New-York tribune., 1894-10-29
gFTTTNG on THE RACES.

RFTTTNG ON THE RACES.
Tb. proposcd antl-gambling amendment 10
the Constitution WIS adopted III the 'oh''''"'
tIonal Convention 10y vote of l"? 10 T. ohl!
four members Of the Convention when ln'iuu'
cd large Democratic minority as "ch ~
strong Republican, majority. ventur'h 10 '"''
against the proposed amendment. '''''''.
friends and supporters of the ppttihgrineS VI
our racctracks have raised Il great nue. ana Ct!
against this amendment on the Grouh' 'h'' Il
will stop racing entirely in this STATE. lH'S
clamor is disngcnuouS and mislealln. II every
netting ring on every raccrack between M"h'
tank Point and Buffalo should he closed Tor th'
next twenty years racing would not pc ruined
II is not true that revenues from thr p'''lh-
rings are Indispensable 10 IN" maintenance 81
th. turf II is true that the enormous pr"h's
which certain racing associations IN ms S'a''
have made I'm recent years would d" Sprl"h>!
cu, down. and that these organizations w"nih
undoubtedly make extensive reductions III 'h'i
stakes and purses II the betting rings should he
closed But the general public i not wIlh WIN
anxiety in keep up the immense r;pntS "l ri'inE
,ssncaiionS or 10 maintain enormous stah'> III"
nurses For several years thcr" has bc'h an
.r, ~ prcpostcrous imitation on the turf. 1h"'e
IL po good reason in the public interest why
.,,los ~ 60, ono $4,000 and 10000 should he
rer,l II would be better in every way II the
urlz,s Of racing were modest ana moderate II
There were no stake In the country of greater
vain. than $1,000 and IL the average of stakes
and ,urses offered were not more than Sl.hN
zach racing would be- as interesting ana at-
troctiyc 10 -cnupr enthusiasts as 1t Is now.
4 quarter Of "A century ago. in the early days
- ,h. American Jockey Club at jerome Park.
racing WAS ON n Gar higher plane than il Is to-
d,v Then betting occupied an nconspicuouS
Mace I'm the background. IL was not th'h
,,ro,nIu.n, and offensive feature of the turf. as
/, ,s ,od,v Thee were no bookmakers In the
country AT that time There was no enormous
betting ring crowded with excited gamblers III
those. days most OF III" owners "f rac'hors'S
were well known men persons "i supN'Ah'' III"
influence whose careers and records iiu nee"
blamelcss The change from that TIM" 10 'h'
present has been deplOrabl" frofeSsiollai gam
blcrs have invaded the turf IN troops ana III
hordcs 4 large proportion Of the owners oi race
horses in all parts of the country IS now made up
Of men who have accumulated the means for buy
ing racchorses by conducting lotteries, by keep
ing faro-banks. by running roucttcwh''is, ana
bv other forms Of professional gambling. Inc
prcicncc that racing l. carried on emery loI
the Improvement Of The breed OF horses Is spe'
ciou, ami absurd. Get at the facts about the
ownership Of the racctracks OF America ana
find out how largely they are In the hands of
exproprictors Of lotteries. Nkeepcrs or faro
banks. professional gamblers Of all classes, and
men ~ dishonorcd and disrepuablc lives. Are
such men profoundly interested in improving the
breed of horses The dsreputablc elements i'll
American life have hocked to the rac"trackS
they have lowered and degraded the standard
of sport and have exercised IN evil influence"
! II is no exaggeration to say that at least two
uf,hs Of the owners trainers and jockeys or
America are essentially dishonest; that is. they
are ready TO practise trlckery. and to fleece the
frcu,cnters Of the racetracks whenever they feel
confident that they can do this without fear Of
punishment.
The number Of really hghmndcd. unsclfish
and pubc-spritcd men who are now connected
with the turf If this country Is not large. The
great majority of owners trainers and jockeys
are "out for the money" as the phrase goes.
and are not particular about the methods by
which they get the money. They care nothing
for the improv ement Of the breed Of horses.
| I'm fact the managers OF the American race
tracks have been steadily dcprccaing and de-
grading the breed Of racehOrscs 10y shortening
| the distance ut which races are run. Twenty
yeas ago large numbers Of races were at dis
| tanccs Of more than Il mile Many contests were
| given at "A mile and Il half. ut two miles, and
! even at longer distances. Such races as these
| afford "A true test Of the staying power, the en-
durancc and the courage Of horses, as well as
Of their speed But the tendency in recent years
has been 10 stuff the racing programmes OF all
| our racctracks with an excessive and Injurious
number Of contests for twOyear-olds, and To
give great many scurries and scrambles Mt five
furlongs and six furlongs. These sprints and
scurres and scrambcs do not improve the breed
Of horses, and they are given chiefly to promote
and stimulate gambling
Racing can be kept up without betting rings.
That il certain. even il the excessive profits OF
/ the jockey clubs are cut down. and the size Of
stakes and purses Is greatly diminished. Gam
| bling on the races has been prolific source of
| injury and evil in this and other States; II has
been the cause Of countless crimes. The num-
| Der Of people who have been tempted to steal to
make up their losses % the races Is enormous
There are long lists Of such cases In every Grim
ina court while the number OF persons who
have been drawn into dishonesty by their pas