HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



467 



Between the years of 1834 and 1840, covering 

 the time when the Royal Agricultural Society 

 of England and New York State Agricultural 

 Society established their fairs, the report of 

 the Smithfield Club shows that the Herefords 

 took thirty-five premiums, amounting to 465 

 pounds sterling ($3,325) ; the Shorthorns took 

 fifteen premiums, amounting to 230 pounds 

 sterling ($1,150). 



In 1839 Mr. W. H. Sotham brought an im- 

 portation of Herefords to Albany, N. Y., and 

 nearly every Shorthorn breeder in New York 

 State quoted Youatt against him, and the en- 

 tire Shorthorn interest of that state fought Mr. 

 Sotham from the start, .compelling him to ex- 

 hibit with discrimination against him and un- 

 der Shorthorn judges. Mr. Sotham had a fight 

 at that time, with justice and merit with him, 

 but was overpowered by numbers and beaten 

 by such men as H. S. Randall, Lewis F. Allen, 

 Ambrose Stevens, backed by such men as E. P. 

 Prentice, C. M. Bement, Stephen Van Rensse- 

 laer, George Vail, J. M. Sherwood, and others, 

 and these used the New York State Agricul- 

 tural Society to aid in this defeat. 



If my success with the Herefords had de- 

 pended upon the introduction of them among 

 the Shorthorn men, who were aided by the Illi- 

 nois State Agricultural Society, I would have 

 likely found the same result that Mr. Sotham 

 did. I, however, took my field among the breed- 

 ers of the plains, and their acceptance of the 

 Herefords secured the success of the enterprise. 



The Smithfield continued to show all breeds 

 in competition up to and including 1851, when 

 the Shorthorn men took the management of 

 the society, "covertly and by storm," changed 

 the showing from the old plan of showing all 

 breeds in competition to class showing. From 

 1840 to 1851, the Herefords had taken sixty- 

 five premiums, amounting to 920 pounds ster- 

 ling ($4,600), the Shorthorns had taken thirty- 

 seven premiums, amounting to 365 pounds 

 sterling ($1,825). During these years, say 

 from 1800 to 1851, Hereford beef had sold on 

 the London market at a higher price than 

 Shorthorn beef by one or two cents per pound. 

 And during all this time the results of careful 

 trials were published and accessible, showins: 

 that Hereford beef could be made at from 15 

 to 30 per cent cheaper than that of the Short- 

 horn. These are facts accessible to Shorthorn 

 breeders and editors, and still they make claims 

 that ignore them; and societies that are sup- 

 ported by the State funds give special encour- 

 agement to the Shorthorns and discriminate 

 against other breeds Is it singular that I 

 should not honor men that will put forth claims 

 that the entire record will condemn ? 



Your correspondent, Mr. T. C. Anderson, 

 under date of November 1, 1880, m an article 

 to the "Kansas City Indicator," says: "What 

 authority has Mr. Miller for saying that the 

 Hereford will graze and feed at less cost than 

 the Shorthorn, and when fed are worth more 

 money ?" Any breeder having been engaged in 

 that Jsusiness as long as Mr. Anderson should 

 understand the history of the cattle he breeds, 

 and the breeds with which he competes, better 

 than to put such questions — he ought to be bet- 

 ter posted in cattle history. He may be ex- 

 cused, being a breeder, for making the best 

 show he can for his breed, as a lawyer may be 

 for quoting law and facts that will favor his 

 client. But you occupy rather the position of 

 the judge. Your position may be termed a 

 judicial one, and you are supposed to stand as 

 the instructor, and not as the advocate. 



You should know the history as the judge 

 should know the la,w, and when the advocate 

 presents his case you should not give a verdict 

 ■by silence or endorsement that will work an 

 injury to your readers. I am aware that the 

 position I have taken is revolutionary. I pro- 



GEO. W. RUST. 

 Eminent Shorthorn authority. 



pose it shall be, and had I not the facts to sup- 

 port my position I might be written down a 

 fool. And it becomes you to look well to 

 precedent before you commit yourself to claims 

 that have no basis in equity. 



Very truly, T. L. Miller. 



