view raw text
I 1 J I "* * f • a J , | i . . j . J j • j | j j j I I i j I J j LATE LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS ] « . New Washington Park Breeders Association Changes Its Name. ♦ Judge Murphy Made General Manager and Plans Are Ready for Building of New Track at Riverdale. ♦ Having followed to the letter its announced plan of marking time so that the Chicago Washington Park Club would have a clear field for its proposed racing bill, and the failure of that organization to present such measure, the New Washington Park Breed- J ers Association believes the time has come J for action. j The first move was to drop the name of , the "New Washington Park Breeders Asso- , eiation" and take out incorporation papers under the name of the Chicago Business Mens Racing Association. It is also proposed to avoid any friction over the name , American Derby, and another name will be selected for a similar race. , Judge Joseph A. Murphy has been made , director general and general manager of this newly-incorporated organization and on his return from St. Louis next week it is expected that a definite date will be set when work will begin on the proposed track at Riverdale, 111. Here is judge Murphys state- | ment concerning these latest developmental in the local situation: "The time has come for action. At the Derby dinner on February 19th I persuaded my friends to mark time so that the Chicago Washington Park Club would have a clear field for its proposed racing bill. I am not in the councils of the Chicago Washington Park Club, but my experience in legislation makes me believe that even with a friendly legislature, only five weeks away from ad- j | journment, a bill introduced at this time would be buried in the calendar and could ! not possibly be brought to final passage. I hope I am wrong in this. Still, it might be j ! for the best, at that. In two years from j j now, with a real show place erected, a big I organization of substantial citizens, drawn! from every walk of life as stockholders, a | I close affiliation with all the breeders of the j I state, a harmonious working agreement with the harness horse and live stock interests of the state, active co-operation with the United I States Army through its Remount Department, and, what is more to the purpose, having practically demonstrated that racing can be conducted as a dean, high-class sport of the people and for the people, we will be in a much stronger position before the legislature than a mere embryonic organization of men. irrespective of their social and financial position. TOW NAME FOR DERBY. "Our charter of the New Washington Park Breeders Association will not be la active: operation, so as not to cross wires with the j Chicago Washington Park Club. Our big Derby will not be called the American Derby. I We have deferred in every way possible to i , the wishes of the Chicago Washington Tark dub and feel that we have earned at least I | the moral if not active support of its members. I have found an insistent demand for] i action. I have steadily refused to be placed j in the position of a promoter, but my friends in Chicago tell me that if I will give theaij the full benefit of my years of experience and | will lead them to successful fruition and ! agree to operate the plant after it has been 1 created they will provide the money to build, ! it. We are proceeding on these lines. My advisers are further insistent that the public should be permitted to participate in the! ] i proposition. They point out that the Chicago ] public has never had an opportunity to own a race track. Harlem, Worth, Hawthorne, and even Washington Park, were ■ practically proprietary propositions. The tendency of big corporations to have their employes become participators in the business as stockholders is a practical demonstration of the trend of modern thought. In a venture which must depend on public sentiment for its life we will drift with the spirit • of the times." — a
