The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-15
RADICAL CHANGES
 IN RACING RULES Riders and Drivers Cannot Use Watch During Race NO TROTTING AZ TER SUNSET p. p. Johnstone of Lexington Is Chosen President of National Association.
 G. c. Brown Succeeds
 Billings.
NO TROTTING AFTER SUNSET

New York February 1.-The National Trotting association at it's 28d biennial congress, held today, made many impor- tant changes in it's rules to govern the trotting turf for the coming year. About $50 members attended the session. The adoption of new rule to prevent drivers or riders from resorting to the use of the watch while in a race. led to an ami mated discussion but was finally adopt ed. The following rules were adopted:
 That driver or rider cannot be ex- pelled from the National Trotting asso- citation for non-payment of entries ex- cept where he is nominator or owner or the horse; one allowing any cureuit of tracks of five or more members to have it's own board of stewards, whose rulings will be supreme in instances affecting that particular circuit; that no person shall be permitted to start horses in a race or performance unless he holds license from the National Trotting asso- citation. which Is granted upon the recom- mendation of two members and others showing his good character, knowledge regarding trotting rules and ability that any horse running a heat or making record heat in any public race in which there is an intentional suppression or instrumentation in either record or an- nounced time requires bar for time actually made, subsequent to winning ana to engagements made on or after date pt such performance. In such cases the win pings are unlawful and must be returned and distributed to other competitors Ill the contest when demanded on authority on rule IA, section 1, by order or the board of review to which there snail De added 10 per cent penalty and interest on whole at per cent annually until paid Notice of suspension under this rule in cludes the nominator and horse, regard less of any change of ownership.
 An amendment of section of rule was adopted providing "a nominator IS liable for entrance on each morse en- tered in a purse race or stake All en- tries must be paid for but the terms can be fixed by the member published in the conditions"
 Section 1 of rule was changed to read:
 Tn all purses five entries instead or three are required, and three instead of two to start unless otherwise speclned' An association deviating from the above must specify how many entries and start CTS are required, and both conditions must be fulfilled, or the race is off.
 To section 1, rule !, was added the stipulation that in case of demand TOT identification it must be reduced to wrlt- ing and signed by the party making It. Section 2 of rule 9, regarding horses wear ing hopples not being eligible to start Tn races on grounds of members. unless so stated in the published questions, was done away with The committee con tended that no horse should wear hopples in race if it had not done so in the first heat. and decided that any person re- moving the hopples for the purpose or fraud shall be expelled from the associa- ton.
 Rule 19 was amended to read
 "No heat shall be started in any trot- ting event after sunset by solar calendar time.
 A rule was passed that if judge tol- erated any diversion from the established rule or fails to order out all horses, and start the heat in the time required by the rules. he shall be fined, suspended or expelled.
 Rule 51, regarding suspensions and ex- pulsions, was changed to read
 No person or persons or stable having in their or it's employ in any capacity an expelled, suspended or disqualified per son, or persons, snail De enSlple to com pete after written notice to said person or persons or stable or authorized agent of either from the secretary of the Ma tional Trotting association in a race or races on the grounds of member or members, except in cases where limited penalty has been imposed by judges dur ing the progress of a meeting against a man working under written contract"
 P. P. Johnstone of Lexington, Ky, was chosen president. Among the other of ficers elected were George Campbell Brown of Springfield, Tenn, member of district board. central district; John C. Welty of Canton, O., J. w. Bailey of Gainesville, Tex, and II. K. Devereaux of Cleveland, O., western district
 MT. Brown was elected in place of C. K. G. Billings of Memphis, Tenn of the central district.