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WOULD IIAyE LOCAL OPTION SUGGESTION FOB SUCH SOLUTION OF RACING QUESTION ADVANCED AT SARATOGA. Famous Summer Resort Feeling the Suspension of the Sport Keenly Its Hotels Deserted and Visitore Scarce as Result of Failure of Gittins Dill. Saratoga, N. Y., July "1. "Local option will save l.ving. There are communities that want the sport; there are sections that do not care for it. Why hould places like Saratoga, New York, Sheepshead Hay and other localities that thrive on racing be deprived of it because other villages, towns and cities do not want it? To eliminate this unjust discrimination and to obtain what is necessary for the well being of the Spa, the citizens of Saratoga will start a crusade to have the racing question settled by a local option law." That is the sentiment that prevails here, as expressed by a taxpayer of the village, on racing. His voice sounded strange and hollow for his words fairly boomed through the practically deserted hotel in the corridor of which lie stood when he talked. "Look at this hotel." he continued. "Scarcely a miiii or woman in it. It contained twenty-two guests one day last week. Another big hotel up the street Loused nineteen. Just think of it. Why. there are more bellhops than guests. In other years there were from 1,000 to 2,000 guests stopping at each hotel. Xow take a glance at the street. Where are tlie visitors? If one happens to stray iu lie is tagged by the natives. "Racing is necessary for this place. Its the only thing that lias kept business up for many years, ilie restrictions placed on it since IPOS have spread liuuncial disaster. All avenues of business have suffered. Take real estate, for instance. It has depreciated in value from 100 to 200 per cent. The owner not only cannot sell property, but he cannot lind tenants. Without racing visitors will not come here, and without a customer no man wants to lease a store, hotel or cottage. "Here is a strange twist to this crusade against racing. In years when the sport brought, many fol-- iovfer of the thoroughbreds to the village the churches were filled during the Sabbath services. Many of the racing men were devout Christians. Since the light against the tracks the attendance at the churches lias been slim and some of the leaders of the movement to stop racing have suffered through lack of congregations. Their light against racing has acted as a boomerang. Local option will solve the puzzle. Saratoga wants recognition. It has decided lids question time and again, and it means to have what it wants. Its citizens will start a movement toward such an end. Let the people vote on the question." Gentlemens Agreement in Way. Saratoga, X. Y., July 31. It was only a gentlemens agreement not to conduct a race meeting under the existing laws that prevented a season of the :port here this year. Had the others, parties to the agreement, relieved R. T. Wilson, president of the Saratoga Association, of his pledge, a meeting would have been announced. In an effort to he exempted from his promise, Mr. AVilson went to New York two lays ago. The others In the agreement were of the opinion that to race would jeopardize the Gittins bill 3u September and refused to grant the exemption. liver since the lerkins law, making the directors and owners of race courses criminally liable for the acts of their patrons went into operation, there lias been no racing over the big tracks, though it lias In ou repeatedly shown by eminent legal lights that tlie law was unconstitutional and that a conviction would be impossible. The directors have had no fear nf the conviction, but they have steadfastly refused to become liable to arrest for a felony. Senator Bracket t is quoted as having offered to Income a director of the Saratoga Association for the purpose of having the law tested should there bo an arrest, hut the universal opinion is that there would lie no arrest at Saratoga. A successful test of the law would at once simplify tlie present condition of turf affairs, as the Gittins hill was only framed Jo amend this unconstitutional act. Takes Issue with Senator Brackett. New York, July 31. A statement by Senator Braekett. of Saratoga, that tlie race tracks in this statu could be opened and tlie directors would not lie held liable for betting except by professional bookmakers. Is not received with favor by inemliors of the Jockey Club. A man who owns a controlling interest In "one of the big tracks said that Senator IBracketts argument was out of the question. "The moment the tracks began barring out so-called professionals," said he. "the Jockey Club would be swamped witli damage suits instituted by the persons excluded. Furthermore persons who are amateurs at betting and quoting odds would quickly turn professionals to take hold of the business. "The moment a track was opened it would lie "physically impossible to prevent betting, even on a small scale. The so-called directors liability law Iiolds officers and directors responsible for betting, whether- they know it or not. If the tracks were tunning the reform organizations with their private detectives would go out of their way to got the goods, even if they had to employ stool pigeons. By limbing a few arrests after securing the necessary fVideuce of betting they could put it up to a prose-c-iiling attorney to go after the directors for the purpose of putting them in jail. "Racing is not a business with such men as Messrs. Belmont. Keene. Whitney, Vandeibilt. Wilson. Butler. Dwyer, Hitchcock and others. Consequently no one can blame them for refusing to run it In- risk of arrest, indictment and possible conviction because some persons might wager privately or openly without their knowledge or consent. "You simply cannot prevent betting at race tracks If.md if Saratoga conducted a meeting this year it f would 1m with the tacit consent of tlie authorities of .Saratoga County. Senator Bracket t evidently wants ;lo have racing at the Springs, but does not care what Ibeeoines of the otiier tracks. The Jockey Clubs pol-k liej- is li.ved. There will be no more racing iu the ktate of New York until the directors law as it "stands Is either amended or declared unconstitutional bv" the courts."
