tTHE HORSE. 127 



cases it is very small in amount — so that our comparison with the 

 mother State in this respect is largely in our favor. 



To ascertain the just influence, "financially and morally," of 

 trials of speed upon these societies, or upon the communities in 

 which they are located, is not an easy matter, because so contra- 

 dictory. One or two instances may be cited : The secretary of 

 one society which has abandoned the plan of giving- premiums for 

 trotting, says it is working well and the society has no wish to 

 return to the former method. Perhaps it should be mentioned 

 here, however, that in the town where the exhibitions of this 

 society are held, is a Driving Park owned by parties interested in 

 horses, on which trials of speed take place two or three times in a 

 year. Another official manager of one of our county societies 

 says, "Every dollar we get from the horsemen," as he terras 

 them, " costs us two ;" and a third says : " It would be impossi- 

 ble for us to run our fairs without trials of speed." These repre- 

 sent the general tone in which the matter is regarded — the sum of 

 them being, if I mistake not : " trials of speed are costly, but the 

 public seem to demand them, and the problem is how to conduct 

 the matter so as to divest them as much as possible of their objec- 

 tionable features, and render them as far as may be, self-sustain- 

 ing: or in other words prevent them from becoming a financial 

 burden to the societies." 



No question has perhaps been more thoroughly discussed by 

 the agricultural and turf journals during the last few years ; or by 

 managers of State and local agricultural societies, than this one 

 of speed at fairs. A heap of writing has been given to it, many 

 arguments have been presented on one side and the other, and a 

 good deal of -good natured wrangling by fair managers, has re- 

 sulted from it : — but I cannot possibly see the difficulties to it 

 which many do. I do not believe it is so hard a matter to con- 

 trol, I believe it may be easily, satisfactorily and fairly handled. 

 To begin with, no fact is plainer than that our people need and 

 must have recreation and amusement : — the community which 

 does not tolerate them in a legitimate way, and the heart which 

 does not rejoice in them to a proper extent, must be a poor, 

 benighted community, and a glum, cheerless heart. Among 

 recreations of a public nature, a well conducted contest of speed, 

 is to most persons a pleasant and attractive spectacle, and I am 

 very safe in saying, experience proves that nothing affords more 

 satisfactory or harmless amusement, provided always, and every- 



