The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-05
|RACING'S END NEAR AT HAND Sport Closes in Cali fornia.
 MEETINGS ARE THE LAST Opposition Has Succeeded in Carry-
 ing Through Reform War. There is Little Hope in the Future
 For the Men Who Have Fol-
 lowed the Tracks All Their

With the death knell of racing sounded in California. it looks as il sDst h tRe Gnsed US s,asss men throughout the country have beer looking for the dropping of the cur. tain on the sport of kings" for quite any encores from those manipulat-
 The drama now being played out in California may spell finish for the Coast has been considered the bulwark of the running turf for several years and with that carried. little seems to is siilI holding e the % tort. but iAiSeSs it iooks region. Florida is boasting of a meeting. but the Everglade State is the sport and keep the bangtaiis in feed during the lean period which looms up ahead. New York has hopes, but that Is about all. with Governor Hughes sitting on the lid for the next
 Small Hope For Ben.ing.
 Promoters around Washington have number of "plpe dreams" as to racing have been fed to the gullible. but the odds seem to be against any resur- Eection of the sport with any degree
 Arkansas jumped in with claim would be repealed for the benent of Hot Springs. but there seems to be woods
 Further South they have succeeded Tn landing the bettors in Jail but the lawyers are now busy telling the pro get through with the Locke law they will be able to drive a coach and four through the measure. The "touts" taking any stock in the arguments
 Down In Texas they seem to oyerdo the thing. which has always been the case in the past. and the Legislators taking notice of the doings in San An tonio,, Fl Paso and other points. anu So al! along the line. Michigan has also tab0oed the "bookfes."
 Savannah pulled off it's advertised meeting. but before 1t closed rumblings were heard, and 1t looks as If Georgia has entered the lists. From there to jumping North, 1t looks as if free-and- easy Montana doesn't like the com pany 1t has kept in the past. Then. across the Rockies, Washington has the assembly in session at Olympia being unanimous against betting and poolrooms Colorado grew tired of lets out the available points not talk ing into consideration those States which in the dim and distant past Dahlsntu tne DRnRtaUH.
 OppOsition's Steady March,
 Taking stock around the circuit ever since the first blow against the sport was struck which killed racing in the State of Illinois. the followers of the game are wondering how it ali hap pened Up to date no one has been able to give the answer, but, just the same, the feed bills are accumulatinE at every track where the stables are still standing right side up, and the
 breeding industry" Is certainly get
 Regardless of the real or imaginary evils the horsemen are unquestionabl bly facing financial crisis. Millions are Involved; there Is no question of that. Taking into consideration the value of the track property. horses and othe CT paraphernalia, the losses with the sport killed will run up into the mil lions. Those who have feathered thcir nests in the past will be able to stand 1t, but there are thousands who have always been on the ragged edge, and work or Init" the ties of blind bag gage.
 That the purely commercial and gam bling end has killed the sport can hardly be disputed. When tracks are | overgrown with weeds, the stables crumbling to decay. and the cry of come on, you, has been heard for | the last time, the verdict is likely to | be-just or uniust-"they had 1t com scramble for the percentage" and more of the real sport of horse racing, the legislators now probably would | not be holding night sessions in order to to put the kinsly sport on the to-