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TO COMBAT FOES OF RACING Kentucky Turf Forces Combine to Furnish Organized Defense of the Sport. LATONIA, Ky., September 22. Members of the Thoroughbred Horse Association, in semi-annual meeting last night, took cognizance of the movement inaugurated at Louisville for the repeal of the law under which pari-mutuel tickets are legally sold and paid at race meetings in Kentucky. It was the spirit of the meeting that all persons who are interested in the preservation of the thoroughbred horse breeding industry and perpetuation of its attendant and dependent racing should combine their energies, efforts and activities to combat the forces that are bringing this fight, which, if successful, will mean the disruption of the open and fair system of betting, produce unlawful betting and ultimately result in the destruction of the great breeding studs of the state. To that end president Charles H. Berryman of Lexington, who presided at the meeting, was empowered by the board of directors, who met immediately after the members meeting adjourned, to appoint a committee to act Avith him in presenting to the public the racing mans side of the case and to refute such of the claims of the reformers as are incorrect. In that committee were appointed Messrs. Desha Breckenridge, owner and editor of the Lexington Herald; Matt J. Winn, general manager of the Kentucky Jockey Club, and Thomas B. Cromwell, secretary of the Thoroughbred Horse Association. It was the opinion of the meeting that the public shall be given the trnth about racing and that the Thoroughbred Horse Association, the Kentucky State Racing Commission and the Kentucky Jockey Club will work in harmony and unison to that end. The Kentucky Jockey Club, it was stated by one authorized to speak for it, has nothing to conceal as to its operations or the revenues it has received and expended. It is ready when called upon by the general assembly, if the general assembly should call upon it, to give the fullest information about the amount of money handled through the pari-mutuel machines; the amount invested in the tracks; the cost of Maintenance and operation; the amounts paid in taxes and licenses; the amount paid out in dividends and otherwise; also the amount on hand. All of this information is annually given to the income tax collectors and there Is no objection to giving it to the Kentucky legislature, or to the general public. It was stated at the meeting that 7 per cent, a year had been paid on preferred stock and 7,, per cent each year, for two years, on the common stock, and that there has been a falling off in the amount of money handled through the machines in comparison with last year, thus decreasing the gross and net earnings, which have never been anything like the extravagant amounts named in the claims of the reformers. All who are on the side of racing are to be given an opportunity to aid in the presentation of the case, as it is asked that they send their names and addresses to Thomas B. Cromwell, secretary of the Thoroughbred Horse Association, Lexington, Ky. To take up the matter of purses for the winter meetings Messrs. T. C. McDowell. M. Goldblatt and William Feuchter were appointed a committee for Havana and Messrs. E. R. Bradley, J. S. Ownby and William Woodard were named a committee for . New Orleans. President Berryman was empowered to appoint committees later for Tijuana and Mexico City. The association voted the donation of a Cup to be given as a prize at the Horse Show of the Business and Professional Womens Club at Lexington, Ky., October 5, C and 7, and all who possibly can were urged to make entries of stallions, mares, yearlings and foals. Wayne Dinsmore, secretary of the Horse Association of America, was present and made a splendid address to the members on the extension work his organization is doing for the promotion of light horse interests, riding and driving clubs and the more general use of horses in this country. The Thoroughbred Horse Association voted the purchase of twenty chares in the Horse Association of America for three years and a number of its members took from five to twenty shares each.
