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PLANS FOR TEXAS RACING REVIVAL. J. H. Madigin Outlines Program That May Be Attempted in Lone Star State. Houston, Tel . March 18. In reamsase to an in ritatioa from the Texas Thoroughbred Association and the Texas Harness Horse Breeders Association. John II. Madigin irf this city, a awmber of the whoh-ale grocery in in of Lack C Madigin. and well known in racing circles throughout he I niled State-and Canada because of hi- connection with various racing enterprises, has given out a statement of his views as to the best elan to he pursued in the proposed attempt to revive thonmghbred racing in Texas. Mr. Mndlgin proposes a division of the towns of tin- -tale into A and It t lasses, A to in elude all town- f -.h.ihhi inhabitants or over. B all under that Ii- e. A towns are to lie permitted to race thiitc consecutive days twice a year, paying s..n per day to I lie state ror the privilege: P to he permitted to race seven consecutive days twice a rear, paying .." per nay. Inder thi- schedule, barring ol course. Sunday racing, each riass i- to be given Saturday to Saturday racing. ••One of the most important feature- of the revival is the betting." snys Mr. Madigin. "The sport can net Is siionorteil without it. Ii lend- excitement and Interest. And the legalized betting of Ihe pro poseii hill i- to be in the form of the pari inutuc! machines, which have practically remade the sport on Ihe Kentucky tracks. •■There can l«- loiiht that the decadence and ultimate rnin of the sport crept in through Ihe old book making system. It was the bookmaker who cast suspicion on ihe -port and on whom the alleged brl bery of |ockeys and trainers waa blamed. It was not betting that killed the snort. It was the deep rooted opinion lhal Ihe betting had •croaked" the game. "Under the pari miitm-l system, there w no sari possibility. Outside of the percentage which :: *■- to the association from each amchine, Ih Id- on each horse are absolutely determined by the numbei of ticket- -old. The association which controls the machines :in have no possibk Interest in the out ionic i f any race. Its percentage, all it can pes sibly obtain, i- its own in sure fa-hion anyway. ••The pari miiiucl. with its guarantee of the fair lies- of the race a- inn on the track, has proven im mensely popular win river adopted. In liame abase it ha- practically done away with the bookawker It is ihe wagering device- of the future that nuisl ultimately Im- -ecu at every track." In Mr. Madigins isropos i scheme of revival, tin I racks are to he under the control of associations. In thi- respect, hi- suggestion differs from thai originally advocated by the proponents of the legislation, which provided that one member should be appointed by the governor, one by the Texas Thar oughbred Association and one hv the Stale Humes* Horse Breeders Association. It is the belief of Mr. Madigin, however, that the commission idea would I put the sku t Phi niueh into politics. The hackers of the revival of racing in vas have ■ not a- yet presented their hill to the I.e, ature. It may he another year before their plana .. iilly matured ami they do introduce it. Hut it remains . to he seen what will he the altitude of the com liioliw ealth toward tin- move. There seems to Im- a prevailing opinion that, however unpopular the revival may he in some quarters, it is -nre of popularity iu most sections. The hill. designed In give short, snappy meetings, with no , drag on ihe business Interests, will give ihe lovers of the turf just what they want. "What interest will I take in the sport in Texas. if it is revived?" asked Mr. Madigin. "Well. I i -hall have hut one interest, and that is to see that Houston, a town that always loved a good running , horse, will have a class A track." , ,
