New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-11
FIVE PER CENT RACING.
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE TURF SEASON.
UNwISE EFFORTS TO AMEND TIE GRAY BILL
DANGERS WHICH THREATEN RACING-RE-


this bill introduced in the Assembly 1t pro-
vided that the racetracks should pay per cent Of
their receipts to the State. FOR distribution to
county fairs. agricultural associations. etc In the
Assembly the bill amended 50 as TO make the
percentage per cent on the gross receipts instead
OF the. net Amended in this way the bill passed
the Assembly by an immense majority. The vote
SO to II. All and Jealous supporters OF
racing Of the highest quality fear that if the amend
ment which has been proposed in the senate 10
change the bill back its original form, and put
the percentage the net receipts instead OF the
gross receipts is insisted upon. the result will be
that the bill will fail to become law. II is most
unwise and indiscreet for any representative of
racetracks to attempt TO amend the bill at all now
that it has reached the Senate. Any representa-
tives IF racetracks who push this matter of per
centages and display greedy spirit Will certainly
have for wailng ana lamentation. II Is not
the least probable that the bin Will be enacted
if this amendment is pressed. The racing season
is almost here. In order that the bill may produce
anything Ike gratifying results it is absolutely
necessary that 1t should become a law within a few
days Its chances are most seriously injured 10y
this proposed amendment to percentage.
1t is that the revenues Of all the racetraCks
will be cut down immensely 10y the suppression If
the betting rings and that the per cent on the
gross receipts viii be severe and burdensome tax
the reduced revenues. But the racetracks Of this
State well afford to pay dividends at all this
year. TO make no profits AT all, and even TO suffer
some losses rather than 20 imper the prospects
of the Graz bill II the Gray bill does pass. the
principal racetracks of the State VIII be compelled
10 close their gates. They Will not be a0e 10 give
any racing. If their gates shut this year It
is probable that many seasons VIII pass before
they reopencd. II is of the utmost importance
TO the future prosperity Of racing associations in
the Empire State that the Gray bill shall become
law If the bill does not becom, Law the great
stables of the East Will he transferred TO the West
racing property will become practically Valueless
investments of vast importance will he sacrificed
the racing spirit will Gle in the Eastern States
and the turf will be irretrievably ruined. Better Icy
far TO pay the per the gross receipts this
year. at least. without murTur protest than
by injudicious and in3cfensible demands for an
amendment OF the bill to run thu risk Of running
every racecourse in New-York beyond re iemptior
MISTAKES IN RACING MANAGEMENT.
This fuss the per cent tax on the gross re-
ceipts when the turf is in So hazardous ami perous
a situation, is unwise and as ineXcusabe As VA.
the greedy, graspng. avaricioUs spirit displayed 10y
nearly al! the racing organizations in this State ard
in other States in past years The Brooklyn Jockey
Club, the New-York Jockey club and the Coney
Island Jockey Club all shar.l in the mania for
enormous dividends, for huge ,urplusses, Tor wholly
unreasonable. immoderatc and excessive profits
from racing. Every one Of these three great
ganizatio in past years has attempted 10 swell
its income from the betting rings 10 huge proper
lions. Every nducemen; has been offered the book
makers ply their trade on the racetracks and pay
the tax of SEQ day to the associations. The tee-
graph companies the poolrooms in the West and in
other parts of the country have been required TO
pay large sums in order to ,Apand the dIVidonds,
the profits and the SURPRISES Of the racing orsanza-
tons. All sense and all reason were los, sight OF
in the mad frenzy for immense dividends and pro-
dgious profits The reputation and the standard OF
the turf were lowered and degraded in the interest
Of the bettingrings. Serious scandals were not IN
vestigated grevous abuses remedied lest
some bookmakers might be driven away and the
s,ockholderS of the association might mourn over
the diminishing Of their dividends There was APP
parently a general sentiment, among stewards and
other officials of the raceracks in New-Iork State
tina; there was be little searching examinations
of suspicious and evil-looking lest the results
might reduce the betting, might depete the betting
rings and nigh; lower TIE revenues OF the race.
tracks This was true to depiorable extent Of
every racecourse in New-Iork State. including the
tracks OF the Brooklyn Jockey club. the Coney
Island Jockey Club and the New-York Jockey club.
II these racing organizations had put men in au-
thori;y in the stewards stands and in the various
official places who bent on eievatins the
standard of the turf. who were determined to re-
move all scandals ana abuses. who were hamine
with zeal for honest and honorable sport who d''
not care all what dividends might be pdid on INC
racing stock providing all the races we're kept ciehh
and uprghi--f in fact. tee racing IL this State had
been managed in the way in which Il ought 10 have
been managed-the constitutional amendment aDoi-
ishlng the bet;ing-rings entirely would not nave
been adopted last November.
But the truth was that on every racetrack in INC
State the greed for gain was allowed 10 prevail
over all other considerations. Several races were
run last year and in previous years on the tracks
Of the Brooklyn Jockey Club, the New-fork Jockey
Club and the Coney Island Jockey Cub, which
were rank, eril-ooknS and noisome. horses Weir
sent TO the post utterly unit 10 run. Al sorts OF
trickery. deceit and thmble rigging were practistd
out punishment by the proper authorities. Chant.
and Ga.ilee and other horses. were allowed 10 run
queer races, which had most suspicious appear
ance The boards of stewards which presided over
the races the three celebrated tracks Just men
TONED and many other racetracks in tins STATE.
were so obviously wrong and evil that every
sideration OF honesty and honor ought 10 have
compelled those stewards to make the most unspar-
ing Investigation.
Now. it may be just as well for the racing asso-
Citations of New York State 10 unders, ana thai
If the Gray bill becomes la" IT. VIII nor be
suffered to remain law unless the practices
which were permitted to a grieyous extent on even
the most famous OF our racetracks iast year ana IN
previous years are SUPPRESSED entirely ms year.
susted with the abuses and evils OF our race,
tracks. There was no such radical reform ana
season there ought TO have been. Vicious
Jockeys in several cases were permitted t, do the
most disgrsceful things without punishment. In
several instances scoun1reis who had been properly
ruled off the turf restored by the Jockey club
at the end of the season This was wrong and
an outrage to the supporters and admirers OF
clean honorable and honest sport. Not one Of the
men and boys who were ruled off on sufficient evil
dence land practically all the rulings off
made on overwhelming evidence should ever have
been allowed return the turf 10 dehle and dis
grace IT.
THE URGENT NEED OF GREAT REFORMS
The most tremendous mistakes and blunders have
been made in the management Of the NeW-York
racetracks in past years. Unless there is vast
improvement this year the methods of 1885
and the previous years the turf will be suppressed
entirely in this State. and it ought to be sup
pressed. Decent people support the Gray bill only
IN the hone that. II the Cray bill becomes law.
our racing associations will have sense enough 10
sr- Il last that they cannot defy pubic opinion.
and that they cannot go in the old foolish and
discredtable way, and keep racing alive in the En-
pire State. Great changes are imperative or the
turf Is absolutely ruined
II racing is to be a popular and successful sport
this year there must be vast improvement in
the siaring IL Is nerfncilY nlain thai The .IO.keN