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NEW ORLEANS RACING OPINION President Barnes Talks About the Future Legal LegalOpinion Opinion and the Betting Question On the heels of the announcement by President avo Iarnes of the City 1ark track of New Odeaus the Picayune of that city says saysAll All tlie local turfmen arc of one mind concerning the future of racing here Public sentiment as in all such tilings will govern them to a great extent and tins lieing the ease it looks very much like racing for many of tins1 winter weeks when the city Is crowded with visitors seeking to escape the rigors of the frozen north and at the same time craving the recreative excitement of the races racesSpeaking Speaking for myself and many of my associates I wish to say positively that we will make jio effort to conduct u meeting here if we are to be made tar ¬ gets of abuse and condemnation by the alleged re ¬ formers and the press declared I 11 Barnes yes erday There will be little or no prolir in it for Ihe parties who have their money invested in the Iwo halfmilliondollar plants here There will be little enough incentive ten times less than caused Ihe owners of the big eastern tracks to go ahead iccause the crowds attending the j jort ort simply for the sports sake will naturally be many times smaller smallerAccording According to the present plans tentatively made locnl turfmen will buy or lease the interests of out ¬ side turfmen who already regard the racing game as dead in Louisiana We will tHcn see if a resur ¬ rection cannot be accomplished without treadlng on anyones toes for nobody taiideny that raclngls a headline attraction to thousands of visitors who would not otherwise visit this city in the winter winterPersonally Personally I do not believe the hotels restau ¬ rants and theaters would do much If it were not for tlie attraction offered pleasnreseekers during the winter in the shape of good racing How many of the big theatrical companies could afford to come here if it were not for the pleasureloving element which habitually enjoys racing and generally spends its money with freedom and unrestraint unrestraintThe The halfmile tracks have hurt the sport here and will probably continue to bring it Into disrepute among a certain class In spite of the legislation re ¬ cently gamblingBut enacted to prevent gambling But we propose to bring a fairly good class of horses here if all goes well and both tracks will have their meetings City Park and the Fair Grounds GroundsAbout About the betting question the Picayune says saysLocal Local lawyers agree that while the Locke and llunsjcker measures prohibit the operations of bookmakers the use of handbooks selling of pools or betting by the French parimutuel system neither measure prevents the making arid recording of bets between individuals The antiracing people left oiKii a gap for the benefit of racing a la county fair and It is believed that the big tracks here can offer good sport in the way of races and at the same time offer their patrons perfect security in laying bets betsDuring During the hot fight which preceded the passage of the Locke bill by ail exceedingly small majority Mayor Martin Behriuan headed a large delegation of New Orleans hotel proprietors restaurant owners and business men of every description which went to Baton Kouge and exerted their influence as far as possible in air effort to prevent the passage of the bill They went before the lawmakers assembled and entered a strong plea for the salvation of rac ¬ ing but without success Since successSince the passage of the socalled deathtorac ing hill some of the most brilliant legal talent has advised interested parties that the Locke bill was in many ways an ineffective measure no matter how well intended it was to prevent race track gambling Mayor gamblingMayor Behrman gave out a statement in which he defended his position saying that his light against the Locke bill was mainly because it was ineffective and would lead to more disgraceful abuses of racing practicedHe than were already practiced He said that the number of police about a track would have to be doubled in case a meeting was held because of the gap left open for individual betting which might he taken advantage of by many unscrupulous persous and lead to trickery and fraud It was pointed out that the Cordill measure regulating racing was the safer saner and the superior superiorIt It is now about certain that if there Is any racing on the big tracks next winter it will again he in control peopleA of local people A syndicate is being formed by capitalists of this city merchants and bankers to lease the two big tracks from their present owners In ownersIn years gone the Fair Grounds vere controlled by citizens of New Orleans and the City Park track was built through money furnished by many merchants of the Crescent City A clash between the two tracks resulted in the saj of the Fail Grounds to outsiders and the small stockholders and some of the big ones too were glad to get out of City Park ParkThen Then the war was declared off and for two years both tracks have made money The past winter much opposition developed against the two tracks and some followedIt antibetting legislation followed It is said that a proposition has been made to local men to lease the tracks at a fair rental and for ilia sport to be controlled by flu people of New Orleans and the deal will bo made this week Racing was carried on experimentally Saturday ami Sunday last over the halfmile Suhurhau track which is in Jefferson Parish on tlie outskirts of New Orleans The experiment could hardly be voted a success The attendance was scanty few people caring to witness inferior horses contend for 100 purses No iwokmaklng was attempted and the sheriff and his deputies had no betting to suppress If there was any betting it was private and so not noticeable Although it is claimed that this style of racing will be continued it is difficult to perceive why
