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RACING LEGISLATION IN TEXAS. How the Movement Against the Turf Has Grown in the Lone Star State. It. K. r.ibell. of the State Pair AssiM-iation af Texas, in a letter to the Thoroughbred Record, describes the turf situation in Texas and the events which created it as follows: ■In lPii.i. ■ law was enacted prohibiting book making, poolruoma or any kind of speculation on the race Hack. This law was hrouejit uImmiI By the syudJcate U« ks. which became so intolerant ami 1. ■ noxious to even tile most .mien l advocates of tlu race track aad race horse, that thej omaacd them. We had no races in Tesaa In 1B03 and 1!hi4. When Hie legislature met in .lauuarv r,. this law was repealed .-mil a law enacted permitting open books and pr.iclic.ilh making it compulsory on the part «.f fairs i.i- any pla. -i s where races arete held, to allow am reputable bookmaker to make l ook within ihe race track enclosure dariax the lime of raring and 1 innsi s-u lliat with lew exceptions, this law has never been abused, as races have l«-en contiued stri. ii to eoiinti and state air Is and no meet ings were held of lonsrer duration that two weeks. the exceptions to UiU. however, were ill 190S. »hcii a twenty one day meeting by local parties was trivet in Houston and about a two week one was given in San Antonio by what was known -is the Bid-Winter lair Association, an organization other than the regular fair. but. the rumblings of objections to racing began, coupled with a constant report that race promoters and race track syndicates, which had been run out of other states, had their eyes on Texas. This alarmed the breeders of the aneed horse, both the thoroughbreds and light harness horse as well as all legitimate fairs where races were held, all lieing thoroughly convinced that the sentiment against racial and race tracks, which affected their splendid industry, was occasioned by commercial racing, liook making and poolrooms and they knew that unless some changes were made. Texas would soon lie In the same condition as was so obnoxious elsewhere and that sooner or later, drastic laws would be enacted. F.v direction of our fair management. I visited oilier states in l!M 7 and 1908 to study conditions and to learn the causes. If possible, of the enactment of drastic laws in other stales. 1 visited Tennessee. Kentucky . Missouri and Ixiuisiana and in my report to our directory in July of 190S. l recommended that the system then in vogue ill Kentucky, the pari muliiel. be adopted in lieu of the bookmakers. 1 jvas thoroughly convinced that most, if not all. of tl hjectionahlc features of the bookmaking system. would be eliminated, such aa the tout, the docker an d the bum who follows racing and the owner who undersiandingly with the bookmakers, races his horses. We would have operated under that system in I.mi.s had it not been so stipulated in our law that we Banal allow any reputable bookmaker to operate, and knowing the opposition 1he pari-mutuel would bare from the bookmaker and the poolrooms and that litigation would surely follow, we concluded not to try it for that year. "The two horse breeders associations litre in this slate, the Texas Thoroughbred ami the Texas liar ness Horse Breeders, in conlutntion with many of our fairs of Texas. Where race meets were held. drafted a bill to present to the legislature, limiting racing to county and state fairs and for a period of fifteen days only in any one county in any calendar year ami allowing the use of the pari-muliiel syslem. to the ctiiire exclusion of the bookmaker, ami poolrooms, but before this bill was inlrodiiccd. a more drastic bill was introduced, prohibiting speculation .I every kin. I and making even private betting at races, a violation of Ih. law and prescribing a very severe penalty. This bill had Tieen prepared at the instance of two ministers of this city. -The |hh 1-rooms saw their opportunity, joined in lie opposition to our bill, which had been Introduced, hoping, as a matter of course, to tie up legislation and have nothing done, but seeing that one bill or the other would pass, fought in line and bellied pass the present law. preferring the Robertson bill as they well knew that the pari-mutuel system meant death to them. The breeders and fair people wanting their bill or nothing agreed that they would rather see the whole thing wiped out than to see the books and the poolrooms operate. It is to be seen yet If the nook Minis will cease. I have my doubts aWMt this. I know the fairs will make no contest our the law. pnssil.lv the poolrooms will, but as to the effects of the present law. it remains to be seen. "I do not know what the other fairs will do. but our fair will offer the purses, giving practically the same program as was given in 1908. We have never Claimed to give strictly a race meeting, as our race department is only a department of our fair. Notwithstanding the magnificent facilities we have, such as a magnificent grandstand and the tremendous program we give, only fifty cents admission is charged to the grandstand and no reserved seats. "We feel that it is iir. to us to show the breeders Of the thoroughbred and light harness horse that we will take all reasonable risk and give tliem an opportunity to exhibit their horses. The breeding industry of the speeil horse has grown to large proportions here in Texas in the las! few years and il is unfortunate, to say the least, thai adverse legislation was enacted affecting them, especially is this so for the reason hut Hie abuses so largely complained of else-uh. re should not have been chargeable to them, as they tried ill every way to prevent complaint over conditions obnoxious elsewhere, ever existing here. Ihe war was started and an opportunity was given. a few to get notoriety that they would never have gotten otherwise and Ihe r. suit was many suffering for the personal benefit of "a very few. "I am in hopes sonic good will eaaae out of all this, but just how long it will be in coming it is hard to say. This will show the race promoter for commercial benefits that the public will not tolerate it. it will throw to the pastures and to the milk Basons a lot of horses that are absolutely worthless, and have been freighted from place to place to make till in races to gamble on. None but the best can compete only for purses. This will help the breeder and when the public sees thai these conditions exist, will favor conservative laws allowing reasonable sacculations at race tracks and the turf will airain be back to Hie high standard once maintained and the owner and Hie breeder of the speeil horse will not be ashamed to lead him out to the track, but will point with pride to him. If these conditions are to be brought about, much must be done by our state and county fairs. J
