The San Francisco call., 1908-11-28
RICE REFUSES AID
TO ARKANSAS
RACING
OHtiawed by Jockey Club, He
RefaIiated by Killing Sport
ia State

The interests behind the movement
l0r the restoration Of racing at Hot
Springs, Ark, are probably counting
their chickens before they're hatohed
II they are depending upon the CO.
operation Of Captain r. r. Rice in the
efforts now making for revision of
the Amis law, which put the race
tracks in Arkansas out OF business
about two years ago.
Captain Rice was one Of the most
influential and respected citizens OF
Arkansas at the time that the Western
jockey club outlawed him for partici
patton IN the race meetings at Union
park, ST. Louis. and Essex park, Hot
Springs. in the fan and winter Of 1904,
At the time that the American turf
association was formed and the big
split in western and southern racing
affairs took place. When the Western
Jockey CLUB obtained absolute control
of racing in Arkansas its management
refused TO remove the disqualification
against Rice and he found himself in
The position of being unable TO race
his horses in his native state. After
eNhausting every eXpedient TO bring
about q modification Of the ruling
against him Rice declared war on the
A estern jockey club, feeling that he
had been very un1ustly dealt with,
and was instrumental in having his
friend State Senator Amis, introduce
the bill that eventually put stop to
racing in Arkansas.
RESTORED TO STANDING
A few days ago information came
from the east 10 the effect that ithe
Western jockey club had restored Cap
tain Rice 10 good standing, and sub
seQuently lnumations were sent out
from Arkansas that the ban against
the veteran Arkansas turfman had been
removed with a view to enlfsting his
support Of the movement for re-
vision of the law that he was chiefly
Instrumental IN having passed
Captain Rice. who had been III for
much Of the time since his arrival from
summer ana fail campaign with MS
horses at Butte and Salt Lake, was al
the Emery-Vllle track yesterday ana
discussed his case IN a manner which
shows that he still feels very bitter
against the interests which debarred
him from the racing game in his native
state and that the present movement
10 re-establish racing at Hot Springs
viii receive no assistance from him.
Captain Rice made this statement con-
corning his case;
The only information concerning my
reported reinstatement by the Western
Jockey club has come TO me through
the press. j have received no official
notification of any action in connection
with my case from the Western jockey
club, which ] had supposed to be
oefunct organization. don't take
much stock in deathbed repentances.
Anyway, nothing that the management
of the Western jockey club might do
now can compensate for the heavy
financial loss which their persecution
caused me ] was compelled to sacri-
ice many Of my best horses for song
in consequence OF their ruling against
4
the loss. While 1 am not declaring
what I viii or viii not do in connec-
tiOn with The movement TO restore
racing at Hot Springs, I don't mind
saying that I have no further interests
in racing lin my native state have
identified myself with racing in Cali
here and likewise in Texas, where I
have established modest breeding
farm.
PUT TRACKS OUT OF BUSINESS
When the Western jockey club man
cement refused to rescind its ruling
against me / expended $1,000 in secur
ing expert legal assistance in the
drafting of an act designed TO compel
associations IN the state from any
reputable citizen Of Arkansas not ruled
Of for fraud. This measure failed OF
passage because Of the combined infiu-
ence Of the racing interests and the
reform element in the state, the lead
crs. OF which took the ground that the
provisions Of the bill would legalize
racetrack gambling IN Arkansas. Then
it was that Senator Amis, who had in
trodUced the bill, drafted the measure
which bears his name and which leg
islated the tracks out Of business. i
know what j am talking about when
I say that the Western jockey clubs
treatment Of me was responsible for
The passage Of antl-raclng legislation
in Tennessee as well as in Arkansas.
The extent to which the manage
ment Of the Western jockey club car
ried its feeling against me may be in
ferred from the fact an application for
a training license forwarded from Cali
foruia by my son, and indorsed by two
such reputable and influential horse
men as Barney Schroeder and Walter
j. Jennings. was turned down. My son
was attending university in the south
when my differences with the Western
Jockey club arose and he had absolute
ly nothing 10 do with them. So IT was
evidently a case Of the carrying out Of
Lne biblical Injunction OF visiting the
sins of the fathers upon the children"