New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-09
A HORSE OWNERS LEAGUE.
rRoTTING-HoRsE MEN TALK OF NEW
ORGANIZATION.

THEY WANT REPRESENTATION on THE NATIONAL
BOARD OF REvIEw-TRACR MANAGERS NOW
MAKE THE RULES AND ELECT THE
TURF TRIBuNALs-OTHER At
TEMPTs TO UNITE OWN
Frs AND DRIVERS
HAVE FAILED.
While the Board of Review OF the National Trot-
ting Association was in session at the Murray Hin
Hotel last week a good many OF the horsemeh III
attendance at the meeting were taking ABOUT d
proposed organization of trottine-horse owners ana
drivers to be formed for the purpose OF protecting
the interests of the craft. Right or wrong, iarse
share of the horsemen feel that under the present
system of turf government the protection j. nearly
all side. and that when IL comes 10 CON
Nlct of interests between the men VINO en'er thei'
horses and the driving clubs which offer purses 10
be troted for the latter class have the best OF the
argument.
All cases arising out Of controversies between
horse owners and local clubs are tried and deter
mined by the Board Of Review OF the NauonaI
Trotting Association in the East ana Inc 'oa'u VI
Appeals of the American Trotting Association IN
the West and there is appeal from their rulings
Both of these turf courts were created by the 'rae
managers throughout the country. The men VINO
sit in judgment at the semi-annual meetings. Vi '''
two boards elected by the track managers anu
the rules which they enforce are framed by inc
track managers at their biennial congresses mus
The horse owners saw one Of the parties interested
selects both judge and jury, besides MAKING inc
law while the other has no representation IN court
and no voice in framing the rules. but must sun
init TO the DEGREES Of this tribunal or be ruled OF 'he
turf.
Nobody in the trotting fraternity has ever doubted
the integrity of the men who compose the National
Board. and in all of the earnest talk al the Muira!
Hill Hotel last week there was probably not one
personal reflection any member OF the turf court
but the horsemen strongly opposed to the pres
SDrnciDle.
interests well as those of the track managers
should be represented In the rotting rules and the
trotting turf tribunals. AS one prominent horse
man expressed it:
IF were going be tried for my life. wouldn't
ask to have fairer jury than that composed OF
the men on that Board, but they are bound TO see
abe justice of the track owners case little easier
than that of the horse owners, where they repre-
rent only side. no matter how fair they intehd
10 be. What expect when three out OF the
five men who are hearing our cases are track
owners themselves"
Two or three attempts have been made in the past
10 land the owners and drivers of trotters together
for mutual protection on the old principe tha'
"n union there is strength, but for some reason or
other ali efforts have thus far come to naught As
long ago as 1884 a movement Of ,his kind was set on
PAGES Many owners were then smarting under
zeal ana a 3n5 w pS fSca dTgng clubs and
failing 10 obtain redress from the National As
they took steps to 2 an Se oWne an of
Harry Wilkes and other noted trotters, was elected
president Of the organization. and f. G Walker YVES
chosen secretary. while such prominent tuffmen
and breeders as Elizur Smith, John S. Clark Isad9r
Cohnfeld II. N Whitehead, T. p Simmons, charies
F. II. Phillips. William f. Weeks and George b.
Hayes signed the call for the meeting. The organ
izaiion Was never heard OF. however. after It's in
ception. and the horsemen continued 10 work cut
their salvation single handed.
Another and similar attempt was made to or
ganize the drivers az Lexington, KY, in october.
is2 during the annual trottng meeting given by
holding convention at the Phoenix Hotel one even
ing adopting a constitution and bylaws. and elect
ing Charles Marvin president of the TrottnS-Horse
Drivers Association of America. nothing came OF
the movement. The aims of the association were
and indefinite, set forth in the conStitu-
ton. few of the organizers. apparently having a
clear idea Of their nurpess in getting together