FOR PEACE AND WAR. 91 



authorities in Yorkshire," puts in as evidence to the same effect 

 a letter from a friend, who says : — 



"I think you know how I was used last year by the revenue officers about 

 the horse-dealers' license. They write to me week after week insisting I 

 should pay the duty, knowing perfectly well that I was not a horse-dealer. I 

 told them I should do nothing of the kind ; but this Government system is 

 become such a nuisance that we farmers hardly dare sell a horse to each other, 

 expecting to be surcharged for horse-dealing. Now I don't like being hauled 

 up before a Magistrate as if you were a thief ; 1 think I shall give it up alto- 

 gether. My neighbour could have had MHO profit for a horse last week, but 

 only having had him for a month he declined entirely, on account of the 

 horse-dealing license." 



And with regard to the warranty system the same witness 

 is equally outspoken : — 



" If a dealer bought a farmer's horse, and he did not get it sold for a profit, 

 he applied to the farmer, with an excuse that it was lame, or something, and 

 therefore he had to return him ; trusting the farmer would give him i;6 or £10 

 sooner than have his horse back, or have a lawsuit ; it was not so easy to run 

 up and look into the ti-uth formerly as now. 



"But, surely, if a farmer sells a horse to a dealer, and the dealer does not 

 like him, and the dealer sends back some excuse, do you mean that he would 

 not have him examined, or would he send him back anyway ? — I mean that 

 the farmer, sooner than stand the trial and the waste of his money in law, 

 would rather return the dealer so much money than take the horse back. 



" Could not the farmer in the first instance either decline to warrant the 

 horse or insist upon the horse being examined before the dealer bought him ? 

 — -The dealer would not buj^ him unless the farmer did warrant him. 



" Could not the farmer say to the dealer, ' I will not warrant that horse, but 

 you can have him examined by the veterinary sui-geon ? ' — The dealer would 

 not buy him without a written warranty. 



" He would not be satisfied with the veterinary surgeon's examination ? — No. 



" Why would he not ? — Becaiise, when they could get a written warranty, 

 they would not take the veterinarj^ surgeon's opinion. 



" Are you speaking of first-class dealers ? — Yes." 



And here, in one short sentence, are Mr. Hodgson's remedies 

 for the existing state of things, this scarcity which " has been 

 increasing generally ever since he can recollect :" — 



" The farmers to breed, graze, and sell horses like other stock, without be- 

 ing subject to the dealers' license ; buy three-year-old mounts for the cavalry, 

 instead' of four, because it does not pav the farmers to keep them until four 

 years old; do away with the Queen's Plates; and give prizes at agricultural 

 shows for good stallions; or Government to purchase good sound stallions 

 and send them in the breeding districts to serve mares at a low price." 



But after reading through the 350 pages which represent the 

 opinions of these thirty-nine witnesses, among whom were the 

 men best qualified, perhaps, of any throughout the length and 

 breadth of England to speak on the subject, it seems to us that 

 the keynote to the whole question was struck by Mr. Parrington : 



" The simple fact is that the demand exceeds the supply. 



