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EXAMINATION FOR LICENSES Jockeys, Trainers and Agents to Be Tested Before Being Licensed in Rhode Island. PROVIDENCE, R. I:, April 19. Licenses to jockeys, trainers and their agents will be subjected to a very close scrutiny this summer at Narragansett Park, according to plans completed last night by racing commissioner James C. Thornton. A state license board of five members will sit to examine all applications and applicants, and licenses will be granted only to those thoroughly competent in their field and of good character. The board personnel will consist of a state superintendent in charge of licenses, a state superintendent of investigations, a track steward and two of the turfs leading trainers, the latter to be alternated with others from time to time. Last season licenses were granted upon presentation of the fee and two endorsing signatures from trainers, but the method is too haphazard to suit commissioner Thornton. This year jockeys, trainers and agents of established reputation will experience no difficulty in securing licenses, but those of cloudy repute and newcomers to the sport will be put through a rigorous examination. The presence of an experienced steward and the two horsemen will effectually block any trickery by undesirables in the way of securing licenses. The fees are set as follows: Jockeys, 0; apprentices, ; trainers, 0, and agents, . For the information of racing fans, agents are those authorized by jock,eys to make their riding engagements and by stables to sign the entry blanks for their horses. Not wishing to impose Rhode Islands judgments on other states, commissioner Thornton states that any applications refused or tabled will be filed and kept strictly within the confines of his own desk, thus leaving other states free to make their own decisions. . 4
