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LOUISVILLE MERCHANTS PROTEST. Chairman Chinn of the Kentucky Racinq Commission Doesnt Think It Reasonable. bouisrille, Ky., March I. The Retail Merchants Association ol this cltj baa asked the Stale Racing Commission to make a reduction in the dates for meetings at Churchill Downs and Doaglaa Park. but Chairman .1. P. Chinn of the Commission, Bays link : i.i reqtn si w ill be granted. Churchill Downs was allowed thirty iays for a *pring i -ting wl li the understanding that Douglas Pa -:. is to have thirtj days In the tali. The Mer chants Ass la t Ion Is of the opinion that fifteen days .ii each track during the year i~ sufficient. This Is what Chairman Chinn lias to say on the mh.jo. ; : lie Racing i iiimission is open to suggestions from any quarter, and the protest from the mer chants of this city ill receive courteous and earnest eon deration. As I understand the matter "lie gentlemen who hare signed this protest are opposed to long race meetings and to the -gambling features, which thej claim are detrimental to their business Interests. 1 do not believe that these gentlemen would put themselves on record In this ■way ll they had full knowledg the situation in this state tnd were in; rmed • •] what the Racing Commissi. c |ms .1 ,,..• the uplifting of what most Kentu . to be a royal sport. To begin ■with, the i - must, under the law as set out In Section ■. .-sign ... racing issociation at least fortj days In each year, if desired, for racing ■ I such as s ,,-i.ii i,,u • "Both Chun- 111 Downs and Douglas Park tracks arc under the la entitled to forty days each which ""il mak . ■ racing In all. Toe gentle men controlling these associations have consented • ■ reduction I twentj days In their allotment to nieet the verj protest which the Retail Merchants Association has trained after the dates have been grant* d to I Ik ■ •■ : acks nndi r the law. 1 Prep ire : le hill I i tt create I the Racing mission. It was direi llj In line with pro ests ol oilier states against excessive r. ing which bad fallen Into Hie hands of men who were making a mi rchandise of a noble sport. W have taken racing out of the hands of the associations lo the extent that we demand lean high-class Kport, conducted ou au absolutely fair basis, w Ith all frail Is eliminate A. We have the authority to refusi license to anj association that does not liv, ■ j | . to the biw. and ii i- our purpose I led.l tliem to the strictest ac m lability. The result has alreadj been exeellcint, for where there ".:l l»rai ; ally tiuUOUS racing last year. | iilarly at Latonia, with three bug meetings In Louisville th commission has succeeded in cutting the dales he ■ in b ilf, and doing a similar • at Cincinnati. ■ i race track be expects to bet a few dollars on the races, It would be a ii.il son ..i business it a man simply bad to s, i and see a hunch ol horses run around the tra * without having a itcrsonal interest in the result •" ourse. you i in call II I..., ause all wagering is a form of gambling, hut ! do not regard II is a crime II it would either wreck a mans fortune or damn his soul. There is more money lost and won in the bucket shops and commission bouses that line Fifth and Main streets In Louisville In one month than is won and lost on the race tracks in Kentucky in on,, year, and yet we hear no protest iron: the press, the pulpit or the Retail Merchants A- social Ion. "Of course, I am not permitted to say what the commission will do about this protest. bu1 the racing "ssod . been _ieu their dates and tbev June prepared their stake lists accordingly, and have pra tlcallj entered Unto contracts with horse men and accepted their entrance fees for these Btakes, ! do not gee j,,,u ■,],,. commission could reduce the numher of days, particularly when the law grants to everj association forty lavs- racing. I i-rei that this agitation has come up iust at a time when the Racing Commission vas doing so much to elevate the sp at. "I reel confident that it we are not harrassed and badgered by people who have nor familiarized themselves with ib e situation and with the necessity for this -up. i bsion. thai w e w ill he able to « ■»•:■: • Interest. Irmb liclieve that if the matter was put ... .; .. fi ; n people of the state that the Racing c i bsion nuuM be sustained by a m a i. i ;: dilTi n nt the p Inl of view: Lexington merchants, for example, offei to naj half of all ■J : ■"• -ll;d ;-i the .•! bssion for fen days more m re g n ted them."
