98 REPUBLICS 



or the Southerner. But the variation between the seats 

 of the two soldiers in question is not great ; they are, in 

 actual fact, nearly alike. Make a composite photograph 

 of live hundred American and another of five hundred 

 British troopers, and it will be found that the three lines 

 which establish the seat — ^the back-bone, the thig-h-bone, 

 and the shank-bone — will lie with small variation upon 

 each other, wiiile the position on the back of the horse 

 will in neither case be far from the correct one. The 

 low-carried toe merely gives the appearance of a straighter 

 leg ; there is practically the same seat. One advantage of 

 "heels down" is that it lends a bit more griping power 

 to the upper muscle of the calf ; but to gain the ankle-play 

 which is essential to comfortable riding with long stirrups, 

 the foot should be level, so as to yield as much up as down 

 motion. Neither extreme is beneficial. Though I have 

 always been an advocate of the old-fashioned seat, ac- 

 quaintance with many wonderful riders with toes pendent 

 has taught me that this style has its advantages. It ap- 

 proaches nearer the bareback seat than any other, and by 

 far the greater number of civilized equestrians ride with 

 toe rather than heel depressed. 



The Canadian Mounted Police is one of the most effi- 

 cient organizations which exist, and it accomplishes its 

 purpose because it is not interfered with. Its work tells 

 and is appreciated, as the much harder and more danger- 

 ous duties of our cavalry are not. There are some benefits 

 which accrue to the individual from a centralized govern- 

 ment which our own does not so well afford. That a 

 true republic, well governed, is the best of governments 

 can scarcely be denied ; but in an illy or laxly governed 

 republic abuses and hardships spring up as by magic and 

 thrive apace. By republic I do not mean tlie soi-disant 

 republics of the world. I know of but three real repub- 



