Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-25

The Governors Veto Comes Up in the
Senate.


Senate.
TRENTON. N. j.. Feb. 25.-The Senate con-
vened at IL am. today Immediately after the
presented remonstrance against the
racing bills. The protest was drafted
by Anthony Comstock in behalf Of the
New Jersey Citizens League and was long
and strongly worded document, assigning many
reasons why the bills should not pass
and describing the evil effects generally OF
gambling.
The remonstrance was read and ordered to
be spread upon the minutes.
Senator Perkins of Burlington offered four
remonstrances from his constituents against
the racing bills.
docs any one second the motion to have
these documents read?' inquired Senator
Adrian.
II DO" said Senator Marsh of Union.
The Temonstrances were then read. Miscel-
laneous business was then taken up.
In a few minutes the first of the racing bills
was called up.
FIGHTING THB RACE BILLS.
Senator Stokes at once got the floor and made
an eloquent speech against the measures.
Their titles are misnomers," he said.
They should read. An act to make
New Jersey legalized gambling den
for the exiled sports of neighboring
states; an act to invite and tempt young and
old. rich and poor to squander their earnings
isfy their craze for gambling They should
also pass an. act to sanction lotteries the exist
ence of which is expressly forbidden by the
constitution of the state
The Senator read the supreme courts opinion
to show that bill No. 800 was unconstitutional
and the court looked upon pool selling as lot
terry within the meaning Of the constitution.
Under these bills" continued Senator
Stokes, ''only majority of the licensing board
is necessary to license track il the
track has already been running con-
trary to law. But if the owners have
been law abiding they cen open their gates only
on the approval Of three-quarters of the men,
bers of the board. II you have been a crimi-
nal in this respect your franchise to gamble
shall be made easy. If You have obeyed the
law. it shall be made the more difficult
1T is safe to hazard the assertion that no.
where else in the civilized world was it ever
seriously proposed to Il legislative body to dis
criminate against law-abidng citizens in favor
of criminals. Think of 1.-THE lawmakers of
the state auctioning off public franchise and
selling 1t cheaper to q criminal than to
an honest mGi. 1t is not surprising that the
governor shirks all responsibility for the passage
of these bills. His veto message was an indict-
ment against every supporter of the race track
measures. Would the senator's plead gnity or not
guilty by their votes? Although this had been
a week of race track triumph their doom was
imminent. They might win for the moment,
but they could not fight the future. The moral
forces Of time are marshaed against them and
the banner OF reform that drops today will soon
again be raised and carried in the hands of an
indignant people to certain victory"
President Adrian suppressed an outburst Of
applause by threatening to clear the chamber
of spectators if the demonstration was re-
peated.
Senator Mersh Of Union also spoke against
the bills, and was followed by Senator Rogers
Of Camden. who also opposed them.
Senator DAILY of Hudson advocated the meas
ures. He denied that much crime could be at
tributed to the race tracks. Larceny, theft and
forgery existed before race tracks were known
and would continue TO exist. Games of chance
had always been INDUCED in and churches and
public institutions had been aided by such
means.
BILLS PASSED OVER THE VETO.
The vote was taken on the question, "Shall
this bill pass, knowing the objections Of the
GOVERNOR and it resulted as follows: Yeas, II
nays. 8.
Bills 300 and sol passed by the same vote and
the great fight WAS over.