326 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[September, 
RACE FOR THE ALL- WIN PURSE OP THE JOCKO CLUB. 
INTENSELY EXCITING AND GREAT MOKAL ATTRACTION OP THE MUTUAL BENEFIT AGRICULTURAL UNION 
clothe ns like human beings, and we do the best 
■we can to act like men in all the different cir- 
cumstances in life in 'which we see them. We 
find it a very great aid to us in successful imi- 
tation, to study the motives of men, and by 
these we judge of their actions. 
This is what leads me to "write to you, — and 
now to come directly to the point. It appears 
to us that to make people take an interest in the 
things which arc of most value to them, is a 
great art. Thus subjects of no use interest 
everybody, but only the wise among men are 
interested in matters which promise lasting 
benefit to mankind, or even to themselves. 
"We have been repeatedly engaged to perform 
at some of the minor Agricultural Pairs and 
Cattle Shows, and the general features of those 
exhibitions have impressed us most favorably, 
but it seems to us passing strange, while a town 
is full of strangers attracted by the fair, and the 
grounds surrounding are quite crowded, that so 
few people enter the enclosure until the time 
for the horse-race, the balloon ascension, or our 
monkey-show. Onee in, these people see and 
learn a great deal of use to them. In our inno- 
cence, we supposed that the horse-races were 
really trials of speed, and tended to improve the 
breeds of that fine animal, but from what we 
learn from the horses, this is not so, for they 
seldom are allowed to exhibit their good qual- 
ities, being held back or urged forward, accord- 
ing to their jockey's whims, and these jockeys 
or drivers are influenced by pay received from 
various parties, and so make the honest horses 
lose or win the race, not on their merits, but 
according as they are paid by their emploj^er or 
by those inimical to him ; or, as it often happens, 
the owners arrange the race between them- 
selves, and, winning or losing, divide the purse. 
Now monkeys are good riders, and so far as 
they know, they are honest, and mone} r is of no 
value to them; and, besides, being morally irre- 
sponsible, the employment of Jocko for a j ockey 
would prevent the distressing moral corruption 
to which these drivers and riders are subjected. 
Why not then, I ask, employ monkeys and apes 
at these " agricultural fairs " more extensively ? 
Moreover, as this racing, instead of being ben- 
eficial, is injurious to horses, we would suggest 
the employment of dogs, as less liable to injur}', 
and answering well, with monkey-riders, the 
sole purpose of horse-races, as conducted by 
agricultural societies, — that of drawing a crowd. 
One point more : — In many parts of this coun- 
try it is very discreditable to have anything to 
do with the running or trotting of horses, so by 
all artfully selected names the Fair managers 
cover up the real character of the horse-races 
which they superintend. They are, they say, 
" tests of speed," " trials of wind, bottom, and en- 
durance," and simply, the best means for the 
judges to decide upon (lie relative merits of dif- 
ferent horses. This, we see, is all a pretence. 
The truth is, they want an exciting scene, and 
though they regret the betting and gambling 
which always attends horse-races, (at any rate 
after the first year or two,) yet they know of no 
other way to draw a crowd, to fill up their treas- 
ury, pay their premiums, and so do all the good 
they can with their Agricultural Society. The 
employment of us and our dogs will give all the 
excitement, draw the same crowd, and interest 
more people, while it will neither foster gam- 
bling, betting, calling things by false names, nor 
immorality of any sort. Moral or immoral, it 
is all one to us, yet even we dislike to have the 
good people wound their consciences, and play 
the hypocrite to no good purpose. Please ob- 
serve that we require no race-course, but only a 
smooth bit of turf or tan-bark. Where race- 
courses, (called " tracks,") cannot be afforded, 
" female equestrianism" has, I believe, been tried 
with entire success, so far as gathering the 
crowd, (to do them good,) is concerned, but the 
effects upon the females are said to be anything 
but good, from the moral and modest stand- 
point from which we poor monkeys are forced 
to view these things for the reasons stated. 
I enclose a picture of what might, I think, 
lake the place of horse-racing and of all im- 
moral and indelicate shows at fairs. Let your 
readers see it, and then judge for themselves. 
Tours, jocularly, Jocko the Jockey. , 
