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A Prejudiced Statement r AN EDITORIAL | Daily Racing Form has received a letter signed by Robert B. Cameron, secretary, written in behalf of the Illinois Thoroughbred Horse Owners and Trainers Association and the Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association. It is understandable that an Illinois association could be so prejudiced as to seek special privileges for itself in the allotment of stalls, but it is unbelievable that the HBPA, a national organization, could favor such legislation. The most incredible part of this letter is that both local associations should favor increased taxation of racing. This alone stamps the letter as the product of a group, who, in their selfness, do not have the best interests of racing at heart. It also is obvious that these officials do not understand the bill. They state that after the bill becomes law, "the horsemen already are making a program so as to shut out any abuses or misuses that may have a tendency to deteriorate racing in Illinois." The bill gives these horsemen no such rights, and if these associations wish to prevent the deterioration of racing in Illinois they should immediately organize to use all their influence to persuade the governor to veto both bills. Most important of all, the horsemen give absolutely no consideration to the public, which, under this legislation, would pay an additional ,400,000 per year for a greatly reduced quality of racing. The attack on the Arlington and Washington Park purse structure reveals the motives of this group. These horsemen would raise minimum purses for cheap horses, who would be exploited in greatly increased numbers, at the expense of horses of quality who provide the finest sport. This newspaper publishes the letter in full, and hopes horsemen throughout the country will rise up against such prejudiced legislation: "Regarding your front page editorial of June 20, titled Unwise Legislation in Illinois, members of the Horsemans Benevolent and Protective Association, also the Illinois Thoroughbred Horse Owners and Trainers Association would like to reply. The horsemen do not believe that this bill could have passed 105 to 0 by our legislators if it were not a just and necessary bill. To label our legislators as dummies would have to be the stand of a mercenary selfish group. People are not tax-minded today. They expect to be taxed for existing emergencies. True Americans support just and necessary taxation. This tax bill has been passed 105 to 0, without a dissenting vote. This should be accepted as orderly and final. "The actual wording of Mr. Kohouts House Bill No. 296 or March 6, 1951, and its amendment of June 7 has been misquoted and distorted. We quote below the exact wording of the bill, word for word, as it now is on file in Springfield, and we are unable to understand where such a maniacal interpretation of the bill could have been concocted: House Bill 2% ■ House Bill 296, introduced by Mr. Ko-hout March 6, 1951, read by title, ordered printed and referred to committee on agriculture. For an act to add section l.ii to the Illinois Horse Racing Act, filed June 13, 1937, as amended. " Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: " Section 1., Section lii is added to the Illinois Horse Racing Act, filed June 13, 1927, as amended, the added section to read as follows: " Section l.ii." In allotting stabling accommodations, the licensee shall reserve 50 per cent thereof for the use of owners who are bona fide residents of the State of Illinois, if such owners request such accommodations, and shall allot such stabling accommodations at the track where the racing meeting is being held. The Illinois Racing Board shall revoke the license of any licensee who violates the provisions of this section. "The above-mentioned h o r s e m e ns groups cannot understand who would furnish the Racing Form with such erroneous information and we believe the Racing Form should publish the verbatim bill as quoted above. "May we quote some facts that may serve to clarify some of the conflicting thoughts that may be present in the minds of those who have been misinformed by untrue, biased statements? " Horsemen of Illinois and HBPA members have only one motive before them, and that is to establish and maintain a better and more understanding relationship between racing associations and owners and trainers. This is an industry where horsemen and associations are of equal im-I portance and have equal investments. Progress is a law of God; it is divinely natural and contains all the elements of purity, peace and harmony. These laws are necessary to successful operation of all concerned and we should always be cognizant of this great fact and not permit our motives to drag in the dust. Plan Screening Committee "When this bill is signed by Governor Stevenson, the horsemen are already making a program so as to shut out any abuses or misuses that may have a tendency to deteriorate racing in Illinois. We already have started the structure of a screening committee that will screen out any horses that are considered unsuitable for the meeting for which they are applying for stalls. "Regarding eviction of an out-of-state owner, this thought would never be tolerated by Illinois horsemen. There would never be a need of an eviction at any time at Arlington Park or Washington Park, as these tracks always have 300 empty stalls during their meetings, to be used in case a horse of the higher class wishes to ship in without notice. So you can readily understand the absurdity of eviction. Hawthorne and Sportsmans Park have never turned down anyone and has always had ample room to accommodate horsemen of all classes from all parts of the country. "This article states that Arlington and Washington Parks have established the highest level of racing in the country and the stall grant bill would reduce racing here to a county fair level. According to the purses paid at these two tracks, if Mr. Lindheimer drops his minimum purse another notch, his both tracks will be on a county fair level. New York does not make this boast, still their minimum purses are ,500, while the minimum purse at Arlington Park is only ,000, which is just a couple of hundred dollars higher than most bush tracks throughout the country. "The horsemen of the state of Illinois do not believe that Mr. Peabody will take the privilege of demanding the Governors disapproval of these bills because he believes them unfair, and we hope the opposition to these two bills will modify their words and thinking that our Governor, our Senators and Representatives are vicious, frankly discriminatory, un-American and downright stupid. "Yours in good faith, "Illinois Thoroughbred Owners and Trainers Association, "Horsemens Protective and Benevolent Association. "Secretary. "Signed — Robert B. Cameron."
