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] 1 I VOTING ON WHETHER TO RACE OR NOT. ■ J, Hot Springs Business Mens League Casting a Novel Ballot by Mail. i Hot Springs, Ark., January 15. — Many elections -have Iteen held in this city, but there is one being 6 conducted this week that has attracted more at- tention among the business interests of the Arkansas Spa than any other contest of its kind. The elec- -tion is being held by the Business Mens IxMgue. J The result will be eiiher good or bad news to local I business interests. Likewise, too. it will be of de- ■ elded interest to the .-porting fraternity all over * the country, for it will determine whether or not ; Hot Springs will have a thirty days" race meeting * here, which, it is hoped, will start on either March j lit or on St. Patricks Day. About two weeks ago President Gus Strauss. « of the League, went to St. Louis, where he held a conference with Loads Vila, owner of the Oak-lawn track. He explained to Mr. Cella the desires of the business element of this city and asked if the League would hold a meeting under its • auspices, guaranteeing the purses, whether the League could have the use of the Oaklawn track. J These grounds surpass anything of the kind in the ■ s. uth. The grandstand has a seating capacity for 5.000 persons. That structure can be steam-heated . throughout. .Mr. Cella replied that he had always " «-« - pernted in every way with the Business Mens I League and could see no reason why he should not . do so in this instance: that if the League gave that race meeting under its auspices, he would , he glad to allow them to lis the track and assist j the organization in other ways. Immediately upon his return to this city. Pros!- j dent Strauss took the matter up with the Board ; of Governess of the I-eaguo. with the result that j they decided to get an expression from every mem j lx-r of the organisation on this question. Post cards. with a return vote for or against racing, were sent. A vote in the affirmative signified that the one casting the ballot for racing not alone favored a return of "the -port of kings" to this resort, but would also give a movement of his nature his J "uncpialitied support." In other words, it put every man in the I-eague on record. No announcement as to the- result of this ballot will lie made until early next week, yet there are already Intimations that a great victory has been won in favor of racing, and the ensuing week is expected to bring forth an announcement to the effect that the Busi- I ■ess Mens LeagBCi will go ahead with their arrangements for a thirty days meeting on the Oak-lawn track. The preliminary announcement to this effect has attracted a great deal of attention In other cities. This is especially true of New Orleans. It is under- _ stood that owners of horses now running on the ; New Orleans track have signified their intention : of bringing their stables to this city, provided the League guarantees the purses. Much of the patronage that is now there is also expected to come to Hot Springs. From other cities in the country assurance has also come that other horses will be here in the event that this project is carried out. The promoters do not anticipate •cleaning up." but they desire to demonstrate to the satisfaction of all that racing in Hot Springs will materially increase the commercial patronage and bring pros| erity.
