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WESTERN OWNERS MALICIOUSLY CRITICIZED. The nastiness of insinuation in the following-criticism of westerners and western methods is shown In strong colors by this extract from the New York Sun: " Will Barlngo win? asked a tenderfoot, who met a smart guy In the paddock before the last race. " She ought to, was -the reply, but, do not bet until you find out what the western fellows are doing- in the ring." "That seems to be about the size of it on every race. If tlia western crew bet on a certain horse It Is the signal to follow suit. If the western bookmakers lay against a favorite It is the general belief that It is wise to stay off. Many alleged tricks have been pulled off here by the western people, who have the reputation of, being able to get the money, no matter what measures must be resorted to; but so far as is known It lias been impossible to fix the blame for some of these alleged frame ups upon anybody in particular. But It may be well to state that the turf governors have their eyes peeled and that at the first sign of double dealing there will le a wholesale roundup. "The Jockey Club has always been an advocate of clean racing. Die sport lias been free from jobliery ever since the Percy-Gray law was passed. But wltli. the influx of western owners, trainers, jockeys and bookmakers, who lielleve in syndicate methods. It cannot be denied that there Is much dissatisfaction from day to day with the methods of certain persons who have been practically driven out of racing In other states. If the turf Is to be perpetuated in New York jstute It Is believed that the Jockey Club will be compelled to exert even greater vigilance in future than in the past, else the game, so profitable now, will be harmed beyond ail cahjulatlous." The malicious intent Involved in the foregoing and plain, bu has go. little foundation, as to v simply wearisome. Fortunately it only comes from the crossgrained imagination of the human snapping turtle, who wrote It. The men of influence in racing down east, those who wisely guide the. affairs of tlie Jockey Club aud the big racing organizations, know the worth of western owners and gladly welcome their presence and patronage and rightly enough. Good and wholesome men are they and when the east hangs up good, big money and says: "come and take It;" they go after their share manfully and get It by virtue of the speed of their horses, honorably pitted in open competition with the best of their kind that may be brought out In opposition. As an incident they probably do despoil the New York bookmakers now and then, but what does that matter? Is there an eastern owner who Is not strenuously essaying to do the same thing as occasion offers?
