The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-23
NO. 299 VITALITY DEFECTIVE
1t Would Close Up All the
State and County Fairs
If Passed.
ARE THEY CONSTITUTIONAL?
The Governor, Without Going Into
Abstract Questions, Practically
Demolishes the Entire
Legislation.
special sto The Jerseu citu Ne,rs.

Special TO The JERSEY City Ne,rs.
TRENTON. Feb. 23, 1S93.-Governor
Werts sent vetoes of the race track bills
to the Assembly. wherein they oriGl-
mated. today. After receiving them. the
House adjourned until tomorrow morn
ing. The first veto refers to Bill No. 299.
Il is as follows:-
81 herewith return to the General
Assembly, In which house it originated.
Bill No. 300. with my objections thereto
briefly stated.
y, ''BilI No. 299 provides that Boards of
Chosen Freehoiders of any county or the
governing body of any municipal division
of this State may, for term not exceed
ing five years, license the maintenance of
race tracks and the use thereof for run
ming, racing or trotting OF horses for any
purse or stake plate or other things,
and that it shall be unlawful to maintain
or use q race course tu this State Without
such license.
'sThe running, trotting aud pacing of
horses for purses or prizes at fairs or ex-
hibiions of any agricultural or other
Incorporated soeietv is NOT now unlawful
feature and TO many persons the chief
attraction at the various State and
county agricultural fairs and exhibitions
held yearly throughout the State. Prac-
tically, The racing OF horses Tor
prizes or purses may De re-
garded as generally permissaoMie: M
The effect of the passage of bill No. 299
would be substantially to render unlaw-
full unless license be obtained what Is
now lawful without license. Thereafter
license would be required for all places
where prizes or purses might be offered
to be contended for by the running pac-
ing or trotting Of horses. Ii, therefore,
the running pacing or tfotting of horses
as now permitted be deemed objection
able, bill No. 299 should be approved as
tending to limit and repress the obJec-
tionabie practice.
PART OF SCHEME.
standing alone and without reference
to attendant legislation, the Dill to my
view furnishes no occasion for serious OBJ
lection. Bill No. 2s9 is, however, but
part aud parcel of a scheme embodied IN
two other Assembly bills. namely, Nos.
300 and 3O1, which are also returned with
out executive approval and for reasons
appearing In the veto messages thereof.
81 am constrained TO withhold my ap-
proval from bill No. 299"
VETO NO. 2.
Veto No. Q reads thus:-
II herewith return to the General As
sembly, in which House it originated.
Bill No. 300 with my objections thereto:
The object of said bill is to permit and
lepalize betting, and particularly that
fol of betting termed bookmaking on
horse races within the exterios enclosure
of the grounds of any race course
of any agricultural society or
other incorporated body in this state.
I regard the proposed legislation as In
conflict with and prohibited by that
clause of the State Constitution which
provides that No lottery shall be author
ized by law of this State. and no ticket
tu any lottery not authorized by law of
this State, shall be bought or sold within
Furthermore, If not liable to the
constitutional objection, the pro-
my opinion. in harmony with the
enlightened popular sentiment or accord
ant with sound public policy. Recogn1z-
ing the difficulty. If not the impossib1lity
of suppressiDg the practice OF betting on
races and other events, the advisabllity
of Expressive LEGISLATION in reference
thereto may fairly be subject
of discussion. Such legislation might
prove wise and beneficial, as in dealing
with the liquor traffic, but the bill In
question, while limi ting betting to the
racing enclosure and to race days and
upon race tracks within such enclosure, to
all Iutents and purposes renders the prac-
tice unlimited, In that no restriction OF
time or otherwise is imposed. The mat
ter sis therefore not dealt with as q
practice to be suppressed, restrained or
regulated, but rather as one to be pro-
tected and encouraged. / do not think
n at proper way to deal with the sub
ject. shall not advert to the alleged
demoralizipg effects to society and the In
dlvidual attending upon and resulting
from legalized or legal betting. Those
are questions that address themselves to
the personal consideration of each legfs-
lator. For the reasons stated decline to
approve the BILL"
VETO NO. 8.
The third veto is as follows:-
II herewith return to the General
Assembly in which House 1t originated,
Assembly, Bill No. 3o1 with my objections
thereto. The effect of the passage Of
said bill will be to prevent any person or
corporation owning or carrying ON q
licensed race track gas> las provided for in
dicted as a keeper of disorderly
house. etc. Should Assembly
Bills % Nos. 2e9 and 800 become
laws the passage of Assembly bill No. 30l
is altogether useless; should No. 299 and
300 not become laws, bill No. So1 Ut ope-
rarfvel would provide very disproportion-
ate and inadequate penalties. l therefore
withhold my signature from the bill"
Mr. Hutchinson moved that the vetoes
Whole for the purpose OF getting
hearing on the bills. The
motion was. of course, defeated, although
Sneaker Flynn this time voted for
fhs hearing in accordance with his
promise to the Governor yesterday.