view raw text
CALIFORNIA RACING MOVE ; PLAN LAUNCHED TO SUBMIT QUESTION OF STATE COMMISSION TO VOTERS OF STATE. * * Bill Prepared for Initiative Vote Provides for Legal- i izing of Pari-Mutuel Systsm of Betting — Differ- encc of Opinion as to Wisdom of Movement. ] Horsemen of Southern California have pre- I ared mi amendment to the present laws of I uli-fornla concerning borse racing, the purpose of tlic same 1 olie, tin- establishment of a ra ing * commission and the pari-mutuel system of specu- latioa. Bd K. Smith of Ocean Park baa placed the proposed amendments in the attorney generals hands si that he may write a title and summary to j the bill before its sponsor* ■- ■ oal the initiative petition t i circulate [or the necessary 74.i:;ii signs- J turea in order to gel the bill on the ballot. This J 1 ► -1 1 lias been prepared by Mr. Sniit.i and the lireedcrs J uf li rses in southern California with the endeavor j tn place a hill before the people which thej think should meet with the hearty support of all classes J uf breeders .if horses in the Golden State. As soon -as the attorney general submits the necessary title. etc.. .Mi. Smith will visit all sections O* the state ami try to Interest horsemen ami then- friends in the J hill. Ihc valient features ef which arc as follows: : Section 1. Any corporation or association formed far the purpose of raising, breeding, or Improving j tlie breed of horses, and conducting races, shall have J the power ami right, subject to the provisions of j this act. to hold one or more race meetings each year and conduct races at such meetings. Any cur- J illation, or the owners of horses engaged in such races or others who are not participants in racb j races, may contribute purses, prizes, premiums, or ! stakes, to be contested for, but no person or nera n- other than the owners of a lior. e or horses contest- ■ iug in such races shall have any pecuniary interest • in a purse, prize premium or stake, or to receive any portion thereof alter such race ha- been ! finished. Section 2. A State Bacing Commission i- hereby established to insist of ive persons to be appointed by the tremor, three of whom shall be breeders and raisers of registered horses and no two of whom shall be members of the same racing association. The members of snch commiasion shall bold their otlices for a term ol four years and the first commission shall be appointed within twenty 20 days after Ihis act shall go into effect. Sei Hon •!. Such Commission shaft appoint a secretary who shall serve daring iis pleasure, whose duties i! shall he to keep a full ami faithful record if the proceedings ami preserve at it-, general office all hook-, maps, documents, and papers entrusted to his ale. aril porfrom inch other duties as the Ubmmlssion shall prescribe. He shall he paid a salary to he Used by the Commission at a rate not to exceed twelve hundred dollar i per annum, which shall be paid from tii" moneys received from the several e rporath ns or associations. The Commission shall biennially make a Cull report to the governor of its proceedings fir the two-year period ending with the Brsi of December preceding the meet ins of the legislature, and shall embody such suggestions and recommendations as it shall deem desirable. Section 5. So licenses shall he issued for more than if teen days racing in any one county for the calendar year. No i ne aasoelatiou or corporation shall bold race meetings to exceed in the aggregate fifteen days, within tie boundaries of this state daring any calendar year. Section i. Any state, c untv. or agricultural fair and all corporations which obtain license to conduct race meetings will he permitted to use the pari-* multiol system of wagering at their respective meet ins under the direct control, supervision and rales and regulations ■■. the Racing Commission. Section 7. The provisions of this act relative to securing licenses, or to the payment lo said Bacing Commission of proportionate moneys to pay the ex-Ion-es of condu ting such Commission, shall not apply to race meetings c nductcd by any stale, t county or agricultural fair. Section 8. the Comn ission shall at all times use its best en lea: r towards the building up of the borse interests of this state, ami should there he any funds left in its hands, alter paying all necessary expenses f sucii commission, such funds shall he used by such Commission and the governor as they *ee tit towards tin- givimr of parses, i rises, premiums, or slakes for all classes of California bred registered horses, and to the further advancement of the bores interests of this state. Section P. Every race meeting at which racing shall he periiii: el for any stake, parse or reward. except as allowed by this aei. i- hereby declared to lie a public nuisance and every person acting or aiding therein is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail or state prison for a period of not less than thirty days and :i I exceeding one year, aid in addition thereto, in a suit hi light for that purpose by the said Bacing Commission in the superior court, when it may be proposed to conduct such tinauth irlaed racing an Injunction may he obtained against the same. The Breeder and Sportsman, in reviewing the bill, made the following comment : "The hill a- drawn, while sound at the bottom ami all Dg 1 he |.r per lines lor the mo -t part, i . i | i i; to a good deal ot discussion on certain point-, one in particular being the limitation of racing in any one county or underline auspices of any one association to fifteen days. The fifteen-day pr p sltlon will mil meet .villi the support of the th rougbbrcd contingent and in instances would work a hardship upon either the harness bones or the runners. In ease of the estahlis ment of a legal system of Kpeculatl ii the city I Oakland would be in line for a race meeting, t i in a- long i ■ i ossible under the law. At the same time the Pleasont n folks would wish to i hi at least one harness meeting a year with betting. On a fifteen day limit Oakland would gobble the « i i - tor the runners, leaving the trotters m Alameda county cut in the cold, while ■n an allowance of thirty days an equitable ar-rangemant could he made for all partii -. We are n t advancing any argument for long meetings, bat we fio not wish to see the mistake made ol -■ in_ too tar the other waj . •The question also arises a-- to the wisdom of submitting this sort of a proposition to the voters at large. This wai done some few rears ago ami the measure then up for consideration met with overwhelming defeat, being turned down so decisively that ti.i tes is -iill being used as an ar rument against the enactment of legislation estab-li-hing the inutuels a-, a legal system of speculation. While it i- Hue thai the feeling in favor .f the inutuels is much more pronounced at this time than was the case when the last rote was taken, we doubt very much If the m asure can carry at a. general election and i second defeal at the polls would sound the death knell of the pari nratnel for mi.. time t ne-. ik :i coarse iwractlcally pre rinding any ravorahle legislation which the asse it.lv might Ill inclined | enact. A safer coarse lie- in a concerted movement • , the pari of all clasw of horse bleeder- through I lie assembly and governor, an idea that i- advanced not merely as n:r own but that of numerous horsemen with whom we have talked i In- situation ver in recent months. "Please do not gel the idea that we are not for the pari inulueK. i :• thai we are in any way en deiM.riiiit t« lielittle i! Dsrientioas rl. done by Mr. Smith and li- friend . u , are for the mutnels lirst. hist :.nl all Ihc lime a- an established means of speculative investment on the contests of both the tuoroiigubicU and the trotter, and it is because we are so thoroughly in favor of them and so steadfastly in hope that California may have them that we wish to see 1 he campaign Waged m the lines that ofTer the best chances for success. We do not expect everyone to agree with 11s in our preference tor an assembly measure in preference to an initiative bill, but we do know that our opinion is shared by a number of bard-beaded horsemen who have been up against the proposition before."
