412 



to exist, taking all branches as community, sport would receive out- 

 ward assistance greater than it does, and manifestly it would be th& 

 better able to resist the attacks of its enemies. Without a combination 

 of the sort, of will come some of the iwincipal branches of the parent 

 tree, and that within, perhaps, a very short time ! 



No doubt we have many in the land who don't, or won't, tak& 

 a liberal view of anything, being by nature, conviction, contrariety, or 

 some other more or less unrighteous influence, stone blind to the general 

 weal of the populace. With this class of people there is little use in 

 arguing. Fortunate it is, however, they are in such a very small 

 minority that they cannot bring adverse influence to bear to any appre- 

 ciable extent. 



We have in other spheres those of the humanitarian element to deal 

 with. In them, like all those who hold fanatical notions, we find 

 bigotry and intolerance which are so difficult to be got over. These-- 

 parties assert that nearly all our sports are more or less attendant with 

 cruelty. Perhaps in some of the details a few of our sports may be= 

 deemed somewhat cruel, but they are far away less so and are much 

 more to be admired than are some of the pursuits which these priggish 

 humanitarians themselves patronise and sustain. 



While granting that pain is given at times when engaged in hunting,, 

 shooting, fishing, football, boxing, wrestling, polo, cricket, golf, cycling, 

 archery, croquet, tennis, peg-top, tip-cat, and playing marbles, none 

 except the most biassed and benighted can contend that the means does- 

 not justify the end. I am not aware, however, that the majority of 

 those holding so-called humanitarian principles refuse to wear sealskin 

 jackets or to decorate their hats with stufi'ed birds and waving feathers. 

 Yet to procure them the most atrocious cruelty is practised in capturing- 

 both the harmless seals and the lovely songsters ! 



As I said in Chapter ii., instead of interfering with the national 

 sports of our country it would be better for these people to join together 

 and strive to put down the barbarities which their own patronage 

 encourages, and include in the category dog and cock fighting, badger 

 baiting, coursing bagged rabbits, and shooting trapped pigeons, also- 

 wage war against tippling and gambling. In a crusade upon such 

 righteous principles they would get assistance from sportsmen. 



Now, a man who would be wantonly cruel to any animal deserves 

 the severest punishment that can be meted out to him. I certainly 

 would do to him what he had done to the poor beast, bird, fish, or 

 insect. But sportsmen are not cruel. If a man is cruel he is not a 

 sportsman, even though he may be able to hold his own in every 

 branch of sport. He may be a " sporting man," it is true, but he is 

 nothing better than a brute. 



The general weal of the country, both politically and socially, can- 

 not be obtained and maintained without circulation of money. Nor is 

 it necessary that individual prudence should be observed in carrying out 

 the object. Circulation pure and simple is what is required of money,. 



