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CALIFORNIANS HOPEFUL OPINION PREVAILS THAT SUSPENSION OF RACING IS BUT A TEMPORARY CONDITION, President Williams of New California Jockey Club Keeping His Own Counsel As to Course Ho Intends to Pursue Hope for Pari-Mutuels. The San Francisco newspapers encourage the idea that the suspension of racing in California, brought about by the passage of the Walker-Young law, is only a temporary condition. The Impression generally prevails that racing has by no means received its death blow in the Golden State, where it has nourished since pioneer days. The following excerpts from the San Francisco Call are of siiecial interest at this time: "While President Thomas II. Williams of the New California Jockey Club lias made no announcement up to date as to his plans in regard to future racing in California, from inside sources it is learned that the president of the jockey club is waiting for the legislature to adjourn before he gives out information as to what he proposes to do. Those who know Williams lest declare that he is not the type of man who will quit without a light and that he will certainly test the constitutionality of the Walker-Young law, which is so sweeping in its prohibitions of betting. It is known that Jerry OShea. manager of Ingleslde coursing park, proposed to hold coursing matches at the coursing sward on next Sunday, but he has declared the meeting off. When he made the announcement that there would bo running there- on Sunday he stated that the matches would be held, but no betting would be allowed. However, it would be a hard matter lo hold such a contest and prevent the spectators from betting among themselves, and under the present law the racing association would be liable even If it did not recognize the lietting features. "The Williams and OShea interests are similar and the two men are very friendly, so it is reasonable to believe that they wilL have an understanding iu regard to the course which will be pursued in making the test. It wouhl pot be wise to make a move too soon, as it would give the solons an opportunity to go further with their stringent laws. "The Walker-Young bill is sweeping in Its -scope and the police will bo kept busy gathering in violators, as the poolrooms are still running. - Several arrests have already been made and the police calendars are likely to be filled before long with violations .of the Walker-Young betting law. The poolroom men of this city are talking of testing the law on their own behalf. They may beat T. II. Williams to it. "The prevailing opinion of racing men and admirers of the sport seems to lie that racing is only temporarily eclipsed and that it will be going again within two years, if not sooner. The sport is popular. The people like it and want it. and it is a hard thing to kill a pastime that is In popular demand. Racing without betting would be a farce. It would be impossible to conduct race meetings without betting, but the Idea is to eliminate the betting feature as much as possible. "There have been many features to the old system of racing which have been a big knock to tho game, and if these evils had been remedied long ago the enemies of the sport would have been without weapons for an attack. Bookmakers have done more than anyone else to bring racing into disrepute, and if the supporters of the game ever hope to revive it on a sound basis it must be without bookmakers or layers of any kind. They are by no means a necessity, and racing would prosper without them. While there Is no chance for parl-mutuel betting to be allowed here for at least two years, it is confidently expected that this form of betting will be sanctioned by law some time in the future in this state. "The harness horsemen of the state have formed a strong organization which will be in a position to wield powerful influence in the future. This organization, while it made no effort at this session of the legislature to have betting laws passed, succeeded in getting what it wanted from the legislature in regard to appropriations for state fairs and country race meetings. While no effort was made to secure pari-mutuels at this session of the legislature, it is a part of the horsemens plans to work for this form of betting at the next session of the legislature."
