LIVE STOCK breeders' ASSOCIATION. 209 



breds 640,000. In other words, there are three leading beef breeds 

 claiming recognition in this country that are clamoring for the favor 

 of the American public, the complete number of which, according to 

 the record of the various associations, gives a total of a trifle over 

 340,000. The Shorthorn breed alone has 640,000. In other words, 

 there have been recorded almost twice as many pure-bred shorthorns 

 as all these three beef breeds combined. Now then, we recognize of 

 course that our breed is moulding the cattle of this country in a much 

 larger way than these others possibly can. We have a right to claim 

 that — a right to expect that. The figures of the different records show 

 that ; and the very fact that they have been before the American public 

 so much longer a period of time, gives us the claim to superiority at 

 least in numbers, and the record made at the leading live stock shows 

 of the country, the record made on many a hard-fought battle field, 

 convinces us that we have a breed that is not surpassed by any. And 

 the highest compliment that I have ever seen paid to the grand old 

 shorthorn breed is that the advocates of these other beef breeds, during 

 the past forty or fifty years, in this country, have moulded the pattern 

 of their cattle nearer to the type that was established for Shorthorn 

 years ago and then improved by later breeders. I say this is the 

 liighest compliment that has been paid to the Shorthorn — that he has 

 been taken as the standard, as the model, as the correct type of beef 

 animal. ' 



We recognize the merit of our competitors, and who would not? 

 Think of the many live stock shows where the championship has gone 

 to their breeds! The advocate of the Shorthorn, who would stand up 

 and claim that his breed possessed all the merit, is a foolish man in- 

 deed, because he only places in the hands of his opponent a club with 

 which he himself can be driven from the field. The many live stock 

 shows where the championship has gone to the other breeds show be- 

 yond any question of doubt that they possess very great merit. Now, 

 with regard to these <:hampionships, many of them have been won by 

 grades. When they are won by pure breds, the successful competitor 

 has a right to claim the entire honor. When they have been won by 

 grades, as in a number of our leading live stock shows, then it is a 

 question of dividing the honors. Of course, if the grade shows the 

 characteristics of one particular breed, the advocates of that breed 

 claim the honors, but in many instances, as we have found by analyzing 

 the blood of those successful competitors, perhaps as much blood of the 

 Shorthorn breed predominates as that of the breed that is claiming the 

 honor and capturing the championship. In other words, the Shorthorn 

 cattle have been in this country so long and their pure-breds and 



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