The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-13
WINTER HORSE RACING.
The Discussion in the House Over Mr.
Kalisch's Bill.
special 70 the Jersev citg Me.cs.

Special to the Jersey City Netcs.
TRENTON, March 12. 1S90-The advo-
Gates of the bill limiting racing to the
summer season, which PASSED the Assem-
bly, by vote 81 to 10, will barely have
time to recuperate from the wounds
which they received in the fight they had
to get the bill through the House before
they will be called upon to fight for its
passage through the Senate. Several of
the influential Senators have already
expressed disapproval of the bill, inclin :
ing to the view taken by Mr.. Potts that
it tends to legalize racing. The debate
in the House on the bill this morning
was not without it's interesting
features. It was opened by Mr..
Kalisch, of Newark, who said the bill did
NOT, as a great many charged, legalize
gambling in the State, but sought to
abolish winter raceing. He then traced
the history of horse raceing in New Jer-
sey, and trotting horses for purses, he
said. was lawful in New Jersey up to 1916,
when the Legislature passed bill pro-
hibiting racing for money. In 1858 the
act was amended so as'to exclude agri-
cultural societies.
Mr.. Kalisch next picturc2 tne evils at
tendent upon winter ra6sA&, and read
extracts from the newspapers showing
the dishonest practices of the winter
tracks.
FATHER NASH CHANGES FRONT
Father Nash, the Granger member from
Camden, took crack at the bill. Most
of his listeners were not a little aston
ished at this, for the last time the bill was
before the House Father Nash supported
it warmly. He said that Mr.. Kalisch' s
argument only convinced him the more
that horse racing was illegal, and yet
I. L 1.A
tax upon an illegal sport He thought
winter was the best time to run horse
because the thermometer then was not
dancing up in the nineties.' He de-
clared that the turf had brought the
horse up to its present position, 1.-THE
paragon of all animals
'sIf the object of the bill is to raise
revenue" he said, then, in the name of
Heaven, let them have all the days they
want, for our State needs money badly"
Mr. VOORHEES, advocated the bill and
pleasantly referred to Mr.. Nash's change
of heart, then said that the devil himself
could not give good reason why winter
racing should exist, as the frequenters of
the courses were of the lowest order of
humanity. He claimed that the laws
against gambling at these tracks could
not be enforced because of the grip the
owners of the track had upon the officials
of the counties in which they are stu
ate d.
Mr.. Nash denied that a visit to the race
course would contaminate any one, and
got in his third plea ''for mans best
friend, the horse"
IN AID OF ELIZABETH.
Then Mr.. Potts, the fearless opponent
of the bill. fiercely attacked it. He re-
newed his accusation that the bill was In
in the interest of the Elizabeth track, and
said that Just as much crooked work was
done on the Monmouth track as on any OF
the winter tracks. The bill, he also de-
clared, legalized book making and pool
selling, and in his usual vigorous manner
repeated his arguments against the NOR
ality of the bill.
AN ADVERSE REPORT.
The House Committee on Judiciary re-
ported adversely the bill permitting the
Governor to appoint any land surveyor of
ten years. standing commissioner of
deeds.
Senator Abrams bill providing for free
scholarships in the State Agricultural
College to be filled by one from each
county by competitive examination, and
Mr.. Mullone's bill, which seeks to place a
check upon the expenditures of the Free
holders by limiting them to five mills
in each thousand of tax ratable passed to
second reading. The same progress was
made by Mr.. Boyle's bill giving the Hud-
son freeholders the power to expend $780,
600 on q new Lunatic Asylum The bill
peeped out of committee this morning
with an amendment to it providing the
cost of the site for the new building shall
be included in the $3.50. .O00