The San Francisco call., 1909-02-05
Hint AT Joker" IN
0TIS-WALKER BILL
Horse Owners Confident New
Law VIII Not Operate to
Stop Track Gambling
Fatal Defect in Measure Rul
m0red, but Turfnen Silent
on Point Involved


track people that the waIker-Otis anti I
gambling bill which has passed in both /
branches OF the legislature and which
Governor Giliett has signifed his in
tention OF signing. viii fail 10 accom- 4
plish its purpose
Racing men in close touch with the
powers that control the turf on the
coast are strangely confident that the 4
/ Walker-Otis bill will never become 1
operative and that racing viii continue
to flourish in California The word has
been quietly passed in the innermost +
racing circles that the measure upon i
which the reformers have been relying /
10 bring about the closing OF the race
tracks IN California is fatally defective.
In fact, the startling statement is 4
made. on reliable turf authority. that
the racing interests secretly c0nnivsd
10 aid the passage OF the bill and that
some OF the Legislators who lent their
{ support TO the measure. far from being
actuated by a desire for reform, were
carrying out a well defined program 4
10 bring about the defeat OF the object
which the real reformsrs had in view
Thomas H Williams. president OF /
the California jockey club. declines 70 /
/ make auv statement for publication /
concerning what VIII happen in April, I
when the bill viii go into eject II
Z is known however. that he has ex-
! pressed himself privately 10 the effect I
that the Walker-OIis bill viii not
compel the abandonment OF single /
days racing. and that the sport viii
be preserved in spite OF the efforts 70
destroy IL Il is asserted that Wiz
Iians already has, his plans carefully
formulated for tee perpetuation OF /
racing.
! CAREFULLY GUARDED SECRET
Inst u-hat the weakness OF the
/ Walker-Otis bill may be, If any such
/ weakness exists, is secret that IS
( being carefully guarded by those cred
tied with the possession OF It No ink
ling Of its nature has been permitted
I 10 escape Il is learned from the inner
circles Of the racetrack crowd that
4 there was considerable concern on the
part Of the racing interests lest some
other anti-racing measure should De
substituted for the Walker-Otis bill
II Is now recalled that soon after
the passage OF the bill IN the assembly.
| and when the issue in the senate stlll
remained in doubt. there was sud
den cessation OF organized opposition
10 the bill on the part OF certain race
track adherents who had been lobby
ing against the measure II IS as
serted on good authority that this sud-
den change OF tactics was the result
] or q mysterious conference OF prorac-
4 ing senators and certain leading repre-
I sentatives Of the racing interests When
the conference was over word was
+ passed 10 the racetrack workers 70
cease lobbying against the Walker
I Otis measure In fact. they were in
vite5 70 go home
shortly afterward. fearing that the
+ reformers might suspect that some
i thing was wrong. the story goes, some
OF the workers were recalled with in
structions 70 put up q Fsrfunctory op-
position At the same time, jt is said,
the intimatiOn was conveyed 10 GER
{ tain senators that no fault would be
found II they should ostensibly ally
themselves with the .reformers, and
announce themselves for the bill In
order 10 keep up the show OF opposition
the staIwarts. few in number, con-
tiuued 10 oppose the passage OF the
/ rroposed legislation All the time, Il
is learned the racing men we're fear
full that their scheme might be discov-
cred and eheckmated by the substitu-
ton OF another bill.
RUMoRS ARE CIRCULATED
= Notwithstanding the care taken 10
keep the thing secret. intimations that
the Bill would fail TO bring about the
4 cessation of racing have been IN per
< sistent circulation at Emeryviile for
several days past and the passage Of
the bill by the senate yesterday, having
been discounted in advance, was re-
ceived with a languid interest that
amounted almost 10 Indifference 1t
was taken as matter of course that
the bill would be contested in the
courts IN due time. The chief interest
seemed TO be as TO the manner IN which
the contest would be made when the
proper time comes.
According TO advices from Arcadia
news OF the passage OF the bill created
as little excitement at the Santa Anita
Il T.
general impression among the turfrnen
al the southern track that the bill con-
tains a Joker that viii take the sting
out OF II Everybody connected with
the Santa Anita management exhibited
a wonderful confidence in the future
OF the sport
POINTS oUT JOKER
According TO story published in
Los Angeles yesterday a prominent
attorney Of that city, who has taken
an interest in the anti-racetrack agi-
tation. has pointed out what he SAYS
is q Joker. aimed 10 aid the race
track supporters. IN assembly bill M.
5s4. which is an act TO amend the
penal code OF the state relating TO
jurisdiction Of justices OF the peace.
The bill IS now pending and should
il pass justices of the peace through
out the state would have absolute
jurisdiction in all cases OF n1isde-
meanor punishable by a fine OF not
exceeding $500. or Imprisonment not
exceeding six months. or both Race
track gambling would come under this
classification
The attorney pointed out that IL
violations OF q Law against racetrack
gambling were TO be prosecuted in
justices courts for the respective
townships the gamblers would be tried
before justice elected BY people
owning and controlling the raeetxack.
The racing and gambling could go on
indefinitely with continuous prosecu-
tIOns and no stopping of the gambling.
i District Attorney Fredericks OF Los
Angeles was asked what he thought
would be the operation OF the biz