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Here and There on the Turf Senator Denvirs Bill Some of Its Striking Fea ¬ tures Other Bills to Be Introduced There is much to commend in the bill introduced in the Illinois legislature by Sen ¬ ator John T Denvir seeking to legalize mutuel betting on racing in the state Senator Denvir is an ardent and honest friend of racing and has introduced bills intended to promote its interests in several previous legislatures Rac ¬ ing itself is entirely legal in the state of Illi ¬ nois but betting on racing is not hence that is the only feature calling for friendly legis ¬ lation lationLike Like other bills for laws under which racing has been conducted elsewhere with marked success it provides for government by a com ¬ mission and it also provides for the pari mutuel system of wagering which has been profitably used in Kentucky Maryland Canada and other sections sectionsIt It is quite sure that other bills will be introduced If the legislature views the mat ¬ ter favorably and enacts a law that law will be a consolidation of what may be deemed the best features of all the bills introduced and referred to committees for consideration It is a matter the legislature will be in no hurry about In case it comes to successful fruition it will in all probability be several months hence before final legislative action is taken Then there will come up for solu ¬ tion the equally important question of whether the governor will sign the act veto it or suffer it to become a law without his signa ¬ ture tureProminent Prominent features of Senator Denvirs bill 1 are its legalization of the use of mutuels a local option provision under which the voters of each county must have registered their ap ¬ proval before racing can be conducted within its boundaries another that only one racing association may be licensed for a population of 000000 but each additional 500000 may have another A mistaken provision limits 5 racing to the period between May 1 and Sep ¬ tember 30 This leaves out October usually the most delightful month of the year in 1 Chicago A limitation of the time in which race meetings may be conducted is desirable Once upon a time Chicago had racing right through a bitter winter Jo such abomination should be permitted But the limitation should be reasonable and certainly should include October There are a number of other points of interest involved in its sections sectionsIn In the meantime since other bills possibly a number of them are to go into the legislative hopper we will have to await the results of its grinding The real bill about which the fight will center will then make its appearance and furnish legitimate ground for comment and criticism It is to be hoped it will not be too prolix and cluttered up with restrictions and provisions to palliate or obscure the real purpose about which there should be no beat ¬ ing about the bush The purpose is to legal ¬ ize betting mutuels or otherwise on the races It should be gone about in a manly and straightforward way as being nothing to be ashamed of
