Evening Journal

TO RACE FROM
OCEAN TO OCEAN
Kentucky Horse is to Match
Arabian For Army
Honors

WASHINGTON, May 6.—Kentucky,
"the home of beautiful women, fine
horses and good whisky," has a champion who does his state honor in the
person of General John B. Castleman,
the noted Civil War hero, former adjutant-general of the state and acknowledged by himself as an authority
on all three of the products for which
Kentucky is famous. General Castleman has arisen in defense of the reputation of the Kentucky thoroughbred as to durability and an all-around
splendid and serviceable animal, as
compared to the horses of the Arabs.

Several weeks ago Homer Davenport,
the cartoonist, who has been a
fancier of Arabian horses the last several years, he having personally imported a large number from the sands
of the Arabian desert, proposed to
the War Department that one of his
horses be given an endurance test to
demonstrate the qualities of the Arabian horse for army purposes. Mr.
Davenport stated that he would be
able to prove the superior qualities of
the imported horse in this respect over
those now used by the army. After
the proposition was duly considered it
was accepted by Major-General J.
Franklin Bell, Chief of Staff, who detailed Captain McCabe, stationed at a
western military post, to make the
test. The trip is to be from Silverton,
Ore., Mr. Davenport's former home,
to Morris Plains, N. J., where Mr.
Davenport has his horses.

In a letter written to Secretary Taft.
of the War Department, General Castleman bitterly resents the claims of
Mr. Davenport that the Arabian horse
has qualities superior to any American
breed. Such a statement is not only
unpatriotic, according to General Castleman's view, but displays a lack of
knowledge of "the real American horse,
the Kentucky thoroughbred." The
general is willing to stake his word
and honor, as well as judgment, on the
result of a contest between a Kentucky
horse and the Arabian.

Secretary Taft took the subject up
with General Bell and they considered
it from every point of view. They did
not wish to authorize a competition
that might lead to real old-fashioned
Kentucky horse races, so the proposition was put up to the President.
According to the White House view
it was a fair proposition. Let the best
horse win. So the contest will be pulled
off. Just when has not been decided,
as Captain McCabe, with the
Arabian horse, will be ordered to postpone the start till General Castleman's
fiery steed can join him. This animal
also will be ridden by an army officer,
and each will carry the regulation
equipment for cavalry marches. The
entire military service, as well as the
horse-loving public in general, doubtless will watch the outcome with considerable interest.