New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-10
1906 Laundry Soap
the best and purest
Colgate & Co.
RACING MEASURES SIGNED.
THE GOVERNOR APPROVES THE GRAY
AND WILDS BILLS.
HE NAMES AS MEMBERS OF THE sTATE RAG
ING COMMISSION AUGUST BELMONT. JOHN
SANFORD AND L. D. MORGAN
HIS MEMORANDUM
[DY TELEGRAPH TO THE THIpUNE.l

tDY TELEGRAPH TO THE TEipUNE'l
Albany. May Ex-Governor Morton iate 'h's
afternoon signed the Gray Racing Dill ana APP
pointed as members Of the State Racing Commls-
sion August Belmont, ex-Congressman Johh San
ford. OF Amsterdam. and Edwin d. Morgan. Inc
Governors selection Of the members oil the Ooih-
mission is considered excellent In every respect
The Governor also signed Assenbiyman WIGS
hills 10 suppress poolseling. which were neces-
sary complement to the Gray bill. and the sup
Elemental bill to correct certain errors IN the
Gray bill.
In his memorandum approving these four bills
Governor Morton said;
These four bills provide for the formation OF as
and holding trotting or running race meetings. or
Eceping Of gaming and betting establishments. and
also poolselng. bookmaking. bets and wagers Al
are here Considered in one group Several
statutes relating the same or similar subjects are
by these bills repealed or amended and tins gr,np
of bills will comprise what will be known as the
Racing law Of the STATE" -, 1857 ooo,sor,r, 81,
racccourses was logalized and the provisions OF the
Penal Code relating to the subject were 70 Sf
May Is and october 10 upon certain race ani
u rnS "d hese aqs that Which
during other portions OF the year was treated as
b laws T RI st. na so By S =
Laws of 1894 BY Section Of Article OF the Con
III
other things that neither poolselling, bookmakias
nor any other kind OF gambling shall hereafter be
Legislature shall pass appropriate laws TO prevent
offences against any OF the provsions OF TINS sec.
cited are probably abrogated rendered invalid
the laws probably remain In force but. in consc-
quence OF the constitutional amendment revision
of the laws relating to racing and racing associa-
tons seems 10 be required: hence tho legislation
proposed by the bills now under confederation.
The first bill. that relating 10 the formation or
a
ment upon the act of 1897 and contains none o! The
SnS h4 S 81 m ST.
Penal Code. also seem necessary TO carry into ehec
amendmeni. The fourth bin is explanatory Of the
first and is made necessary also by some provisions
OF The general corporation law Of the state, whch
might otherwise affect associations formed under
II TO have been the intention OF the franz
of the law to provide every reasonable SAFE
guard against gambling in connection with horse
racing. Pooselllng. bookmakng. recording o. psts
and wagers and open gambling are prohibited under
penalty OF imprisonment or Imprisonment and fine
The proposed legislation seems broad enonkh 10
prohibit the transmission by telegraph or telephone
OF orders commissions for the laying Of wagers
upon horse races. and even where private individual
wagers are made between persons. no token re-
ceipt certificate OF the making Of such wager or
bet. or Of liability to pay oyer or refund IN MONEY
so wagered. can be passed or exchanged between
the parties. and for a violation Of this provision n
penalty Is imposed. under which the loser may re-
cover at law the whole sum 50 wagerei bc'wecn
himself and the winner Besides. he Officials IN
charge OF controlling the racing assoraions anu
racetracks. who may connive at or permit VIOLA
ton OF the law this respect Themselves ma y"
subject imprisonment or both imprisonment ana
fine equally with the persons 'n'aged IN be'tIns.
and the Racing Comms sion created BY N" IRE
BILL empowered revoke the license o! the asso-
citation in whose racetracAs OK grounds the law u
violated.
1t was probably not intended by the constitutional
amendment TO prohibit racing altogether. bu, the
evil Of poolsellng and bookmaking mad become 90
great that the Constitutional Convention Of 1884
felt justified IN recommending tho adoption OF n
things on the same basis as lotteries and the sale
OF lottery tickets, which were already INCLUDED In
the constitutional prohibition. BY the bills under
consideration The Legislature has attempted to Der
form the duty LAID upon II by the Constitution and
provide Legislation which should prevent offences
against the provision OF the Constitution relating TO
poolselline bookmakng and gambling At horse
races Whether the object aimed at has been fully
accomplished only be determined by experience.
and II this legislation should prove inadequate or
insufficient prohibit or suppress the evils men,
toned public sentiment will. doubtless. demand
more stringen; legislation in the future.
I am not unminiful OF the objections which nave
been made TO these bills by eminent citizens inter
ested in maintaining good morals and good order.
and am In entire sympathy with the spirit OF these
objections No could deprecate more tnan my
self any legislation which would have a tendency 10
Increase rather than diminish gambling But a
conclusion that gambling a; horseraces VIII be ma
terlaly lessened, II not altogether prohibited. by
their provisions. At all events !; seems wise that
some legislation should be enacted IL does not
In the uncertain condition produced by the amend
ment TO the Constitution. and II Is inpraciicabe. II
no, impossible al this stage OF the legislative ses-
sion 20 procure any other legislation than that pro-
Satisfactory to oil people 1t seems to me proper.
on the whole TO approve them IN the form recon-
''e"-'N - LEVI p. MORTON.