Evening star., 1921-06-05
I ENGINEERING that many of our
,, public men of the past have
Y been lovers of horses and have

been lovers OF horseS anu nave
delighted in horsemanship-
Washington. "Old Hickory" Benton.
Randolph of Roanoke, Henry Clay.
Gen. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt
seemed a matter not without interest
to ascertain whether the present mas
ter of the White House is so inter
ested and how many of his cabinet
members are.
The President is a sportsman, but
horseman he is not. Mrs. Harding rep
resents the White House in that re-
spect. A few years ago she used to
own a very high-spirited horse. Al
though other matters of recent years
have prevented her from taking an
active interest. she still is as enthu-
siastic over horses as ever
There is one cabinet member whole
neartedly a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FAN.
The things that happen down on his
stock farm in New Mexico are his
chief diversion; scientific horse-breed-
ing his chief delight. He is Ken
tuckian by birth, and goes to Louis
willie every year to witness the Ken
lucky derby. He impressed the writer
as being able. if he chose. to ride a
mustang while that animal was strik-
ing poses and executing steps that
would delight the heart OF classic
dancer. When the writer told Secre-
tary Fall that he wished to know how
much interested he was in horses, the
Secretary paused while lighting his
Phil Dwyer and knew horse rae
age-the age of August Belmont the
elder. James r. Keene, James B.
Aaggin, the Dwyers and others. Be-
fore replying to the question, his ex-
preston for just the Hash OF sec
ond seemed reminiscent. and the
writer wondered if he were thinking
of that hot summer afternoon almost
thirty-hve years ago, when Salvador
i'won from Tenny. the swayback." by
tho proverbial eyelash. and the shout
ing of the frenzied spectators was
like the tumult of oontending armies
There are 700 horses on Secretary
Fairs farm. The native stock of the
Surrounding country-range horses
is an Improvement on the mustang.
obtained by breeding the mustang to
any better breed available; and, al
though the result is a horse with good
stamina. it is stunted. This can De
overcome by stiil iur'nor .nd orons Sacrat.rv 10
Fails stock farm is accomplishing
lust this. He has in all $50 saddle
horses. There are also percherons.
He recently lost percheron staliioh
in a fire which DESTROYED two oarns.
A short time ago he shipped from
! Washington a thoroughbred stallion.
When asked his preference for
mount. Secretary Fall replied: "A
ouarterbred of saddlestock Weighing
from a thousand to twelve hunoreo
pounds.
| snent mart of his life actively out
of doors, an interest in horses on ms
part seemed possible. The writer mac
| heard him, during the war, deliver an
address upon some OF the problems o.
| enErossing him then. He sat BY "a.
Bile with notes at hand and talked to
| his audience concisely, directly, Win
| out establishment: DID he enjoy
| good cigar? Doubtful. Would q funny
| story reach him? Fun had traced m nc :
! light in them was grave. But he does
| enjoy a funny story. and the Iouow-
! ing 10 submitted to prove that ne sees
! the funny side Of life for all his
gravity. In part. it Is MS response 20
| a request to know now mucn ne IL
I interested in horses.
| "In 1895 1 spent my vacation as an
| assistant on the United states geo.
logical survey. Among other duties
| acted as disbursing officer for party
| eouipped with a considerable number
| OF pack mules and the usual packers
! The work was conducted on morse
| back with the aid of pack mules.
Under the rules Of the survey al
| that time any loss of horses had to
/, be accounted for by aftidavits as to
the cause of death. and unless these
/ laffidayits were satisfactory to the