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MOVEMENT FOR RESTORATION OF RACING IN LOUISIANA CONCEDED TO HAVE CHANCE OF SUCCESS *r Baton Rouge. La.. May 21. — The racing bill, which Cant. F.J. Bernhardt of Nea Orleaaa has introduced in the Legislature, provides for a commission of live men appointed by the governor to control the -1 ort under the pari-niutuel system and further provides that the entire subject is to be referred to a vote of the people of New Orleans OB request of twenty per cent, of the electorate and also subject lo recall by the same percentage. On Tuesday the bill was referred to the Orleans i it. Affairs Committee without opposition from its opponents. It will be given a public hearing e.iiU next week and reported buck to the House favorably, because the Orleans members are favorable to its enactment. Hun the tight will start. It is conceded that racing has a better show now than two years ago. Captain Bernhardt ami Charles F. 1. a!. lire, who are handling the bill, claim Id votes i..: it iii the House. Leon Locke, author of the bill which eliminated racing in Louisiana, is hading the ..p|...silion. lie ile. laud today, following a caucus of his forces, that tin v would defeat the measure in ti.e lb, us • a/lth 7n voi.-s pledged. Iteprcseiitative K.nl.ardl i.as given out the following statement la support of his meanare: "As there has been considerable criticism, both :air mid uniair. of the measure creating a rat-lug i ommlssloa as Introduced by myself, I wish to stake comprehensible to the public as far as lies in n. power, the on anil, g ot In in It pooling devices; COB ilensed it is nothing mate bot lis than indivdual bet ting, that is betting through a machine with each other, the public themselves creating tin- conditions or tlie odds, the machine simply acting as the staki holder. "This system positively eliminates tlie sure tiling rambler, tin tout, and all of the elements that were objectionable to the people of this state as existed mider tin- old regime of racing. Formerly the stiougtsi opposition to racing was due to foreign con tlol ot our tracks by the big operators. Now there eai, be no objection on this point since tin- Lonist-sna Jockey club is in absolute control of the Fair" liiouuds. and the City Iark Jockey Tub likewise controls Cltj Park track. Both of these clubs are composed of .some of the most representative men in "in city and state. This fact is a guarantee of high class racing and should be productive of an add! lional sentiment toward the restoration of the sport. With raciag back in N. a Jfofk. our city would he a. strong connecting point. In associating these two meetings we would align ours. -Ives with the highest class of horsemen and breeders in this country and Vn.-ula. "Ill viewing the situation today it is easy to understand how mack it means to our city and slate. Recognizing it to be a -pi-erloss attraction, it would BBQUesI io.iably be a magnet for a strong floating population, and that is what we need. "There ale thousands of wealthy mi n in this country who love the sixut as a pleasure and a diversion, and being attracted to our city by this nnaris they will undoubtedly become int. -rested in our gnat poaalbBiUes, and many of them would establish whiter homes here. We all know that the greatest essential to prosperity is wealth and a free circulation of money. Now let us estimate tl.e combine. 1 racing interests throughout this conn tt and Canada at one- billion dollars and put one-tli.iisaiiilth part of this sum in operation, plus the daily amount ol speculation. Add to this expenditures on and ..IT tin- race track and we would have the most active circulation of money we have ever known, and with the rich man producing over M per cent, of the race track ntOSMNr, this becomes a local asset which is Bare to be of material benefit. "It is conceded that in a short time a great many of our sugar plantations will be abandoned and there is no reason why these places cannot be Converted into breeding farms, neither is then any reason to believe that the thoroughbred cannot be raised for commercial purposes in this state as well — — — «t« as any other. There is no doubt with our open winters and fine grazing and good water that Ixjuisiana can equal, if not excei, other states in this line. "Racing stimulates the breeding of a better grade of horses, it determines their value by proving their soundness, individual excellence, strength, const i tut ion and speed. The race is the finishing school in which the position and value of a thoroughbred to the world is determined: furthermore, racing when conducted under the supervision of a IQaimll sion is a legitimate business. "For the benefit of those who run to hysterics, I will say that my act repeals the I ke bill in on-- pari only, and that the gambler of the foreign, do niistie or any other variety has BOt, cannot and will not be permitted la figure in the matter wbatso- eV. I." Because they could not marshal their forces for an opposition thai weald be formidable, and rather than suffer defeat, the opponents of racing on lues-daj allowed tl liampions of the bill in Ihk- House to have the measure referred lo the city affairs com inilli o. which is fav. rabh inclined toward the act. Lines had been drawn for a great tight Bad the galleries or the House Were packed when Clerk K. S Landry called the bill. K. I-. Beinhardi. the author, asked that it be referred to 1 lie city affairs nommlttee. Beery one held their breath as Leon Locke, author oi the present law that prevents lacing, and who ha- announced that he will Stake ever* effort to kill the present bill, started to arise. He sal down, however, and said nothing, and the hill was referred. A cheer broke the stillness of the room, and it Bras some time before quid was restored. Kniu hard! ami Labarre, champions of the hill, stated that the] would work hard to get votes for it. Locke said that his forces had not weakened, and that when the bill comes up on the tloor of the House far final passage, they would make a strenti ous light. "This does not mean that the bill will pass," Rep r. si ntatlve Locke said, after the racing advocates had scored their first point. "I know of al least twelve members of the House Who agreed t» vote to refer tin* bill to the City Affairs Committee as a matter of courtesy. Those members will vote against the hill on final passage. The bill will not become a law." Mr. Uaeke intimated that the opponents of racing had a tramp card up their sleeve, which they would play at a time that they deemed opportune and kill the bill. Fncouiageil l.y tin- victory, Keptesentative Labarre began at once to redouble his efforts to carry the bill through both houses. Aided by Senator Roberta, pledges are being secured from members to support the bill on final passage. Mr. Labarre said yesterday that he had sixtv six votes pledged to s lid the bill to the City Affairs Committee, and he felt confident that BMTe than tin* sixty votes necessary t«. |ass a bill can be mastered on final passage. "For the past several days." Mr. Labarre said, "I never was in doubt of naCCCM in sending the bill to the City Affairs Committee. Our strength was so plainly apparent to tin- ordinary observer that at the last moment the opposition decided it would l»-l*est not to make the tight at this stage of the bill. We have really just warmed to our work. Every supporter of the bill was in his scat Tneaday ready to meet the issue. This has twin an unique cam paign. We have been relentless in our work, in the fa.e of apparently insurmountable, obstacles, and We will continue our campaign until the end." It is understood that a delegation of some of the most proiuin rat business men of New Orleans will appear before the committee in support of the bill when the hearings begin. Telegrams were sent to members of the House Tuesday by some of the bad lag merchants of New Oi leans urging them to support a motion to refer the bill to the City Affairs Committee.
