New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-10
q THE LESSON LEARNED
,rprAIN TURFMEN HAVE HAD ABUNDANT
INSTRUCTION.

,,.o,.,n RE WELL FOR THEM TO FOL-
low THE ADVICE OF JOHN KELLY.
THE TURF DIPLOMATIsT.
,owsnapers and all the racing men now
a." tina, the nti-eambling amendment has been
aai' -, tho voters OF this State. Hence. it is
ra"''N ,.ord dispute that every betting ring on
III" acetrack In this State Will be closed next
e'e' Tho Tribune has been predicting the adop
! n, this amendment with great confidence
"o' 5nce it passed the Constitutional Conven-
eve -, ,be prodigous majority OF 1909 10 T. John
uo ,.r-,s and some other turfmen of prominence
A rarence believed that the amendment would
an, no adopted by the voters. They were intclli
' o,ough 10 see the coming storm. \ few
s.. ,urrnen wholly blind to the signs OF the
- - oxnressed the strongest conviction that the
W If the state would defeat the amendment.
W. Ad not understand public sentiment at all.
cssv dl not realize that many of the men in
i" -. rho racetracks in New-York and New
eo we're extremely unpopular They did no;
'e sorstand that the great majority of the voters
u~,york and New-Jersey thoroughly dstrusted
W." - the persons who have been managing the
""" .rocks in those States and are thoroughly dis
'aI with racing abuses and racing evils.
80 Tribune has for years been laboring with the
nssers OF the racecourses in the two States.
III" hos warned them over ana over again In the
,,gest language at It's command, that they
e. bringing destruction upon the turf and ruin
w. tho. racing interests When the principal
W rho had directed the fortunes OF the chief
onacourses In the two States stopped low as to
.aoogn,ze and affiliate with the winter track
nos and with such men as Walbaum and
rnompson OF Gloucester: when they consented
80 arow owners. trainers and jockeys who had
,sen racing the winter tracks at Gutenberg,
cloucester Clifton and similar places, to race on
tho tracks OF the big jockey clubs: when they de-
.,5ad 10 issue licenses to racetracks owned by
valhaum Engoman and men Of their class: when
,bev allowed William c. DAILY and owners like him
"a run horses on the best-known courses in the
country: when they suffered thievish trainers and
Jockeys 10 play tricks repeatedly the best-known
tracks in the East, they were making 1t certain
Jersey got a chance at the turf, the voters would
strike and would strike hard.
The betting rings have been cesspools and sources
OF Infection on the racetracks. They nave poisoned
the air OF The racecourses they have ruined en0r-
nous numbers OF families; they have been the
causes of appallingly long list Of embezzlemens
and theits: they have been prolific of evil al all
times. The voters of New-York and New-Jersey
have decided that there shall be no more betting
rings and their will must be obeyed.
York State must be closed unless they are man
aged in a way entirely different from the system
which has hitherto prevailed. Every unpopular,
or incompetent. indoent official must be de-
prived Of his authority. Popular men. men salts
factory 10 the newspapers and to the public. must
be put all the places of honor of profit on the
racetracks. Tammany Hall tried fighting the news
papers of New-York for many years. Tammany
Hall is now shattered into fragments Some obsti-
nate stubborn. unintclliEent. small nded men on
the turf tried fighting the newspaper last year and
at other times. Have they sense enough to realize
that they have made the most foolish and silly
Of mistakes? These men brought about the closing
ofeyery racecourse in New-Jersey. They have been
the principal agents in provoking nublic hostility
10 the TaCetraCkS in New York The owners OF
racing property in this State must get rid Of every
Unpopular. hot-tempered small-minded. hot ia
male man who is in any way connected with them
or the people Will not go to the races The betting
rings and the mismanagement Of the racetracks
have brought dishOnOr. disrepue and disgrace upon
the turf. The bettng-rings have contaminated and
corrupted many owners. trainers ami jockeys: they
have made really honest. honorable and hiEh-cass
racing extremely difficult Of attainment while they
existed New managers new methods. new systems
are impera lively necessary on the turf. The men
who have mismanaPed racing and who have been
failures in the places they have occupied must GO
The wisest thing which the people who control
have done years ago would have been pay John
Kelly, the shrewest, keenest and ablest GipOmat-
list on the American turf. general represe ntatiVe
and ambassador Of the raceirack interests OF the
East, salary of at least $4,000 a year. and give
him unlimited discretion to means and methods.
Mr.. Kelly Is a man of exceptional and rema rka bic
He believes in conca ton. good temper. tact anna
DIuy ana suavity. He has always thought IL a
sIievous Diunder for any racing man any
Track 10 hight any newspaper. excite the hos
TO stir up public sentiment against the turf II the
owners OF racing property in New-York and New
matte and as concatory John Kelly has always
been on the turf racing would now occupy a far
higher position In public opinion. and would be i'm
racetrack managers would follow MIR Kelly .
advice. and be guided by his wisdom and sagaclty
In turf affairs. they might do great deal toward
reganing and restoring the popularity of racing
But II they attempt 10 manage the racetracks in
Newly rk next year In the way in which they
have been managed this year they will not be able
to pay any dividends or to make any profits.