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CANADA MAY CLOSE RACE TRACKS. Drastic Law Prohibiting- Sport at All Courses in the Dominion Will Be Introduced. Toronto. Out.. May 24.— A dispatch from Ottawa states that the government will announce at an early date, its bill to prohibit racing after July 1 next, and possibly the closing of all tracks iu Canada until the end of the war. Hon. I". J. Doherty, minister of justice, intimated when interviewed, that the Wilcox bill would go no farther, nor would the prosprcthe committee to deal with it be appointed. The bringing down by the minister of the government measure, which will be radical and definite iu character, will supersede the Wilcox proposals. While nothing official has yet been announced, it is known that the matter has been definitely before the cabinet ami a decision has been reached. The government bill, which will be introduced by the Hon. C. J. Doherty. minister of justice, will be of drastic and sweeping character, according to semi-official prognostications. All speculation upon horse races, whether by pari-mutuel machines, bookmakers or otherwise, will be prohibited. Revere penalties, likely not only to involve the offending individuals, but also racing associations and organizations, is to be provided, under present plans. This much seems, according to parliamentary gossip, to be assured. The government measure, however, may go still further. There are said to be strong influences in the cabinet favorable to the absolute closing of all race tracks and the prohibition of all racing in Canada until after the war. No definite decision has yet been reached by the government as to this phase of its prospective legislation. The coming of conscription, however, will be accompanied by more or less drastic domestic legislation and strong sentimental reasons are lieing urged for the abandonment of this line of sport. Not Likely to Interfere with First Meetings. It had not been considered likely in racing circles that the government, in spite of the strong anti -racing lobby maintained at Ottawa, and which the racing interests took no steps to counteract, would take any action that would result in closing the tracks until they had held their first meetings, ami met the obligations they had entered into with owners and others in the way of stakes and similar engagements. That would bring the end of the season about the first of August, instead of the first of July. The prohibition of racing will not be received with indifference by the owners, breeders and the great section of the public that patronizes tin-sport. They argue that in time of national distress those things that are not essential should first be dealt with, and they hold that the government of Canada will be unable to show any sound reason why racing, which is continued in every other country allied against the Huns, should be destroyed in Canada, where there exists the least reason for all such action. They will point to the fact that the British government, after a brief suspension of racing, came to the view that it was inadvisable, and restored the previous conditions, so that the English season is going on as originally arranged. The supporters of racing argue that their sport is the basis of a great national industry, recognized na such in every part of the world, and in this respect differing from all other forms of recreation, which are not to be interfered with. From the various war taxes and license fees on the patrons and the clubs a great deal of public reveuue is produced, far more than from all other fields of recrea tion combined. And consequently they will believe that the discrimination is not based on the merits of the situation at all. The puiixiso of such legislation as is suggested could only be the destruction of racing and breeding, and that is what will be accomplished. The Ruin of Horse Breeding. The Idea that the suspension would be only temporary is not based on any knowledge of conditions. There is not a breeding establishment in Canada that could continue in existence in the abs e of racing. As an evidence of this A. E. Dyment of the Brookilale Stud of Barrie may be quoted. He said a few days ago: "If racing is to lie interfered with at the dictation of the meddlers who are so busy iu their assaults on it. there will lie no more Brook-dale Stud. What we have put into horses stands my brother and myseK a hundred thousand dollars, but every horse we have will be sold, and 1 shall never own a hair in the tail of another. The investments of breeders and the industry that means so much to any country cannot be maintained if they are to be subjected to continuous peril from attacks of hysteria." What the proposed action means to breeders Mr. Dyment puts plainly. What it means in France, driver W. A. Murton of the Canadian Field Artillery told in a recent letter home, when he described how lion hearted the thoroughbred pulled through all difficulties, while the cold-blood failed in the mo ment of mortal need. "God bless all thoroughbred horses and curse all othors." The course of action foretold in the Ottawa dispatches is but another instance of the prayers of the men. who bet their lives for their countrys sake on the field of battle, falling on the deaf ears of vote seekers at home.
