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THE MINNESOTA MOVEMENT DETAILS OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION FOR RE- , VIVAL OF RACING IN THAT STATE. Advocates of Plan Submit Statement of Aims and Purposes to Members of the Legislature-Text of Proposed Bill. St. Paul. Minn.. January 17. — The effort lo bring al out a revival of thoroughbred racing in this state under reformed conditions i-» taking tangible shape. These who have taken the initiative in tin- matter lave p. • jiiiltMl .in mUTCM to tlie members of tbe Leglslatnre, in which the aims of the promot H - ol the proposed legislation and tin- reasons for ilie movement are sel forth at leliglh. Special stress is laid upon the desirability of doing something to avert Mtrk a ft— tlOjlht as the extermination of I lie American thoroughbred liorse and tbe vigorous, views of Major vioneral Leonard Wood of the lulled States Army in this direction are giveu |iioiijiu -u -e. The appeal to Minnesota to do its Bare la helping to lierpetuate the thoroughbred is couched in the following language: To the Legislature and People of Minnesota: A coterie of farmers and business men who are lovers of horae racing and tie cneouragcmtnrt and improving tin- breed of the racing horse, especially The thoroughbred, which is the foundation id the namraga, speed, endurance and early maturity in everj home, al a gathering held recently discussed the ipiesiion pin and con and came to the conclu-sioo thai if the borae in the Halted States was to be Bet p ciliated both for breeding and racing purposes, something bad to 1m- done; laws should be enacted by the legislatures of tin- different states thai would penal the holding of honest race meet Inga under proper slate legislation ami in such a m.inner that they could not be the slightest taint of dishonesty and unfairness attached to such meetings I lev realised that certain faults and mistakes, bad in the past crept into horse racing and it has been justly criticised. They also realised that these certain faulls and mistakes were caused by the btHfkinaki i ami his method, and came to the conclusion that if a law could lie passed which would cut on. the boakaaahet and his method and put horse racing under the control ami suiiervision of the i. lie. thai horse rating would soon regain its position and put it on the same foundation of honesty ami faniie-s that made it Hie sport of kings and bomsi gentlemen which our forefathers loved and enjoyed. Iii order to carry into effect this pur|H se and to restore horse racing to its honored position of the past ami to provoke public discussion in a fair and • j.cii handed manner they have drawn the following bill which tiny think removes the evil and which Ihey submit for the approval of the people of the Slate of Minnesota and the Legislators. All A-t to encourage the improving and breeding of slandard and thoroughbred horses, ami to provide f..r llio appointment of a state racing coin-mission to control and grant licenses for liorse racing in the Stale of Minnesota. He it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Mime sola : Section l. Any association or corporation formed for the purpose of lacing and breeding or improving or encouraging the breed of horses and conducting races and contests of speed lM-tween horses, shall have the right, and power, subject to the provisions of this act. to hold one or more race meetings in each year, and to hold, maintain and conduct horse races at such meetings. At such meetings the -ori»oration or association or the owners of the horses engaged in such races, or others who are not participants in the racing, may contribute purses, prizes, premiums or stakes to lie contested for. hut no person or persons other than the owners of a horse or horses contesling in a race shall have any pef lllj interest in a purse, premium, prise or stakes liaatl Blad for in such races or lie eiuiiled to or receive any portion thereof ■ftet each races shall have area fini-ln-d. Seclioii 2. a. A State Racing; Commission is hereby established to consist of live persons, who shall be freeholders ami qualified electors of said Mate, to lie apiMiiiit.d by the governor within twenty ■ las after tlii- law shall be in lorn-, none of whom Mhall be an OBsCir in a cm poral ion or associalion or race Hack engaged in giving race Baeetiaga. b. The term of office of s:ti,| racing commission bail be live 8 rears ami until their respective successors an- elected ami qualified. Provided. however,, that the hist board of racing eommis-rioucrs shall hold omW respectively for the term of one li. two 2, three i.li. lour 14 and five i.". I veals, as I In governor shall designate when making Bald appointments, and until their reapee-lie successors are appointed ami ipialilied. c. Whenever any vacancy shall occur upon said lacing commissi. hi. tie governor shall as soon as practicable thereafter, appoint a peraoa of like ipialiti. at ions as afeteaoM to serve, during the 111! expired letni ol the otic-, thus l.-it vacant and until a successor shall be appointed and qualified. d. Each commissioner shall qualify, by taking. ► ill. scribing and tiling the oalli of ntlice. prescribed l. tin constitution and laws of the State of Miune sola wtthia thirty i:.»i days alter notice of his appointment. e. s.i id commission shall elect of their number a president and vice-president whom respective terms of oftiec and dairies shall lie proscribed by the by laws of said commission. Section ::. Said commission shall appoint a secretary, who shall hold such office during lie- pleasii f the commission. The duly of such lecretarj shall lie to keep a full and faith- fui ice,, rd ,,t the proceeding* of the commission ami pies, rve at its general office all books, maps. d.M uinetiis and papers entrusted to its care, and pel form such other duties as tin- commission shall prescribe. He shall be paid a Salary to be fixed by the commissi, ,n at a rate not exceeding eight-• en hundred dollars per annum, which shall be paid by such racing corporations or association* who shall obtain licenses from said coniinis -,.,ii. tin- amounts to be paid by each to be an portioned by the commisokm, which shall on or before the first day of January of each year, assess upon each of s;1j,| corporations or associations its of such salary. The commission shall fpio|iortioii biennially make a full report to the governor ol its proceedings foi the two-year period ending with the titst day of January preceding the meeting of Hie let islamic. All other expensed of Hie said racing com mission shall be paid bv the racing corporation or a violations obtaining licenses under this act. and -hall be pro rated in the same manner. Said commission shall have lie- pow.-r to make rules, rcgula t s and conditions which shall govern the actual trotting, pacing ami running races bebj upon the track of ativ corporation or associalion who shall obtain a license iiiih-r the provision of this act. Section 4. Any association or corporation formed for the Ban-pose of raising and breeding or improving oi enooiii.iging the breed of horses ami conducting iocs and contests of speed, shall hav.. the |»iwer iiiul right subject to the provisions of this act. to Continued ou third page.; I THE MINNESOTA MOVEMENT. Continued from first page. bold mio or more MM meeting-. hetWOM May 1 :iinl November 1, in each year, and to hold, main-lain and conduct pacing, trotting and runniug HCM :i i such meeting-. No imm are authorised or simll be permitted between annuel ami MliM, or on Suudav i. Section 5. No such races shall he conducted ex-rent hj si corporation or association duly licensed h] nid commtsalon as herein provided. Licensee hall i.i- granted by said commission to such corpora-noiis mid ibMK iaiions to hold races or race meetings lor such period ol lime M such corporations and associations shall desire, hut not i exceed thirty days in any calendar year in any me county, in this stale. No one corporation or association shall hold mm meetings to exceed in the aggregate thirty ias within the boundaries of this state dining any calendar veai. The cominh-siou shall not issue li-rrsiaca permitting running races between horses to be conducted in any one county in this state Cor a period exceeding thirty days per calendar year. in the event that the said commission should r fuse any sueh license, the said comminirfon shall pah llclj still it- reasons tor so doing, and .-aid reasons -vliall l.e written in full in the minute book of said commission, which shall at all times he ■Object to inspection upon application by any one desiring so ie do. and -aid liuding of said commission shall be Mibject to review by courts of general Jurisdiction i.l ibis slate. No a-sociation or corporation shall lie entitled to a license who shall violate any of the provisions of this act. and the said commission ma... b a majority vote, rescind and revoke any license granted i" any association or corporation who shall violate tic provisions of this net, after a fair and Impartial hearing. And the revocation of any license bj -aid commission shall likewise be subject to the review ol the courts of this state. Section ».. Every MM meeting held or conducted, except a- alb. wed by this act. is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and every person acting Of aiding therein is punishable by Imprisonment in the county |all or in the state prison for a period of not less than thirty days, and not exceeding one year, and in addition thereto in a suit brought for that purpose by the said racing commission in the D.s-u. ■ i Coort of the county where it may be proposed io conduct such unauthorised racing, an injunction ma] lie obtained against the same. Section 7. The piovistone of this act relative to tin- obtaining of licenses, or the length of time of hoi. ling race meetings, or to the payment to the snM racing commission of proportionate money to pay the entire expense of conducting said couiini--. ion shall Mt apply to race meetings conducted by nay slate fair a-sociation or agricultural society, county lair or any association to which state aid is given, holding not mote than one meeting annually, and for a period not exceeding ten la. s. soci i. .n 6. Brery persoD. a. Who engages in pool selling or bookmaking. with or without writing, at any time or place: or b. Who. whether for gain, hire, reward, cr gratuitously, or otherwise, keeps or occupies, for soy period of time whatsoever, any room. shed. tenement, tent, booth, building, Boat, vessel, place. Maud or enclosure, of any kind, or any part thereof, Willi a book or books, paper or papers, apparatus, devise or paraphernalia, for the pur[Hise of recording or registering any bet or bets, or any purported bet or bet-, or wager or wagers, or any purported wager or wagers, or of selling pools, or purported pools, upon the Jesuit, or purported result, of any trial or purported trial, or contest, or purported contest, of skill. s| eed or power of endurance of man or beast, or between men. beasts or mechanical apparatus, or upon the result, or purported result of any lot, chance, casualty, unknown or contingent event wh.it-■ oever; or e. Who. whether for gain. hire, reward, or gratuitously, or otherwise, receives, holds, or for wards, or purports or pretends to receive, hold, or forward, in any manner w hats., ever, any money, thing or consideration of value, or the equivalent or memorandum thereof, staked, pledged, bet or wagered, or offered for the purpose of being staked. pledged, bet or wagered, upon the result, or purported result, of any trial, or purported trial, or content, or purported contest, of skill, speed or power of endurance of man or beast, or between men beasis or mechanical apparatus, or upon the result, or put pur ted result, of any lot. chance, equally, unknown or contingent event whatsoever: or d. Who. whether for gain, hire, reward, or gratuitously, or otherwise, at any time or place records, or registers any bet or bets, wager or wagers, upon the result, or purported result, of any trial, or purported trial, or contest, or purported content, of skill, speed r.r power of endurance of lo.m or lioast. or between men. beasis. or mechanic il apparatus, or upon the result, or purported result. of an] lot. chance. Casualty, unknown or contingent ei tut whatsoever ; or e. Who. being I he owner, lessee or occupant of any room, shed, tenement, booth, building, float. rennet, place, stand, enclosure or grounds, or any pari thereof, whether for gain. hire, reward, nr gratuitously, fir otherwise, permits the same to be used or occupied for any purpose, or in any manner prohibited by subdivisions a. h. C or d of this section; or f. Who lays, makes, offers or accepts any bet or beta, or wager or wagers, upon the result, or purported result, of any trial or purported trial, or contest, or purported contest of skill, speed or power of endurance of man or beast, or between men. beaata or mechanical apparatus, is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail or state prison for a period of not less than thirty days and not exceeding one .voir. This section shall apply, not only to persons who may commit any of the acts designated in subdl-visions a to f. inclusive, of this section, as a busi-ie -s ,,r occupation, but shall also apply to ever-. per t.n or persons who may do in a single Instance anj one of the ads specified in said subdivisions a io f, inclusive, save and except that any and all racing asuueial urns and corporations which shall obtain Pcenses to conduct race meetings la the State of .Minnesota pursuant to and under this act. may i en duel and carry on and permit within the en-eloanre where horse racing is held wagering upon the races conducted within said enclosure by and through the pari mutiiel or totalisator system of wagering. Section 8. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. .Section 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
