New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-06
THE ERA OF TURF REFORM.
THE OLD AND DIsCRED1TED METHODS OF
THE PAST OUT OF DATE.

SORT REoIIRrD-THE FUTURE OF RACING
The racing in all parts OF the State are hard
nj work preparing for the opening of the season
The passage of the Gray AMI Wills bills by the
legislature has made II certain that the stakes and
purses which the principal associations Of the State
have already announced. and will announce here
after can be run of under proper conditions
Thss will be a critical season in the history OF
American racing. II the members and officers OF
,he Jockey Club. and the who control the
racetracks IN this State. take warning by the un-
happy experiences OF the past. and make up their
minds that the sport shall be carried on hereafter
with many changes for the better. the turf IN the
Empire State may regain public confidence. and
IN time the may once more secure hand
some profits for their owners. But no snch me'hoos
as have prevailed IN the past will make racing
here sufficiently popular to bring about balances
on the right sides of the racetrack ledgers
The people OF NewYork have los; faith in the
management of the racetracks They have seen
men Ike William c. Daily permitted year after year
10 practise the most mpudent and outrageous
trickery on the turf without the prompt ana Sc
we're punishment which should have been me'eu
out TO them. Even when fraud has been proven
against DAILY. two occasions. he has been re-
stored 70 turf. after wholly insufficient ana IN
adequate term of exile The Jockey Club has been
altogether too apathetic too Negligent anu 100 IN
different II has appointed officials at the race
tracks VINO lack either .he ability or the disposition
10 act vigorously and sternly. In many instances
these officials have failed detect dishonesty and
~ nut a stop 10 swindling Some members or the
boards of stewards. who represented the Jockey
Club the various meetings In the State last year.
we're SO crammed with vanity and conceit, so
hacked with prejudice. full TO overlooking with
contempt for the public and the press. that they
were worse than useless as stewards. Either they
did not possess sufficiently keen eyesight suffi-
GENTLY acute intellect. sufficient energy 10 pu
stop 10 certain outrageous jobs and schemes on the
mari Of turf rascals. The Jockey Club has made
all N rpappOintiDg
Gals whom IL appointed last year. Some OF these
racetrack officials useful and valuable men, but
others have failed to satisfy the public and the
press in the past and certainly will fail TO do
their full duty in the future.
WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE DEMAND.
Racing ought be suppressed altogether unless
II can be carried on in the right way by the reh'
naople That is the present feeling of the people
Of this State. and IL will be the feeling or Hle
LEGISLATURE which will meet at Albany next Janu-
ary The intense hostility which the plumbers per-
netrated season after season by racetrack mana !
GERS have aroused in this State shown clearly
by the vote in the Constitutional Convention last
wear on the constitutional amendment 10 suppress
the betting-rirgs on the racetracks mat amehu-
ment was passed in the Constitutional Convention
by an enormous majority. majority so great mat
the minority was almost microscopic. The action
Of that Constitutional Convention was ratified by
the voters of this State at the polls Conid any
more positive and convincing proof be desired 'ha'
ha
methods and practices which had peeh seen Oh ""
racetracks in past years.
The Constitutional Convention of 1894 was
splendidly representative body. IL was maze UP VI
members who were thoroughly representative Oh
the most influential. respected ana honoreo ee
,nen,s in all the communities OF the greatest State
=, ,ba Union The action of this convention on
race;rack gambling was supported by the voters
~ the November election. After this action OF me
constitutional Convention and OF the voters OF 'ne
Fn1pjre State surely the Jockey CIuD may wen
understand that its way Of doing things last year
On the racetracks not at all satisfactory 10 '"e
,ubc oninion of the voters The Jockey CluD
should have revoutonized all its methods at'er
the people Of New-York passed such Veruic' On
the turf as they passed last November Inc 'o'N',
cl,b should have chosen new men IN nosl
cases for official positions. The ohiciais "ers
largely responsible for the abuses and evils anu
scandals Of the racetracks last year. ana ''e ,.
abuses and evils and scandals OF the season Oh 10Y,
were very serious. New men, new methous' s"ou'1
have been the motto of the Jockey ciuo Inc
ossc,als who omitted many things which '"ey
o,,o, 20 have done last year. and Old 50 many
rms which they ought not TO have done shou'u
hav. been allowed to remain In peaceao'e 'e'e
mont and obscurity for the rest or their H'es'
STEWARDS OF STERLING WORTH NEEDED
7. &c not ukely however that the Jockey Cluo
will revoke its unwise and mistaken ac"o" :"
,nak,,e the appointments which 1t has aready
- No doubt those appointments will stand
Certain members and officers Of the Jockey 'i"" III
ise showed themselves extremely ro"ar' anu
stubborn toward the public ana the press '"e'
uoria not listen TO the best advice Ihey were ~
,e,,,ired 10 have their own way IN eV'ry'''"e'
And their own way a mistaken way IN many
,h,,os The nredominating element In the JOCKEY
Club last year and the predo:nina''ng 'h'ue"1' "a
all our racetracks paid altogether 100 fh"o" .'e ,
,o tho betting ring. Everybody knows tha' 49,
pe,non, lanes r. Keene. Colonel william 7.
m
-, re rochev Club are really DESTROYS OF Improving
and elevatng the turf; but certain other mn ~
,,lcuous and influential In the Jockey |iuo a'r
on the racetracks last year, were a''e =,
anxious 20 make the largest poss'pe pine a.,
tho he,ting-rings. This was not true NJ an VI 80
,,o., NJ Keene and Colonel Thompson 'o'
mas I, ,rua OF some OF their associates anu
iesgues In the Jockey CLUB Mr.. i'e''''" "a,
Keene Colonel Thompson. ana some julie w.,
-. $50. 10 make money out OF the tnri; Out
"'' 49, .r,haro NJ the Jockey Club did expect
..arn grea. fortunes out OF racing. ana ias' .'
,,,, natd altogether too much attention 10 o
ting and too little attention 10 Supp here
.csndsls and evils on the turn r"' a,.
Will be no more bettng-rngs Oh nv ,.,,,,,torai
4, ,b,s state The action Of the Cons'''"' ',
~ '"'' ,d tho legislation at Albany u''S
~ navo MI. an end TO the monstrous '''qu'".o
~ the betting rings. But a great oea' 49,. oc,
he done in order TO make racing u"o, 80 snec,a
lar In order 70 bring great nui'''"' ,,a turf
,ors 10 the racetracks. In order 10 e''i' w., nos,
- ,h,s STATE 70 flourish and prosper ne ma 10
,nnortant thing for the Jockey Cluo 70 10 meet.
70 selec, boards Of stewards for 'ne a, mon who
,ngs which boards will be mace up " I nm
,rn, devo,c themselves with coiiS'""' cum
nehn psV energy and unwaverns resolution TO
rs..ns evervthing that IS Objectionable ana os
reputable on the turf We have not mao or boards
ards in past seasons on our race'racns ax,remely
OF stewards as rule nave pee" .',,a.,,o, rowers
,,do,on, and indifferent their intellectual ' %
rsvs no, been suicien;iy sharp and penetrating ~
&c, at the truth OF the trc rseesou mae
~fS okey Club wen pr, al ne unGsr IL
It's Board OF 'S.a,e that thoroughly competentt
so1ro IN s1 and experienced racing man osep
TeueIuPpYYs ~ Iocfev club woun put S"5, ~ me