Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-23
RACING BILLS VETOED
New Jerseys Governor Opposed to
Legalizing Book Making.
INDICATIONS OF PANIC IN IRELAND.
Victims Of the Wreck on the Fort
Wayne Road.
DEATH OF A SOCIAL LEADER,
RACE TRACK BILLS VETOED.
Gov. werts Opposed to the Measures of tn
Turf Men.


Gov. werts Opposed to the Measures of the
| Turf Men.
TRENTON, y. J.. Feb. 23.-The governor has
vetoed the race track bills licensing the race
tracks, which have been passed by the legisla-
l ture.
| When the bills come before the senate again
the republicans will make hard fight against
/ them.
GOV wERTs' REASONS
| The House convened at II o'clock this morn
| ing. Immediately after the roll call the gov
ernors private secretary appeared with the
message vetoing the three Parker racing bills
The following Is "A copy of the message:
ITO the general assembly: / herewith re-
! turn to the general assembly. in which house it
originated, bill No. 299, with my objections
thereto briefly stated.
bill No. 299 provides that boards of
chosen freeholders of any county and gov
ernlng body of any municipal division of
this state may for term not exceeding
| five years license the maintenance of race
| tracks and the Use thereof, or the
running. racing or trotting of horses for any
purse. stake or plate other things, and that
II shall be unlawful to maintain or use race
course in this state without such license, The
running. trotting and pacing of horses for purses
or prizes at fairs or exhibitions of any agricul-
I
lawful in this STATE. 1t has become leading
feature and to many persons the chief attraction
at the various state and county agricultural
fairs and exhibitions held yearly throughout
the state.
Practically the racing of horses for prizes
or purses may be regarded generally permits
slble and the effect of the passage Of bill No. 299
would be substantially to render unlawful. unless
a license be obtained. what is now lawful with
out license. Thereafter license would he
rcd oil
might be offered to be contended
for by the running, pacing or trotting. If
therefore. the running, pacing or trottlng
of horses is now permitted
be deemed Objectionable, bill No. 299 should
be approved as tending to limit and repress
the Objectionable practice. Standing alone
and without reference to attendant legis-
lstlon the bill to. my view, fur
nisbes no occasion for serious objec.
ton. Bill No 299 is. however but part and
parcel of scheme embodied in two other as
sembly bills, namely Nos. 800 and Sol, which l
also return without executive approval and for
reasons appearing in the veto messages thereof.
Il am constrained to withhold my approval
from bill No. 299.
(signed) GEORGE W. wERTs,
Governor"
PROPOSED LEGALIZING OF BooKMAKERs.
To the General Assembly: II hereby return
to the General Assembly, in which House
originated bill No. 800, with my objections
thereto.
The object of said bill is to permit and
legallze betting and particularly that form of
Letting termed 'bookmaking' at horse races
within the exterior enclosure of the grounds Of
any race course of any agricultural society
other Incorporated body in this state.
Il regard the proposed legislation as in con-
tict with and prohibited by that clause of the
state constitution. which provides that
No lottery shall be aufhnriza1 he
law of this state and ticket in
any lottery not authorized by law of this
state shall be bought or sold within this
state. Furthermore, if not liable to the con-
stitutional objection the proposed legislation is
not, In my opinion, in harmony with the en-
hghtened popular sentiment or accordsnt with
sound public policy.
'RecOsnizing the difficulty, if not the i'm
possibility, Of entirely suppressing the prac-
tlce OF betting at races and other events
ton in reference thereto may fairly
be subject of discussion. Such
legislation might prove wise and bene-
fetal as in dealing with the liquor traffic, but
the bill in question. while limiting betting
to the racing Enclosure and to race
days and upon tracks within such
Enclosure to all intents and purposes
renders the practice unlimited, in that no re-
striction Of time or otherwise is opposed. The
matter Is therefore not built with a practice to
be suppressed, restrained regulated, but
rather as one 10 be protected and encouraged.
do not think that proper way TO deal with
the subject.
Il shall not advert to the alleged demoral-
izing effects to society aud the individual
attending upon and resulting from legalized OF
Illegal betting. These are questions that
address themselves to the personal consideration
Of each legislator.
For the reasons assigned decline to approve
the bill. (signedJ
GEORGE T. WERTs, Governor
Under the constitutional requirement the
veto message laid over for twenty-four
hours. 1t Will, therefore, be further acted upon
tomorrow.
There is no doubt that the house will pass
the racing bills over the governors head