Evening journal., 1914-02-18
THREE BILLS
AGAINST RACE
TRACK SPORT
Senator HammOnd'S Measure
Provides State Wide Com
mission and Is Per Cent. Tax

BALTIMORE, Md. Feb. 1S.-There
are now three bills before the Legis-
lature which have as their purpose a
change IN the present racing law.
The Williams bill aims TO wipe out
the Hayre de Grace track. Delegate
Halls measure endeavors to remove
the public betting end Of the sport,
but does not strike at racing itself.
Senator Hammond's bill seeks TO es-
tablish a State wide racing commits
sion in the place Of tho present Coun-
ty Racing Commission, and provides
a tax which viii bring revenue TO the
State of at least $4,000 TO 100000
a year.
The different racing bills are so
varied and sweeping It is scarcely
possible that the members OF both
houses win agree on any one and
pass it. Because of the difference OF
opinion the racing men see a loop
hole OF escape for the sport Mary
landers. as a rule, are fond OF racing.
They do not want the sport wiped
out This loyalty and the clash be-
tween the mile and half-mile track
interests will help to save racing in
this State.
Senator Hammond's bill appears to
be the one most in favor and It may
pass. AS the bill now stands It pro-
vides for a 10 per cent. tax on tho
gross receipts as we'll as creating a
State Racing Commission. Under this
IS per cent. tax 1t would furnish
something like 100000 a year TO the
State. The race track people say
that this would be ridiculous, as no
track could exist under such a tax.
The racing crowd want the tax linn
tied to not more than 8 per cent. a
rate that was I'm force under the Per-
cy-Gray Racing law in New York
State. Speaker Trippe will also in
troduce a race track bili and this 3
per cent. tax has been suggested to
him. But It is said that he will re-
ject Il as being too small. II is like
iy that he may compromise between
il and the IS per cent. measure and
introduce a bill calling for z IL per
cent. tax
The State Of Maryland is in need of
money and the legislators are hard put
TO obtain what is required. Now that
New York has started the way with
bill to tax baseball. il is likely that a
similar measure-similar in purpose. at
least will be introduced in Annapolis
shortly 20 make tho baseball clubs pay
per cent. tax on the gate receipts.
The State needs good roads badly, but it
has no money 20 build them. 4 tax on
racing and baseball would meet with
popular approval OF the farmers, and
the members OF both houses are after
that popular approval.
Il has been suggested 60 amend Sen
ator Hanmond'- bin in the committee
So as 10 base the principal tax on the
betting end of racing. This proposition
has mot with much opposition. The op.
poncnis say that with q tax on betting
IL would place the State in direct part
ncrship with race track gambling. But
the advocates of the tax say. inasmuch
as the State sanctions open betting and
protects IL with laws. that the state
ought 70 derive a benefit the samo as Il
does from theatres and saloons.
In Franco tho government places q tax
of S per cent. on all the money that
passes through the pari-mutuol ma
chimes. There was a falling of in the
amount OF money bet last year, but
nevertheless il brought revenue OF
elql4. 100 to the government Half of
this sum was spent by the French gov
ernment for public works
Stin another suggestion that has been
made is the levyng OF flat tax Of $1,000
day for running meetings. This, on
the basis Of last year. would weld
nearly $50 600 TO the State The half
mile trucks. which hold meetings OF only
six days duration. would he exempt
from this fiat tax or a high tax on bet
ting. In AN the bills a sop OF comfort
Mil Sc thrown to The half-milers So as
10 obtain their support. The men be-
hind the half.milo tracks are very stronc
politically m this state The small
tracks want the hookmaking system OF
letting Instead of the pafi-mutuel'. ana
tleae tracks viii probably prevent ths
snti-hcttina measures from being passed
d, forcing nari-'a,tnels on al Of tie race
tracks I'm this State