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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE KILLS BILL But Montana Capitalist Offers to Guarantee Big Meeting in August with Oral Betting Feature San Francisco Cal May 11 The movement that ling been active here for several months past to revive thoroughbred racing in California was dealt a stunning blow by the legislature which closed on Monday Two bills were introduced one In the senate by Bebau and one iu the assembly by Marron Neither provided for betting of any description lint they were voted down by over ¬ whelming majorities majoritiesThe The Beban measure which had ho backing of A B Spreckels Charles Boots James C Nealou and a number of Californias most prominent horse ¬ men called for a racing commission and specifical ¬ ly stipulated that no wagering would be per ¬ mitted The legislature admitted that It was a harmless bill but argued that it would perhaps pave the way for the return of the evils that were in evidence in 1910 when the sport was killed The Marron bill was a similar measure and it met the same fate It is evident that racing will re ¬ ceive much opposition while Governor Johnson con ¬ trols the legislature which will be for two more years at least If the racing commission had been secured plans were already under way for a big revival of the thoroughbred sport iu California The organization of a jockey club had been discussed thoroughly Charles W Clark was slated to be president and a magnificent clubhouse was to be built within a short distance of San Francisco It was to be a monster social affair Local enthusiasts are still building hope on the proposed meeting at the exposition II I Wilsou of Montana who arrived from Honolulu today has mapped out a plan to the exposition officials to make the meeting a success He lias agreed to guarantee all the purses for a months racing which will amount to 30000 or 00000 if the exposition will extend the betting privilege to him Wilsons idea Is to promote wagering on the same system that Is in vogue iu New York He is con ¬ fident that the laws of California will permit oral wagering District Attorney FIckcrt has been sounded on the proposition and says that he has no power to interfere reports Wilsou The attorney general has also given an opinion that he would have no jurisdiction The mile race track at the exposition lies in the Presidio reservation which Is government property TUe Montana racing mag ¬ nate says that no one can stop the betting bettingIT IT 0 Lively however is still debating the propo ¬ sition He realizes that the gate receipts would run high if wagering was permitted on the races as the interest in the horse is still high in San Francisco but he is not as confident as Wilson that it would IK legal and no trouble caused Horsemen interested iii the project arc anxious to get the matter settled one way or the other as the time Is growing short between now and August when it is proposed to get the hieeting under Way WayOn On June 5 a trotting and pacing meeting opens at the exposition track and the scheme of oral betting may be tried out to give sonic Idea of liow the ruuuiug meeting could be carried on
