The evening times., 1899-02-24
HoPPLE RULE AMENDED.
Use of Straps Optional With the
TrOfting Associations.

New York. Feb. 24-Only about eighty
of the more than six hundred members OF
the National Trotting Association were
! represented yesterday at the special con-
gress of that organization. held at the Muir
ray Hill Hotel A majority OF all the votes
cast were in the hands OF the half dozen
men who usually control the deliberations
of the n T. A. congress through proxies
sent to them by agricultural societies and
minor racing associations. When Presi-
dent p. P. Johnston called the meeting to
order a little while after noon. and the
committee on credentials reported, it was
found that George Archer, of Rochester.
held the proxies OF II members; NJ. NJ.
Morse of Hartford, IL Charles II. Page, OF
Philadelphia, 8; Robert L. Allen. OF Joliet,
Ill, Z; Frank Bower, of Philadelphia. 6;
w B. Fasig of Cleveland. 6; Mike Bower
man. of Lexington, KY. 5; c. NJ. Jewett,
of Boston 5: p. P. Johnston, of Lexing-
ton. ,, and W. II. Gocher, of Hartford.
Among the other delegates present were
Hon. d. J. Campau, President of the De-
troit Driving Club; s. II. Rundle Dan
bury. Conn; Rensselaer, Weston. repre-
senting the Goshen Driving Park AS
sociation; E. r. Bovine representing
Nbt SOulSI iIS IidCh, JOuH II. SHUTS, WHO
talked and voted for the Plainfed Associa-
tion: S. S. Toman. Secretary of the New
York track Frank p. kenney. Secretary of
the Louisville Driving and Fair Associa-
ton; Charles Lee, President of the Bridge
port Driving Club; John F. Cornell cf the
Parkway Driving Club: II. L. Sherman, of
the GIens Falls track: E. B. Long of
White Plains; W. X. Mohr, OF Bethlehem,
Pa; W. @. Pollock, Judge H. NJ. White
head, R. b. Konoyer, and others.
Much TO the surprise OF many turfmen,
| the rule committee reported in favor OF
an amendment TO the rule prohibiting hop
| pies, which virtually repeals that section
Of the turf code. George Archer, Robert L,
Allen, and Mike Bowerman, three of the
i five committeeman, recommended to the
congress that TO the rule which said:
| Horses wearing hopples shall not be eli
gible TO start in races on the grounds OF
members after January J. 1899" the fol-
| lowing words be added: Unless other
| wise stated in the published conditions"
| Ed. Upton and w. J. Andrews brought in a
| minority report recommending that the old
| rule be permitted to stand without amend
ment.
When il came to vote on the adoption
of the majority report the proxy holders
| ranged themselves seventy strong, on the
side of the hoppled PAGER. only eleven
votes having been cast against adoption of
the amendment to the rule. A much closer
vote resulted, however, when someone
moved to substitute the minority report
for that of the majority
The effect of the amended rule will be TO
permit any member of the n T. A to open
| its races to hoppled PAGERS by so stating in
| its published conditions. Unless such sps-
cial conditions are made, however, the hop
pies will be barred.
Secretary c NJ. Jewett, representing the
New England Breeders Association, voted
against the amendment, and said, after be-
! ing beaten. that although nearly all other
tracks in the Grand Circuit were going to
accept the entries of hoppled PAGERS his
| association would probably bar them out
]. Malcolm Forbes and Col John E Thayer
are among the horsemen who control the
Breeders track al Boston.
Secretary Toman. of the New York track
said that he would probably follow the lead
of Boston and bar the straps The pub
lished conditions Of the New York races
will operate to do this unless they are