The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1921-07-21
CONGRESS APPROPRIATES A QUARTER MIL.
LION DOLLARS FOR HORSE BREEDING.
Money To Be Spent Under Supervision of Army Officers To Raise
More Thoroughbred Horses for Cavalry Purposes.
OTHER GOVERNMENTS SPEND MUCH MORE. +

Realizing the necessity Of govern
ment interest, supervision and partici-
patton in breeding of thoroughbred
horses, II the United States Is to take
her rightful position with the other
countries of the world, the United
States Congress has made an appro-
priation Of a quarter of a million dol
lars to be expended in horse breeding.
While this Is very small amount
when compared with the millions Of
expenditure made by the governments
Of England, France, Italy and Spain
In this work, 1t Is being effectively
used to enlarge the number of thor
oughbred horses suitable for cavalry
mounts.
In explaining the plans Of the
United States government for the
breeding Of more and better horses.
Col. c. e. Hawkins, Quartermaster's
Corps, United States Remount Service,
says: rrF
"The world war brought out the fact
that the National Defense demands,
not only thousands upon thousands
of horses and mules, but horses and
mules Of good breeding. Quality and
breeding in the horse and mule is
what gives them the staying power
in danger and emergency, as well as
for the less spectacular, but not less i'm
portant, service In connection with our
agricultural and commercial pursuits.
What Is true in the man is true In the
beast. Courage in the soldier we call
morale. In either case the quality is
that OF the will to stay when threat
ened by the common instinct to falter
which means failure and defeat.
"The United States Is the great
horse and mule market Of the world.
Our allies depended upon us for the
major supply Of their war horses and
mules. Thousands upon thousands
were sold to the British, French,
italian, Belgian, Greek and other
governments. The supply that could
be sold was limited only by the ships
available for their Transportation
abroad, and by the fact that rations
were naturally Of the first import.
"The first cry from abroad was for
men, then for foodstuffs to feed their
millions Of soldiers and our own men;
next came the demand for ammunitions
the stuff that made the hellish fire
that raked the enemy; his theatre of
operations and his lines of communi-
cation. On the heels of the call for
theses necessities we had the one for
the war horse and the war mule, in
quantities never before approached.
"Automotive vehicles were used in
great numbers. Yes, that is true, and
it will be true in the future. But war
and the horse and the mule continue to
be inseparable. The great military
migrations Of the past-those, indeed,
of civilization, itself-are so linked
with the horse that his production and
improvement may be said to have been
co-incident with them. Motive power
has not killed the horse and mule in
dustry. Every member Of the species
has valuable and important place to
fill, motive power to the contrary not
withstanding. The latter and the
filling an important and useful sphere.
"The breeding Of horses and mules,
far from being abated, should be prac.
ticed in the spirit of the utmost op-
timism and confidence. True, the horse
and mule market is upset. The de.
mand, however, for every class will
come again before the colts now bred
mature. All our best informed horse
men, breeders and farmers recognize
this fact and advise doubling our at.
teniion to the work Of breeding.
Meanwhile better horses and mules
should be the aim of every breeder.
We need better blood, more quality;
hence, a more valuable animal. A well
bred, sound animal, of good conforma-
ton and quality Of any class, will al
ways bring a high price and a hand.
some profit to the breeder. 1t is the
scrub or ordinary animal that loses
the breeder and farmer money. The
scrub eats as much forage and takes
as much care as the high class ami
mall and one has nothing at ma
turity. The progeny Of high class,
pure bred stations, that have proved
their courage, endurance and speed In
competition, and selected farm mares,
will bring the breeder an increasing
profit as the time goes on.
1.-THE Government is backing the
production Of these better horses and
mules. This work is being accom-
plished by the War Department
through the Remount Service, under
the Quartermaster General Of the U,
S. Army.
"The last Congress appropriated q
quarter Of million dollars to further
these plans. The project also is being
backed by an auxiliary society Of the
Remount Service, known as the Ameri.
can Remount Association. composed OF
army officers. civilians. breeders
farmers. ranchmen. horsemen. owners
of race horses, drivers and riders