402 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



lathers sold them al good round prices. Now thai industry has all 

 gone out of the country. 



I would like to hear now from some of our friends, whether they 

 think Ihis is practical or not. Our good Governor, who is so much 

 interested in farming, and all industries of Ihis kind, perhaps might 

 lake (he matter up it he could be convinced of its importance, and he 

 might be inclined to amend his proclamation so as to cover this sub- 

 ject, as one of the specific matters of legislation to he acted upon at 

 this special session. 



MR. CHUBBUCK: Mr. Chairman, I just want to second Mr. Hutch- 

 ison on that, and I believe it is perfectly feasible. We have now 

 in my own county one of the Belgium draught horses, a very fine 

 animal weighing some sixteen or eighteen hundred; one of the hand- 

 somest animals I ever saw. An organization of farmers bought this 

 horse as an experiment, aiid I think they are going to make it pay. 



The CHAIRMAN: We have the pleasure of having Judge Beaver 

 with us at this time, and I know that you would all be glad to hear 

 from him. 



ADDRESS OF GEN. JAMES A. BEAVER. 



Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: I have no theories on this sub- 

 ject, but I have a little practice. I believe rather in the man who 

 practices than in the man who preaches. I went into the French 

 coach-horse business once myself with nineteen of my neighbors. 

 We paid $2,100 to the gentleman who brought a single French coach- 

 horse into the county. We got five per cent, off for cash. My share 

 cost me $95, and I am satisfied that f 1,500 if not $1,600 went to the 

 man who sold it to us. We stood him, and I think I had two colts out 

 of him. We were to have a colt a year. I got two colts; we kept 

 him at our farm without any charge, and in about three years they 

 began to call on us for a contribution for his keep during the winter, 

 and about two years later he died. I am afraid your experience 

 might be similar. Now that horse had a good groom, was carefully 

 cared for, was looked after every place he went by some one that was 

 interested in it, and if vou turn mv friend Hutchison's horses over 

 to the County Commissioners, I think they would die inside of a year, 

 and the State of Pennsylvania would get about ten cents' worth of 

 horse-flesh for all that she paid, and not a cent more, because we 

 had practical horsemen looking after our purchase, and I am satis 

 tied that we didn't get more than about ten cents' worth of horse- 

 flesh as the result of our investment. 



I do not believe there is any industry in the world that pays such 

 a percentage as the man pays who indulges in it — in the purchase 

 of fine breeding stallions, as they are called, that are brought into 

 this country and sold at high prices and they are never worth what 

 you pay for them, and unless 3 t ou could get the State to engage 

 in the purchase of horses where they are bred, and get into rela- 

 tions in some way or other, with the countries that breed them, I do 

 not think it would be a success. If we go into the open market to 

 buy in France or Normandy, or Belgium, where our French coaches 

 and Belgian horses are bred, I do not think we could make a success 



