The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
OUTCURVES AND
 SHOOTS FROM THE TRACK.
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| N N \ x < k x x x N Nothing is heard nowadays of the | Horsemens Protective Association. II | caused a big hubbub for a day or so, but now no granite shaft marks its resting place, and on Decoration day kind hands strewing flowers will forget that 1t ever had real existence. It was the cher ished scheme of a disgruntled Eastern trainer who thought to throttle the pens of criticizing scribes. It blossomed in the morn, and nightfall witnessed its decease. But it was strange that out in this far Western country how certain ! horsemen became instantly infatuated with its bylaws and issues. It must not be construed by this that all who signed its membership roll were-but some. When spoken to in regard to the inside workings of the organization the press was always mentioned prominently as something that ought to be attended to- as 1t were. Horses are not pieces of ma- chinery. This every one knows. The honest owner, always out for the long end of the purse, is never criticized, even ! though his horses do train off. A bunch of losing pool tickets are mute testimo- nialS to this fact. One day a stake horse and another day a dog" though, will bring down the wrath of the populace in any country.
 What a pity it Is California is not pos sessed of racing institution with the standing and caliber of the Washington Park Association of Chicago. When it was recently announced through the col umns of the press that there would be a period of racing at Washington Park this coming summer the face of every visit ing horSeman, bookmaker, jockey, tout
 hustler, roustabout and hobo was wreathed in smiles It is the mecca of all Western turfmen. There the juice is not squeezed from the orange and the peel tossed to the owners-they derive all the benefit. Eight hundred dollar purses and $l0OO handicaps are what make Wash ington Park popular. There is where you say. On the conditions of the races can be read "a fair field and no favor,'' some thing that cannot be said of our own game, where the ''magnates' of either track head the list of winning owners.
 It is quite evident that every now and then officials in the stand overlook the fact that the public are entitled to some protection as well as private individuals, whether they are race track owners or not. On Wednesday of the present week Henry Shields, with leg up on the pro- nounced favorite, Olinthus, a brother to Diggs, won the Schreiper stake at Ingle- side for two-year-olds. Any sane indi- vidual with eyes not afflicted with astig- matism could see that a well defined eff fort was made to defeat the favorite by shutting him off. Taking a desperate chance, Shields got through next the rail- and at the finish won easily. In making his aggressive move Shields was compelled to tap one rider lightly with his whip, when hanging half over the fence. Of course this does not make pretty racing, but when ones life is in danger he should protect himself with the most available means. For this breach of turf etiquette the rider of Olinthus was suspended for the balance of the week. No attention was paid to the rowdy tactics of the other riders. calling to one another. There he comes on the "oh, mo-, they were pding for good peo- pie. And this sort of thing will even tually work the ruin of California racing.
 If racing is a rich mans game, it should be so advertised. If all are welcome to participate, then all should be treated alike. Surely the wealthy do not pay their dollar at the gate. For the most part, people in possession of money and position pass through the gates on com plimentary badges. The middle and poorer classes support the sport. and for that reason the poor owner with two horses should have an equal say with the owner of a string of twenty. If a firm with untold wealth at it's command in- vests fifty thousand in stable of horses