New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-11
TROTBLE AHEAD IN RACING.
DANGER OF ADVERSE ACTION Al
ALBANY.

PROBABLE REPEAL OF THE IVES POOL la" ~
LESS RADICAL TURF REFORMS TAKES FLAcE'
II IL time for the leading tlrfmeh OF 'ne ''a''
TO bestlr themselves. Unless they make t"'i' III
auence felt at Albany the Ives Pool act j. !"
danger. A bill has been introduced 10y AsSei"o's
man Clark OF Kings County. to repeal It, TINS Dill
may pass and 1t ought to pass. unless the officers
and managers OF the principal racecourses are
nrenared to pledge themselves TO bring ABOUT
great improvements and reforms on the 'u'i' Inc
abuses and evils OF racing in 1888 were intoerao'e'
The influence OF INSCRIPTIONS men-sreedy' grasp
ing insatiabe-was overpowering. The rinran ana
scum OF the community. the vicious and dlsorder'y
| classes were permitted to attain great influence
and mower on the turf The bookmakers had al
together too much to say. Combinations were
made Of constituencies owners trainers ana rid"rS
which were OF the most fragrant character No
earnest effort put forth 10 investigate a NUM-
her Of suspicious races and TO bring to puni'hmeht
owners. trainers and jockeys who had excited sus-
picion and were guilty OF evil practices The prin-
clpal racetracks OF the East, with the exception
OF the Coney Island Jockey club. were largely
dominated By Objectionable cllques ana coteries'
Honest criticism was resented and audacious
efforts were made TO bully and browbeat newspaper
men.
THE ACTION OF THE COMFY ISLAND JOCKEY
CLUB
weIl-known racecourse; others were threatened
while still others were cajoled All criticism was
stifed on one newspaper by the constant employ
ment throughout the season OF ITS racing e'I'oi IN
a paid official OF the racetrncks. TWO newspaper
men were ruled Of the track at Monmouth and this
| outrageous wrong was supported ana appTo'eh 10y
the reckless hot-headed and shor-sighted BOARD OF
Control II IL had not been for the manly and non
orable attitude taken by tho Coney Island Jockey
club an attitude which adhered to IN the race
Of all menace OF all intimidation, ana OF All en-
ticements. these newspaper men would no' nave
been permitted to enter the grounds OF Monmouth
Park Morris Park. Gravesend or Sheepshead BAY
.xc.p, when they were armed with court orders
compelling the INSCRIPTIONS managers ana o"cii's
who had taken action against them 10 open 'ne
gates ~ the racetracks to their entrance Inc nc
lion NJ IN. Concv Island Jockey club was honorable
| and praiseworthy. This club determined that II
would not take any part In trying to fight the news
pauers and the general public. II was resoute to
| UNFOLD honest and fearless criticism Its managers
| saw that the contest which the Monmouth Park
officials had entered upon In their Wild frenzy OF
rage would innct the most serious injury on the
turf The unpopular and generally despised Board
| Of Control attempted to coerce the 'oney Island
| Jockey club into supporting ;he action OF Mon
mouth Park but II me, a complete and a contempti-
| bic failure.
| THE RULE OF THE RINGS.
| Pings we're rIf. on the turf in 1898. and these
|
| rings stopped al nothing They upheld a certain
prominent and his friends and associates anu
| all allies in performances on the turf which pro-
| voked criticism on the part OF the news
papers and on the part OF the general public They
| encouraged this man and his friends to do as
| they pleased. They welcomed and practised the
me ;hods and policies OF the Tammany Ring and the
| Brooklyn Ring. They did all they could 10 make
| racing impossible In the East. They succeeded In
| alternating the public. in engaging the voters IN
New-Iersey and in bringing disaster upon 'he'r
| fevered and foolish heads.
Certain trainers and certain jockeys were ai'o"eu
| to do almost anything they pleased on the turf.
| one wel-known trainer was permitted to assault
a newspaper man bru'aly on Recourse IN on rie
| punishment was fine. Certain jockeys who were
| employed by influential owners were not kept IN
tracks were far lcnient toward offenders on the
| turf than were Western racetracks OF much less
| prominence and much less power IN recent y''', w
| Western tracks In many cases nave , ru u o.i
the punishment. but who never would nase psen
punished for the same offence on the Easterir tracks
| These dishonest owners, trainers ana ]ockeys IN
| a number OF cases. had behaved as scandaously IN
| the East az they ever behaved IN the West re,
psd ,nGgr '" on the turf but action taken
| against them. They had to 20 west 10 get the'r
| deserts.
TOO MUCH LICENSE ALLOWED TO JOCKEYS
:, una amazing. the auiacious disregard for de-
| cent public opinion that was shown on most OF the
| Eastern racecourses last year. Jockeys whose
| records and careers were such that they ought
| never TO have been employed in wel-known stables
| received extravagant salaries and were allowed to
| make anywhere from SIS 900 to $4,000 year from
fees and presents and salaries combined There Is
the Of the Jockey Sims for instance This young
negro assaulted another negro with a knife At Long
| Branch within a comparatively recent period Tine
legal evidence OF this assault IL complete ana con-
brawl in Westcheser 1arr39In Inc nn[ on,
| Ring has never shown any anxiety 10 capture ana
| punish him - , ,ar o,y.r thu, thor.
| was no public fund on hand to spend IN TINS way
but everybody knows that this was an absurd pre-
text Sims has been repeatedly guilty OF ifnpudence
and bad behavior on the turf. The records OF the
clubs prove this ss1T A"S y y o Sm Of hs
| most prominent and influential owners IN the coun-
last year and Is to rde for ~, hcna ur, % even
regain the confidence OF me public or Eyer msnt
ay9f and ad sgea WIN oa s With such
record and career and with such nssoraons as as
by some OF the most conspicuous aud influential
Of tns On TIM BART aF Of
men public opinion and for their responsibility i
must be reformed II the jockey clubs expect to
| Ives Pool Act on the statute books
NOT AN IDEAL MAN FOR STEWARD
The new Jockey Club which Is incorporated
| AT Albany has made unfortunate mistake
| I'm making up It's list OF stewards. IL has put
John Hunter in that list Mr.. Hunter was presl-
dent last year OF the dIscredted and deested Board
| OF Control. lie lost his temper In the stewards
stand at Sheepshead Bay last year 70 so serious ex-
tent that he left the stand In rage ana ms part,
Ing words TO the stewards OF the 'ohry Island
| Jockey Club by no means OF concHlatory
| character. Indeed. they were such that the stew
| ards OF the club felt almost insuitel. Is thls a
| man OF the self-control. the GOODNESS, tne broad
| views the sagaclty. the well-baabced judgment
| that a steward OF the new Jockey Club ought to
| possess Should 4 man 50 irascibe take so i'm
portant and responsible a position on the turt,a po-
| sition in which patience good mature aniapnty
| and a spacious Intellect are indispensape! Mr..
Hunter canD)t be- classed Luther III turf REFORM
| When has he ever been known as an earnest advo-
| cate OF radical turf reform and extensive turf i'm
giles with unrelentlng zeal 10 the exposure pos and
| punishment OF tn" owners. trainers or jockeys who
| deserve exposure and punishment he Is not the
sort Of man to conciliate public sentment or to
| strengthen the new Jockey Gun as a steward.
Since the Board OF Control Of which ne IL presi-