Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-17
JUDGE PETTENGILL
DISCUSSES RACING
ObjcctionaI Features Are
Eliminated by Pari-
Mutual.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. Jan. lb.
That the increasing popularity Of
horse racing is due to the fact that
those who heretofore ouuosed the
snort Of kings are now learning that
II Is not a great gambling and sWind-
ling institution ald that the men now
in charge, and those who are taking
charge OF any meet that may open,
are men Of reputable standiuR In
whom the public has confidence, was
interview with Judge G.. II. Pcttengill,
Of the New York Jockey club, who,
accompanied 10y his wife, are register
ed at a local hotel This ls their
initial visit TO the Arkansas Spa.
Judge P~ettenRilPs comments we're
called forth by the fact that business
men OF this city will ask the Arkansas
legislature, which convened this week,
10 pass a bill hat viii repeal the pres
ent autirnclng legislation and again
permit the ponies to sCamper over
the local track under the Pari-Mutuel
system.
THE sentiment Of the people all
over the country Is returning in favor
Of the sport" Judge Pcttengill de-
clared. FOR the public realizes that
racing is not a gambling institution,
although wagers are made. Every
lac Of business, for that matter, IL
more or less Of a gamble. but the
sport itself is purging racing Of any
questionable features that may have
been used heretofore as an argument
against it.
Take, for example, the men who
are today controlling the various
tracks and directly Interested in the
success OF racing and YOU Will fad
they are gentlemen in every sense or
the word; they are reputable men
who stand high in the community and
sporting world and whose word Is
their bond. Then, too, the rules and
regulations are carefully drawn n
hermit OF no crookedness, and there
is no desire on the part of owner or
Jockey to do anything crooked. The
sport Is cleaner han II ever was and
Is getting cleaner every day. There
isn't a community in the country
where II is possible to hold a good
meet but what would welcome racing.
for It means an increase I'm all lines
Of business.
Saratoga, n. Y. was dead when
racing was legislated out Of the En-
pire state. Some OF the property
there would have been difficult to
give away One OF the leading ho-
tells was torn down and the site on
which 1t stood became part Of the
city park. When racing came back
business Immediately picked up They
race there during the month Of
August. Last August the meet was a
success In every way but II would
have been a more complete success
were II not for the sudden breaking
out Of tho European war. There We're
many men doing business in Wall
street who had made preparations to
attend the racing who were forced TO
cancel their reservations at Saratoga
hotels.
an New York, since racing has
been permitted, We have not had one
glazing violation Of tho rules and
regulations governing the tracks
there. Mr.. Belmont's plant, which Is
operated under the auspices Of the
New York Jockey club. covers some-
thing like 600 acres. | have seen as
high as 20, 600 persons at the races
there day after day and have never
seen one man under the influence OF
liquor. The police regulations there
and at every other track are most
adequate. The people o. Charleston,
s. c., understand were OF the opinion
that racing would bring TO the city a
large number of crooks and undesir-
able characters of all kinds, yet this
feature was easily controlled and all
danger from that source overcome
when the business men, with the
assistance of the local officers, ar
ranged for detectives In the employ
Of a well known agency who knew the
undesirables to do duty at the tracks,
and crooks gave Charleston track a
wide berth.
In Kentucky and Maryland the
Pari-Mutuel system is giving salts
faction and 1t has won the confidence
Of the people. They believe II Is an
agency that will further assist in
keeping the sport clean and Parl-
Mutuels is very popular.
One Of the largest delegations that
ever went before the Arkansas gen
eral assembly will go to Little Rock
to urge the passage Of the racing bill,
and this measu is being given sup
port from all owe the state, as the
remainder OF Arkansas believes than
which helps Hot Springs also serves
to advertise the state.