New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-13
,roRK FOR Mr.. BELMONT.
,,1 BE BUSY WHEN HE GETS BACK.

PLENTY OF MATTERS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY
,r CHAIRMAN OF THE JOCKEY C1.uB-
RACING AT GRAvEsEND.
p.,r,ont sailed from England yesterday.
ANGUS no here TO give his attention to turf affairs
sn0 a s,ate before another Sunday comes Mr. Bel
'' ,-esence is sorely needed Every person VINO
n'n ~ the daily newspapers published IN anu near
'eA'v,,k knows that every reputable ani innuential
Ne, n its turf columns has expressed regret re-
3ou'. a.. because Mr. Belmont has been absent for
pes", -osls and in his absence racing aTairs have
skies and sevens. The crude and ra" mis-
pee" ,.,, ~ racetracks in this State and in New
ma"-e t,s, the death OF the senior August Belmont
'e, n D. Withers stirred up bitter hosuh'y 10
s -, IN both States. The New-Jersey Les'Sia'ie'
"ss n big Republican majority, aoop'eo I'd"
-, betting on horses 80 stringent that no one
80, hold enough to announce race meeting IN
r.Jersey since the passage OF that law Inc Oo"-
",,,al Convention in this State. by an enormous
g., accented an amendment to the Constitution
~. uas Intended 70 suppress racetrack gamohhg
,,,A,v and forever. The voters OF TINS STATE ra'-
r,,hs, amendment. August Belmont was sn'i-
',~ Ingenious and resourceful 10 MAINTAIN racing
"a. Stale although that amendment hao become a
v" :, .ba constitution Without Mr.. Belmont's in
-, resources and adroitness the racecourses
rs near this metropolis would have been aoan-
. Monmouth Park In New-Jersey was aban-
oo" Monmouth Park has become hooiing-plsce
~,s owls will roost and crows Will croak IN
' ~. s-snds;ands a, Morris Park. Gravesend ana
sS..Dshead Ray unless important turf reforms are
..rr,ed on; without delay
- Nj, even Mr. Belmont cannot save 1t unless
-. NOR who ought help him do all they can to
~, hi,, Nth loyalty with zeal and with good faith.
~ q. tho rooted conviction Of all upright and open
- ,prtmen tina; II Mr.. Belmont had not gone
h-,.s ,his year racing In this part or the country
80 10 II Ear better condition than that which IL
,,ous on ali sdes. one grave trouble has Deen
,,,, NJ Belmont has not been properly supported
=, ,,s efforts 10 improve the sport and 10 overcC ne
hns Among ne stewards Of the Jockey Club.
o,r mo members Of the Jockey Club. among the
,,,e,-ack stewards. the racetrack ohcals the race
,.ct stockholders and the stable owners, several
.mal.minded narrow. petulant and peevisn persons
80 hsen Jealous and envious OF Mr.. Belmonts
49,, leadership and turf distinction, and have
.,,s ali they could In sneakng. burrowng. mole
M, under-the-earth fashion 10 nulli.y MI Beimons
,.,.-s OR the benefit OF racing. Then, too. the
..,ection Of racetrack stewards mas been unior'u-
nate as rule since Mr.. Belmont went abroad. j.
u bradford and " 5 Vos0urgh may be mentioned.
q, s,srple Both gentlemen possess fine manners
"a refined instincts Both worthy OF admira-
,,o, and esteem outside OF the stewards stand OF
,.ceoourse Both are extremely weak ana lneHlceht
=. ,scerack stewards. because neither OF them mas
ever done anything TO inspire awe among the evil
s.-s of me turf on second thought 1t may De safely
.,,s that Mr. Vosburgh is not much more successful
:, h,n5,raone- than as a steward Mr.. Nosourgh
~. u-,,en many charming newspaper articles on
,ur. subjects He ought TO have chung to writing
.yr, articles and he ought never TO have done any
thing else .
ness and emphasis TO the chief turf writer OF Inc
rr,bune tina, ne thought it a mistake TO APP
O a sdldried
on the turf Nj Belmont perfectly right Wnen
n. said this No newspaper writer should ever ask
Gar salsr!ed position in connection with any race
track The writer OF this article certainly never
d,d ANYTHING OF the sort. and no newspaper writer
with proper self-respect and proper spirit OF IN
eependence ever would ask for A salaried poslloh
on. racetrack No man who draws turf salary
ear be expected 10 tell the whole truth In news
paper or by word Of mouth concerning the men VINO
nav him his turf salary or concerning the turf man
as.m.nt from which he draws revenue directly or
INDIRECTLY Human nature being what II Is, can
any man serve such masters as racerdch
and q daily newspaper or a weekly periodical ial'h-
fully and weuo Absurd, Mr.. Belmont SAID 10 'he
writer OF this article before he went to Europe tha'
he hoped that he would be able after this year 10
DO away with the anomaly OF paying turf salaries 20
men who were acting as turf editors OF newspapers
or other publications. He ought to do 1t by all
means And he ought 10 get Handicapped VINO
possesses al least a moderate percentage OF COM
nonsense and he ought 20 get racetrack stewards
VINO live here and watch the races here all through
the turf season-raceirack stewards who DO not live
either in Boston or Washington or Kentucky. New
York is the third city OF the world New-York is
the chief city OF the Western Hemisphere. New
York is incomparably superior 10 any other city in
either America.
Now for New York racetracks (and Morris Park.
sheepshead Bay and Gravesend all practically
New-York racetracks). NEWCOMERS ought TO have
Ney-York officials and Ncw-York managers and
Nev-York stewards and NewYork clerks Of the
scales and New-York starters-not Canadians nor
Bostonians nor Washingtonians. nor rertonians.
nor Gloucesterians nor Kentuckians. Just plain.
simple New-Yorkers ought 10 be good enough for
Nsw.York tracks Mr. Belmont should see 10 this.
And he should see 10 the riding Of his Jockey.
Harry Griffin This Young man was taken out or an
Institution some years ago by the Rev James Shields
Griffin rode well for David Gideon last year. He
has mt ridden so well for the Belmont colors since
Mr. Belmont went TO Europe. some people say ne
is weak from too much surf bathing. Some people
saw he does not get sleep enough. Some people say
the Rev James Shields wants TO make an anchorite
GU, OF him Several years ago the Rev. James
Shields was politely requested to retire from the
,ur. FOR q nenitential season and 10 pray in the
desert Shields did so. He was penitent. and his
tears and manifestations and prayers finally secured
an indulgence for him and he was restored TO the
turf which he now decorates. His career was
somewhat Ike that OF the Rev Bill Brien VINO
also was sadly misunderstood at one period Inc
Rev Bill Rrien was once cast off the turf into outer
darkness where wailing and gnashng OF teeth re-