APPENDIX. 555 



indexes were to be published; correspondence was invited; and, as a 

 cardinal principle of polby, gambling in any and all forms was to be un- 

 compromisingly fought against. This last detail of policy Mr. Wallace 

 rigidly adhered to always. He opposed public betting in any form and 

 under any pretense, and believed, and acted up to the belief, that if racing 

 could not be maintained without betting it were better that grass should 

 grow on the tracks. The first number of the Monthly contained a 

 descriptive article by " Hark Comstock," and some selected matter, but 

 was chiefly the editor's work mostly concise historical matter, dealing 

 with the early progenitors of the trotting breed. 



"With each number the Monthly strengthened, until soon it had gath- 

 ered around it the brightest writers in the country. Notwithstanding this, 

 however, the editorial department was always its strongest feature, and it 

 rapidly became a power in the Ian 1 . Among the earliest contributors were 

 "Hark Comstock" (Peter 0. Kellogg), always a fluent writer, and one of 

 the most versatile special pleaders on horse topics known to the turf press; 

 Charles J. Foster, the gifted "Privateer," whose work, from a literary 

 standpoint, was oftentimes a model of finish; " Yah Amerikanski" (Spen- 

 cer Borden), and "S. T. H." (S. T. Harris), both brilliant, especially in 

 controversy; H. T. Helm, Levi S. Gould, and many others prominently 

 known in turf literature a quarter of a century ago. 



Spirited controversy early became a feature of the Monthly, and in these 

 passages-at-arms the editor was generally found taking a leading hand. 

 As a writer Mr. Wallace was always above all things forceful. He fortified 

 himself in theory and fact amply, and his style was so direct, yet compre- 

 hensive, that every shot told, and even those who disagreed with him were 

 forced to read and admire these spirited discussions. Mr. Wallace more- 

 over early impressed the public with his uncompromising honesty, and 

 with the fact that, above all things, he had the courage of his convictions. 

 There was no dodging issues, no dallying or compromising with humbug 

 of any sort; a spade was called a spade, and no consideration of "policy" 

 brought a note of indirection into the Monthly's editorial pages. The 

 personality of the editor was ineffaceably stamped on his magazine, and 

 its influence became potent for good far beyond the limitations of mere 

 circulation. 



The magazine became quickly the leader in thought on breeding sub- 

 jects, and hardly an advanced idea that to-day prevails in this field of 

 literature but can be found first suggested in the Monthly. The first 

 taole of trotters under their sires was published in Wallace's Monthly for 

 1877; the standard was first suggested in its pages; the pacer as an origin 

 of trotting speed was first advanced in February and March, 1883; it was 

 the first to formulate and advocate and put to the test a scale of points for 

 judging horses; and above all it was the power that educated breeders to 

 an understanding of breeding on truly scientific principles, and brought 

 about an acceptance and appreciation of the laws of heredity as applied to 



