Annual Meeting 1107 



inspecting these horses. I have sometimes thought that the 

 Abnighty must have created the trotter as part of a special plan to 

 direct the development of the American people. I hope I violate 

 none of the proprieties when I say that as a nation we are the 

 noblest, bravest, kindest, most enlightened and most progressive 

 people on earth, and I can express my admiration for the American 

 trotter no stronger than to say that he is intensely and character- 

 istically American. He horsed our cavalry fifty years ago and 

 performed feats never before recorded in warfare, he hauled the 

 guns, he worked the farms, and he made New York an agricul- 

 tural state, for the American trotter has always been and always 

 will be to a large extent the American farm, horse. There is no 

 task on your farms that he will not perform ungrudgingly, faith- 

 fully, quickly, and skilfully; because he has more courage, better 

 wind, offers greater resistance to heat and cold, has less bulk to 

 nourish, more intelligence, activity, beauty, and all around quality 

 than any other breed offered for your consideration. All the 

 world comes to buy the American trotter because he is the best 

 horse in the world, and so acknowledged by all who are competent 

 to judge and honest enough to tell the truth. 



Me. Husox : The address of Mr. Toman completes the formal 

 addresses this afternoon on this very interesting subject. We 

 have a little time that can be devoted to a general discussion of 

 some of the features of these addresses. 



You will notice by the program that Mr. Akin and Mr. Morse 

 have been assigned to lead this discussion. That does not mean 

 that it is to be confined to those two gentlemen; it is open to all 

 of you equally with them. Their names were placed upon the 

 program to start the general discussion because they are both 

 farmers, and I think are both breeders within the State of ISTew 

 York. ]S[ow the meeting is yours for a short time at least, and 

 wo will all have to be exceedingly brief, for I have no doubt a 

 considerable number of you gentlemen will desire to have a 

 word to say in regard to some of the arguments advanced here 

 this afternoon. As Mr. Akin's name appears first upon the 

 program, I will ask him to take just a little time in defining his 

 view. Mr. Akin. 



