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CANADIAN RACING OF 1921 Reformer Raney and His Agitation Against Turf Sport. Comment by an Influential Montreal Newspaper and Ideas of I Well-Posted Critic. "Reformer" and Ontario Attorney General Rtmy is still busy in his work against Canadian rising. The best judge of Canada affairs and Cjraadian racing in a letter to the Daily Racing Forn vrites: "The professional reformer we liave uifwas with us, and always shall have with us, Ion as the task is a profitable one. whether ivr hisfinances or for" the advancement of his political fortunes. Mr. Raneys revived crusade pfcsents no new features. The canned resolution which tha Canadian conferences, synods and assemblies arc pissing with monotonous regularity, amy lack of information or consideration, at this peulod of their annual sessions do not deceive an.vody, nor do hey present any new stuff. Mr. Rsyfiey has been nder strong criticism in the Ontariy legislature am in the lay press over his administration of tin; Ontario temperance act. and it is suggested by opp siticm newspapers that his latest outbreak is inte ided to distract attention from him in that respec . A recent editorial from the Montreal Gazette jshows that these little tricks are seei: through at home, however they may be regarded abroad. The mind of the country as reflected in parliament and he govern ment is well settled on the policy of regulation, not prohibition, of betting on Canadian race courses, something that is either legalized or tolerated in every civilized country on the face of the globe. "The hrflf-milers will find some trouble in getting by under the new law limiting the take-off, and enforceil by the supervision of the mounted police. They got along in the Province of Quebec, that is minly by devious ways, and when they uso then the road is difficult. The legitimate courses arenot likely to make any profits under the new lay, except those that are able to draw a big and paying. gate. The reduction in the mutul take-oft i"so graded that .it creates a tighter situation than as contemplated. The government, of course, will lot consent tr any immediate relaxation, but the clubs have iriade their protests as they go along, and eventually there will be some modification. "Attewfances seem to be better than ever, ami there yre so many horses for Canadian racing that the jfiewt problem is for track superintendents to firur room for them." MONTREAL GAZETTES COMMENT. The Montreal Gazettes editorial in part ran this way: "It has been contended insistently that horse racing cannot be carried on without betting. If that be so, the question seems to be whether it is worth while abolishing the former in order to get rid of the latter. Horse racing as a sport exercises an extraordinarily powerful appeal upon men and women of all classes and has done so through all the ages of civilization. It is primarily a recreation, and betting, when all is said and done, is a part of it. The evil lies not in the use but in the abuse of horse racing and the privilege of betting. Such abuse is now illegal and if it prevails it is because the law is not being enforced, possibly because it cannot be effectively enforced. In that respect there may be. and doubtless there is, room for improvement and scope for the legislative activity of parliament. Investigations, however, have not disclosed a condition nearly approaching that which moral reformers describe, and no case lias been made out for the application of s drastic and sweeping a remedy as would involve the suppression of horse racing by the prohibition of all betting. Moreover, though it lias been contended that racing cannot be carried on without betting, it has not yet been demonstrated that betting cannot be carried ou without horse racing."
