AND OTHER SKETCHES * 17 



THE DUTY OF CANADIAN TURF MANAGERS. 



''Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," and it can 

 be truthfully said that the eternal vigilance of those who 

 manage our turf clubs is necessary for the proper pro- 

 tection of the public. It is a fact beyond dispute that 

 the demoralization of turf affairs in the United States 

 has sent into Canada a class of owners of an undesirable 

 kind, many of them owning a few cheap animals and 

 in the game solely for the purpose of making money 

 whether by fair means or foul. When Canadian meet- 

 ings were not invaded by foreigners to any noticeable 

 extent, the same amount of watchfulness on the part of 

 officials was not necessary, but at the present day it 

 requires the keenest supervision to properly protect the 

 race-going public. Whether or not the men who at the 

 present time are acting as judges at the leading running 

 meetings in this country, are quite able to successfully 

 deal with the matter, is a question which I do not pro- 

 pose to argue, but that there is a tendency to deal too 

 leniently with offending owners is apparent to all close 

 observers. It may be that some officials are afraid of 

 causing scandal if they hew too close to the line. Again, 

 I am afraid that the personal interests of track owners 

 are sometimes allowed to influence the judgment of those 

 who are expected to deal out strict justice without fear, 

 favor or affection being allowed to influence their deci- 

 sions. The ruinous results from allowing bookmakers to 

 do business at tracks where they own horses competing 

 in the races, has been illustrated at nearly every course 

 on the other side and the injurious combination has had 

 much to do with the present condition across the border. 



I have no doubt it will be said by some officials that 

 such a state of affairs does not exist on this side and that 

 they have expressly taken action to prevent such a com- 



