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TWO DOG RACING MEASURES Kentucky, Home of Thoroughbred Breeding Industry, Threatened by Invasion of the "Dogs." LEXINGTON, Ky., April 1. The identical bills, one introduced by representative Harry C. Records, of Sparta, and the other by representative Thomas P. Fitzpatrick, of Covington, in the special session of the Kentucky legislature for revenue-raising enactments at Frankfort on Monday, last, have been printed and are with the committee on revenue and taxation. The bills are said to have originated with the National Coursing Association of America, which controls patents on a mechanical rabbit, and is considered to have a virtual monopoly on the dog racing enterprise in this country. The bills are unchanged from that defeated in the regular session of the legislature in February. Provision is made for the creation of a greyhound racing commission of three members and a secretary to be appointed by the governor; dog racing is authorized from May 1 to November 1, between the hours of 7 p. m. and 12 p. m.; the racing permit holder is authorized to take from the pari-mutuel or certificate polling 15 per cent of the money bet, plus breakage to a dime; the state is allowed 3 per cent of the "total amount of money wagered each day," and an additional 10 cents on each admission ticket, or 15 per cent of the money taken for admissions, whichever shall figure most for the state. Each city or town in which a dog track is located is authorized to have a tax of 0 per day for each racing day. Section 10 of the bill would make it difficult for a community not desiring a dog track to get rid of it, should the commission grant a permit for its building. The provision is that after a track has been in operation "in any county for a period of sixty days," if the citizens are dissatisfied, they can, if they bring in a petition signed by 25 per cent of all the qualified voters in that county, get the county judge to call a special election on the subject. Whichever way that election would go, another election cannot be held upon the subject for a period of five years. A pamphlet of twenty pages, entitled "True Facts on Legalized Greyhound Racing," and signed as "Sponsored by Kentucky Greyhound Breeders," but carrying no names of individuals, is being circulated throughout the state. Governor Chandler at Frankfort yesterday afternoon said, in response to an inquiry as to whether or not he is supporting the dog bills: "I am not sponsoring them."
