value
to him. So when the Mexico cloud
arose one Of the busy clerks of the
war department was at once the horse
arithmetician.
Uncle Sans last census gave ap-
proximately as the horse population
of the United States 20,567 900. The
army arithmetician juggling with
percentages needs only one horse in
every 1000 in the country. But as
everyone OF the horses listed is not
the sort Of horses for army purposes
nothing positive can be set down
49,
Some army men have estimated that
'the total available horse population
for army purposes can be set at
about 100000 animals. This would
make the draft on the number for
use in time of peace, or as the army
was before the occupation of Vera
Cruz, one horse in every 100.
The army arithmetician also finds
that the approximate value of the
horses of the United States is $2,-
278,222,OO0, or about $113 a horse.
The 10000 needed for the army
would thus cost Uncle Sam about
$2,26O,OO0. The army figures also
go into the cost per diem for the
keep of these horses. Would there
be any difficulty in getting the full
supply of horses needed and in short
order2 Army men say not The
percentage of availability to need is
too large. or course all of the avail
able horses are supposed to be at
some remunerative occupation, but
when the government wants to pay
good money in hurry the horse
owner can be found almost anywhere
to take the offer up. The gathering
of horses at a particular shipping
point is another item of expense
that mounts up. Whenever possible
the horses are bought near to the
point needed.
The horse census indicates that be-
tween tho years 1900 and 1913 the
horse population increased at the
rate of about 5 per cent yearly. There
were 13,537524 horses in the Uni
ted States in 1900, so that the total
number in 1913 shows an increase of
7,O29476 animals. During the civil
war there was systematic breeding
of animals in certain sections to meet
the demand. The horse casualty in
battle was no small percentage.