New-York tribune., 1895-10-04
TURF CHANGES NEEDED.
vc HERE NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
-,r, MANAGEMENT OF THE RAcErRAcks TOO
TAX AND cARELEss-rEcuLiAR RIDING

BY CERTAIN JOCKEYS
Morton would never have signed the
s.-crav bill unless he believed tnat the 'uii
I.., s,ate would be freed from ali abuses rae
!, New-Jerey has been stopped altose'"e''
e ,.s suppressed because of scandals and ABUSES
90 ..a New-York newspapers would SICK steauiis
.,ber and all Of them would tell 'he "ho'e
s ,,,reseryedly about the turf at all times
~" - ohuses would speedily disappear But some
:, ,he turf writer's too timc to tel the whoie
18th about racing. One or TWO OF 'heh 'eVeNe
ss,ssome salaries from the race;racks Tor the o.
e.sI places which they hold. and OF course no
80. expects them 10 write anything unpleasant
-, ,he turf When the whole truth was tod
-, the racetracks in New-Jersey racing in that
sac came to an end. II all the New-Nork news
,anars would unite and tell the whole tru'h every
sav about racing in this State the sport would soon
he improved and purified tnoTouGhlY' Inc New
york Tribune" and The NewYorA Times were
.La only New-York newspapers which tod the
uhoa truth and nothing but the truth at all times
,hort racing in New-Jersey in lS9S but the ar'cles
published in those papers aroused puohc sentiment
n such an extent that anti-racing meetings ana
ant.-gambling meetings were held from Hoooken TO
cane May and the citizens of New-Jersey decided
,ns, New-York must keep her racetrack gamblers
At home New-Jersey abolished racing. New-fork
will stop racing. and ought to stop racing. unless
all reasonable causes for complaint are removed.
WHAT THE VOTERS MEANT.
When the voters Of New-York adopted the Con-
stitutional amendment against gambling on race
tracks last November IL seemed likely that the
New-York racecourses would be abandoned this
wear But August Belmont and some other con-
spcuous and influential New-Yorkers appealed TO
the Legislature and TO the Governor TO permit rae
ing to continue They spread abroad the impression
that II the Percy-Gray bin were allowed to become
a law the turf would be ceansed and purified and
dishonesty would be cast out entirely. The Percy
haro law
been cast out altogether from the racetracks?
Mr Belmont and his most intimate friends and as
sociates want honest racing. But 90 they always
get It?
When the Tweed Ring hourished many we'll
known citizens expressed great admiration for
T,ead and his fe,,ow-theves. Three of the richest
and most influential citizens Of Manhattan signed
a statement declaring that the City finances were
honestly administered. Many conspicuous New
Workers subscribed fund for statue of Tweed.
which was to be set up in public place. Tweed
and his fellow asserted in the strongest and
NOS, emphatic terms over and again. that
.hev were thoroughly honest men. and had never
-Acsved q dollar which was not rightly theirs.
Some dishonest racing men talk in a similar way
Blu, a day of doom came for the Tweed Ring
Tweed died in Ludlow Street JAN. after making
a confession in which he told the story Of the
ro5beries OF the Tweed Ring.
There are some on the American turf to-day
who ought 10 die in Jail after making confession
few years after Tweed's death the city govern
-,ent fell into the hands of Tammany gang just
as rauacious as the thieves Of the Tweed king and
tbe members OF This Tammany gang grew rich
bv piundering the people. just the members OF
the Tweed Ring had plundered them The mem
bers Of this Tammany ring filed many OF the city
Offices with blackmailers emoezziers p@nders'
parasites and assassins. just as the Tweed King mad
done in its time No member OF the Tamnany
Ring which succeeded the Tweed Ring has yet died
IN Ludlow Street Jail after making a confession
But Justice moves with leaden foot Tweed
prospered for many years and he piled up millions
Yet he died in jal at last
Is there any who will take warning OF
Tweed's example?
Justice moves with a leaden foot on the turf
pu, tus;ice has struck WIEN an iron hand in New
Jersey where the racetracks are desOlate. ana ID
Illinois where the racetracks are deserted JUS
tice may get strike with an iron hand In Newly ork
and then a lot OF people who always defended the
mos: infamous Of racing in New-Jersey may De
or. OF A %; OF fat turf salaries
Nh Belmont and his friends gave the Legislature
and the Governor to understand that there would
b. clean racing under the Percy-Gray bill There
has been great deal Of clean racing under this
hli but there has been some very unclean racing
also The poi.s of the Jockey Club and OF the
stafe Pacing Commission has been far too lax. far
TOO loose AM far too enient Notorious rasca!s
have been allowed hold racing meetings. Notorl-
Gus thieves in have received licenses as
n
certain races have been overlooked. Amnesty mas
hssr sx-ended 10 a ragged army Of outawed tramps'
who nave been heapng filth upon the turf al out
laWed tracks.
The Jockey Club and the State Racing Com
mission have not taken sufficient pains 10 Keep
racing sweet and pure and clean ana wholesoihe'
and Governor Morton probably regrets to-day that
no consented TO sign the Percy-Gray bill Racing
men generally seem to be blind and deal Ihey
DO not appear 20 realize the force OF pubic senu-
rent The tuf in America might nave oeen d
splendidly popular. honorable and admra0e spoi'
II the right men had managed it IN the right way III
recent years l. is not truly popular now II II
were truly popular il would not have been stamped
out in New-Jersey and in Illinois. and 1t would not
be tottering o. the edge Of its grave to-day IN
| New-York.
THE PROPER POLICY TO PURSUE
| The Jockey Club ard the State Racing Commis-
sion ought TO wake up and bestir themselves and
try 10 save the turf But they cannot save vness
they will search and punish all evll-toers high
and low with merciess severity
The Jockey Club and the Commission ought 10
take lesson from the history OF boxing matches IN
this country. Not many years have passed sine
John L. Sullivan was allowed to thun.p all c)mers
in the Madison Square Garden. while influential
and celebrated lawyers. doctors judges city on
cials and police officers howled with delight. Where
is John l.. sullivan now? bcsotted rum
roaked wretched and worthless bum" In
the long run. the Legislatures OF the various
States OF the Union represent the beliefs Of
the majoritles o. the voters. For a Few Ger
tain LEGISLATURES owing TO eXcepuonl and peculiar
conditions. may msrepresent the majorities Of the
voters but in the long Legislatures take such
action the maJOrities Of the voters desire. cen
any one doubt then. tlar the voters OF the nltcd
States are against Sullivan and COrDe,t and Fitz-
simmons and all the other ru!ians VINO Engage in
boxing matches? Legislature after Legislature Ia
all parts OF the Union has passed avs against these
scountrels. and now a. last even the legislature 81
Texas the home Of the lyncher above all other
States has made a boxing match felony. and
COrbett and Fitzsimmons viii undoubtedly be sent
prison for long terms Il they venture 20 night in
that State.
Many well-known racing men are friends, sup
pOrters and hackers Of priZet ters These racing
ner have seen one State after another adopt laws