New-York tribune., 1886-04-25
TILE PERIL OE TILE TIRE

| II is time for our great racing associations 10
bcstir themselves ana take some action against
the abuses and disgraces Of the turf. If they do
not enter upon positive and sweeping reforms,
they will soon lose the attendance and support
of all men and women who value their good
name Our American Jockey Club, Monmouth
Park Association and Coney Island Jockey Club
include in their membership many honored and
honorable citizens, but the managers of these
organizations have been too eager to hasten the
rapid development of the turf without sufi-
cient regard to its integrity. If they can at
tract big crowds within their gates. that to
some of them seems to be the sole erd and aim
of racing, and they have been singularly in
different to the character Of those crowds SO
long as the officers of our Jockey clubs allow
| every stripe and grade of blackeg and black
guard to run horses and to open betting
boVks on their grounds they put premium on
fraua The growth of the American turf has
been amazingly swift, but much of ii is rank and
nvhOleSomc.
A few years ;sS.o trotting contests in and near
this city attracted hosts of spectators. Now
only great match like that between st. Julien
and JAY Eye-Sec cxcitcs enthusiasm and most
of the trottng tracks in Southern New York
and Northern New-Jerscy have been turned to
other uses. The decay in popular interest in
trotting was due to the countless frauds prac-
tised and to the invasion of the sport by an
army of thugs and thieves. Running races
have taken the place of rotting in public favor,
but as the number Of thoroughbred horses in
training has increased and the value of the
prizes offered has expanded, the troops of
vile aud vicious people who use the turf. AS an
instrument of trickery and thevery have
grown bigger and stronger.
The English turf has never been accused of
over severity. But in England the one great
jockey Club exercises a supervisory authority
over all respectable race-courses. Jockeys and
trainers ere not allowed to ply their trades
without licenses and thus a check is put upon
the dishonest. Owners and Jockeys who take
part in races for prizes less than hundred
pounds in value are not permitted to compete
on the honestly conducted tracks. This dis
cOuragcs the opening of little thlevlng race
courses like those with which the neighborhood
of New-York is infested. The American turf
has none of these checks, safeguards or re-
strants, and any owner or jockey, reeking with
fraud, can go directly from Brighton Beach,
Guttenburg, Parkville or Clifton, and take part
in. races at jerome Park, Monmouth or Sleeps
head Bay This stimulates dishOn est dealing
The decentralization and degradation of the turf
have gone so far that every barkeeper dreams
of starting private race-track in New-Jersey
or on Long Island aud getting rich on the
profts of pool ol-seling. There are only three
courses for running horses in or near New
York on which any respectable person can
afford to be seen. Those, of course, are at Ford
ham, Gravesend and Long Branch. The other
so-called courses are disreputable resorts for
the drabs and thieves, the hangers-on of bar
roor,s and gambling hells in NcwYork and
BROOKLYN. But simply for the lack of courage
and resolution on the part of our jockey clubs
the mephitic influences from these sink k-holes
are allowed to poison the air of Jerome Park,
Sheepshead Bay and Monmouth.
Apologists for the guerilla tracks say that
they are necessary to keep the poor owners on
their feet. The poor owners are treated just as
fairly and generously as the rich Oh the three
respectable tracks. No man should try to race
horses no must resort to crooked means and
crooked courses i'll order to support his stable.
If faro banks and keno games were allowed on
every city corner, no doubt they would support
q great many poor gamblers. These fraudulent
racc-tracks are no better than keno games.
They plumber the credulous and simple and
they encourage the breeding of wretchcd class
of horses, whilo honorable racing always aims
to improve the horses Of IA country. 1t Is time |
TO set apart the sheep from the goats. II the !
American and Concy Island Jockey Clubs and |
the Monmouth Park Racing Association will |
adopt a resolution excluding from their |
grounds all owners, trainers, jockeys and |
horses that take part in races on tracks not
recognized by them, they will purify and ele-
vate the turf. If they take no measures for re-
form, the day of their calamity is not far OFT.