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ADVOCATES LOCAL OPTION ON RACING. New Tork. April Ti. Richard Croker. who sailed today for England after having spent the winter in Florida, is of tbe opinion that racing in this country should be managed on the local option plan. Mr. Croker has race horses of his own on the other side .and he has always taken great interest in the sKrt. Formerly he numbered among his friends the most prominent sporting men In this country, and he has since remained in touch with turf happenings here. "Since I came across this time," said Mr. Croker, "I have been thinking over the situation and it seems to me a shame racing has been stopped altogether in New York State. I have a plan that I think should meet with general favor. "Why cant we have racing on the same plan as we have the liquor traffic? Why cant we have local option for race courses as well as for saloons and the sale of liquor generally. There are a great many persons interested In racing besides those who want to bet on the horses, and particularly iu this country, where the people are supposed to rule themselves -they ought to be allowed to doeide whethor they want racing or not. Submit this question to the people and let them decide whether they want the sport in their own localities or not. "Take Saratoga, for Instance. There is a town where for many years racing was not only the chief sport, but it was also the chief moans of livelihood of many of the inhabitants. I believe that if the question was submitted to the people of Saratoga they would be overwhelmingly in favor of the re-opening of their beautiful race course. It would doubtless be the same in other localities, and I think the people ought to have a chance to say what they waut. "If a law was passed making possible local option on race betting, the sport would soon be put on as high a plane here as it is now in England."
