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MUTUEL BILL FOR CALIFORNIA Initiative Measure Now in Hands of Attorney-General Webb. One Hundred and Ten Thousand Names Needed on Petition Believe Bill Has Chance to Pass. SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 25. Fari-mutuel betting on all forms of racing in California will be legalized if a movement under way today proves successful. An initiative measure is now in the hands of Attorney-General Webb at Sacramento for examination. It is expected to be given his legal okay in a day or two and will then be circulated for signatures of registered voters, of which 110,000 must be affixed before the measure can be submitted to the people at the November general election. The signatures to the petition are assured, the politically wise declare, pointing to the increasing race-mindedness of the California citizenry. Furthermore, they believe the measure will have a royal chance to succeed because of the growing conviction that the turf sport has outgrown the black eye it was alleged to have worn when it fell into disfavor in California a generation ago due to lack of official supervision and regulation. Several factors have transpired to bring about this condition in the public attitude. Students of sports history say that of first importance has been the several recent high class race meetings at Tanforan. This sport has rallied to the turf thousands of people who entertained a fundamental love of the thoroughbred horse, but who probably never would have become active proponents of racing but for the splendid example of clean sport set by the Pacific Coast Breeders Association and the meetings it has sponsored at Tanforan. Second, the general, growth of the sport throughout the country, and particularly the high standards set at Chicago and on the New York metropolitan circuits. The leading citizens of California are regular visitors to the two great cities, and were inevitably introduced to the sport at its best. Third, the recent action of the Florida legislature in legalizing the sport, to the end that tens of thousands of wealthy tourists of the East are attracted to the Everglades state during the winter tourist season, who otherwise might have patronized-the playgrounds of California. There has always been a spirit of competition between the two states in the matter of bidding for tourist trade. Fourth, many businessmen look with disfavor upon the steady stream of American dollars that flow across the border into Mexico, carried by sports loving Southern Calif brnians. Legalized racing near Los Angeles would keep much of the "short-trip international tourists" at home, it is believed. The proposed measure, insofar as it touches the turf, is patterned closely after the racing law of Maryland. Of much interest, however, is a "joker" clause which would prohibit betting of aay kind on races held at night. This is designed as a blow at dog racing, which recently secured a foothold in California, with a track at Belmont, a village but a short distance from and in the same county as Tanforan. The dogs race in the evening. The measure has a wide and general scope for it would have the pari-mutuel principle apply equally to all forms of racing, including horse race, dog racing, automobile and motorcycle racing. A daily license fee of ,500 for tracks in San Francisco and Los Angeles counties, and ,000 daily in. other counties, is provided for, and the measure would create a state racing board of three members, to be appointed by the governor. This board would receive 0,000 annually for its expenses, with all other revenue being equally divided between the State Veterans Welfare Board and the State Board of Agriculture for the improvement of stock breeding. Roy Daily, San Francisco attorney, has charge of the initiative measure.
