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SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTERMENT OF RACING. "Friend of the Thoroughbred" Commends Certain Remedial and Constructive Policies. With she investigation into the conditions of racing in the province of Ontaro, "A Friend of the Thoroughbreu" writes the following for the Toronto World: What has been written and spoken in recent weeks about race tracks and the breeding industry and the moral issues connected therewith along the lines of destructive criticism would fill volumes. Put throughout this controversy, ami inclusive of what has appeared in the press, editorially and in pamphlet form, and in parliament and otherwise, little has been said or suggested of a remedial and constructive character, having in view the re-establishment of this great sport upon a basis which will provide for the people wholesome recreation and for the horse breeding industry proper encouragement and support. It may be fearlessly stated that it would be idle to expect from Mr. Kaney. or the society he represents any assistance making for any such re-establishment and betterment of the racing sport, for the reason that from puritanical sources they never do nor can proceed any ideas save those having in view utter extermination. Betteriag, however, that objects of supreme importance relative to this snort of racing as a wholesome recreation and as to horse-breeding encouragement can be attained, and that the «port can be maintained and perpetuated provided that the operation of the racing track is in the hands and care of true and capable sportsmen, actuated by a true sporting spirit firstly and lastly, and in the hope of saving this sport from the inevitable decay and destruction if further conducted allheal immediate radical change, I command the following remedial and constructive suggestions to: Firstly, the jockey clubs of Ontario, who ought voluntarily to act, and Secondly, and failing this voluntary action of the Jockey Chess, to tin- Ontario government, whose drastic power of regulation and taxation and involving no prohibitive measures, supplies at once in their hands the sole and exclusive and effectual alternative remedy. An Allowance from the Revenue. Let there be allowed from the revenue of a clubs operation: a Reasonable interest returns to the stockholders upon all capital actually Invested in the track and equipment: b All reasonable expenses for the management of the track operating during the fourteen racial days of the year, and of its care during the balance of the year, inclusive of taxes; c All expenses necessary to defray the purses for racing contests and which should be adequate in amount ; Firstly, to provide allowances to the horse owners to fully met the legitimate outlay involved in the payment of a reasonable interest upon actual capital invested by them in the- establishment and the necessary recruiting or npnuhsaliu by reassa of temporary or permanent disaldesseat of the stable: And secondly, to sseet each and every outlay in the maintenance .-mil m.-n.ig meat of the stable, in which latter are found the trainers salary, the wages of the jockeys and fees of the veterinary surgeon, the cost of transportation, the cost of supplies to man and beast, etc.; Anil then let the balance of the revenue be delivered, after these allowances and deductions, to the horse-breeding industries, gad towards good roads in the province, and charity, distributed juliciously and equitably between them ; All of which could lie carried into effect, failing voluntary action of the stockholders to do so, by an order in council provided for by the necessary legislation, which latter should be immediately passed. Reconstruction Mcp.ns Re-establishment. This scheme of reconstruction means the permanent re-est.iblishment of the sport uiioii a sound and wholesome basis, with tile following as some of the important results: la A wholesome and honest amusement for the people who patronize the contests of the turf, the poorer citizens securing admission to the tracks at a reasonable admission charge; 111 Permanent and suliicient tinanei.il encouragement to tie horse breeder to supply from the farm the best contesting horses: e The elimination of the evil of the incentive of horse owners and trainers to arrange or lix races to make good the deliciency between purses BBd their proper and necessary remuneration, the present system — as I am reliably informed — yielding to th horse owner who relies noon the revenue of purses ami gets his average full share thereof. Set more than one-half enough to meet his current and necessary expeaditares ami interest upon his investment, inferior horses being employed to obtain the results against higher-classed and superior-bred horses under the present system: dj Encouragement to the horse-breeding industry to breed high-class horses which cannot be defeated by inferior horses throuuh the agreement sad manipulation of those who "need the money" to supplement their income; el Klimination of what is commonly known as "graft** and which is simply another name for the alleged usurious exactions from revenue by the stockholders or the owning associations; f Retention within our own country of the proper portion of revenue for these above enumerated uses, thus effectually stopiung the foreign exploiter coming into our midst and carrying away fr.an year to year these large percentages of private gain; g A general augmentation of parses to at least double tic pros, nt size and of a greater advance still in special events of the Futurity race type contest. Should Be Content with Reasonable Interest. Gentlemen whose primary abject is to maintain the spelt upon a high level should be content with a reasonable interest upon the actual money invested by Ihem in the stock of the companies operating the tracks, and unless each racing organization, by its stockholders, voluntarily mend these conditions, and. failing such action, the government. thea the present-day assailants, bent on ext-rmina-tion. will surely be successful. This suggested system, having in view the general betterment of the racing snort, and the elimination of those race track evils traceable to the desire for excessive private gain, should be recognized ami enforced in Ontario, and in this great city of Toronto, in whose citizenship there is. and always has b en to an intensive degree, a true love of a high-class sport, and until a new spirit actuates the stockholders and the companies directorates than that of usurious private gain, attendant with its necessary and consequent injustices, to horse owners and horse breeders, and supplying incentives leading to the above-mentioned improper allowances. Banned to make good the ever -recurring deficits between purses and legitimate expenditures, and gets behind ami stays behind these powers which own and control the tracks, a high standard, lean sport will never be provided and maintained for the people of Toronto and this psariaee; and. further, when this new state of things obtains and is put into full force and effect, there will be no need, of which we hear so much now, of devising ways and means to prevent the capital of foreign speculators and exploiters coming into our midst and carrying away these unconscionable gains, because such foreign capital, nor any capital, so invested, can receive more than a reasonable percentage, calculated upon the basis of capital investment. Why should any true sportsman object to this system, which will yield him a reasonable interest upon his stock investment? What other institution or sport throughout the length and breadth of the land yields any return at all to its stockholders !
