New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-25
ROENTGEN RAYS IN RACING
LIGHT IN DARK PLACES NEEDED
THE DUTIES OF RACING sTEwARDs-sOG'>'lio '''
IN THE NEwsPAPERs-TURF CONTESTS

IL THE RAIN.

an that
certain turf officials read newspaper articles on
racing matters and boast that they filled with
contempt and disdain for al newspapers ana Tor al
newspaper men. These reports may not he true
II they are true they are amusing. British 'haba-
zines and British journals have published many
sketches OF Arthur James Balfour, nephew OF Loiu
Salisbury and leader OF the House Of Commons
IN the sketches 1t is solemnly recorded that MI
Bafour never In any circumstances looks al news
paper and that Is mentioned by some EngIsnm'h
as II It trait which should be counter 10 rs
credit Perhaps # should. Nevertheless few things
are more obvious IN English life today than tha'
Arthur James Balfour might Increase his not ex-
cessive stock Of common-sense Il he gave part OF
his time every day to the thoughtful study OF me
best newspapers of the world. When Lord SALISBURY
became Prime Minister. after the last general eiec-
ton in Great Britain. and pat his nephew In the
place OF leader OF the Commons, The Conservative
majority in Parliament was enormous. But Balfour
is totter!ng his fall as leader OF the House.
b. The explanation Is not far TO seek. Mr. Balfour
looked with upon all the newspapers. big ana
small individually and collectively In that attitude
Of his toward the press he exhibited an intellectual
arrogance and narrowness which indicated that he
IL not the man TO be the leader of a great party,
when his uncle becomes too advanced in years 70 re-
tain the reins of power.
Many newspapers make many mistakes But any
statesman any turfman who thinks that he is
wiser than all the newspapers taken together sets
himself down as unwse in that matter II in no other.
And that seems to be what Arthur James Balfour
has done Any man who is conspicuous in politics
or in craftsmanship in affairs, or in racing and
who does not pay due regard 10 newspaper criticisms
and newspaper suggestions, s certain 10 SINK into
innocuous desuetude at early date. Mentally he
10 sure to shrink rather than TO expand Some phil
osophca observers of the career of the Emperor OF
Germany inclined TO conjecture that he Is falling
into the error which is hurting a j. Balfour SO
seriously. Lord Randolph Churchill had fine vein
<or. ha IJa. Cok CDlY md
Mr. Balfour has taken 10 theology. The Emperor of
Germany has taken 10 the study Of political economy
and finance The fate of the scorners Of newspapers
Is generally pitiful.
THE NEED OF CLOSE SUPERVISION.
Every racetrack steward ought be warned by
the misfortunes of Lord Randolph Churchill. OF
Arthur James Bafour and of the Emperor of Ger
many When the newspapers tell the officers and
stewards of the Jockey Club and the officers and
stewards of the Coney Island Jockey Club that they
ought 10 keep keen eyes Of sharp supervision upon
certain owners trainers and Jockeys the advice Is
good. and 1t ought TO be accepted meekly and In
thankful spirit. Any Legislature in this State can
stop racing any year racing was stopped In New
Jersey Therefore. it is most indiscreet and most
injudicious II any racing official or any racing
steward betrays cantankerous or unreasonable dis
position any time. a newspaper may slip INFO an
error Many newspapers may possibly take wrong
views at times. But nothing can be palmer than
that the newspapers of this State, taken together.
are much more powerful with Legislatures and Con-
stitutional Conventions and State governments and
Congress than all the breeders and owners OF race
horses and all the trainers and Jockeys and all the
racetrack stewards and all the racetrack ofhcials
that this country has ever seen or ever VIII see
1t is so. and 1t ought to be so.
Horsemen as a rule are familiar with the New
Testament and with the injunction not 10 KICK
against the pricks. which may be found in that
division OF Holy Writ. Now. the beloved brethren
~ fho t,,rP u,en
racing cannot be kept up in this State without the
support and good will of the newspaper press. and
1t Is best that nothing should be done that Will
excite and influence any Ill will and opposition
the part OF the really influential newspapers OF
this State. Hence II is obvious that all racetrack
stewards all -acetrack officials and all owners
trainers and Jockeys should read the principal
newspapers with close attention and should profit
by the counsel and advice which those newspapers
furnish with unstnted liberalty. Otherwise a sad
fate will befall the racetrlcks sooner or later.
SOME MISTAKES IN THE PAST.
These hints are thrown out with a sincere and
unselhsh desire for the lasting benefit and improve
ment and advantage OF the highest and noblest
sport Certain racetrack stewards and officials have
beer njudicous IN past years in not paying suf-
fcient attention to newspaper suggestions which
were OF genuine value Take the of James
G. V. Lawrence, for instance. He was man OF
many estimable qualities and he most jealous
FOR the prosperity of the Coney Island Jockey Club
He seemed to hold the conviction that II would
hurt the club seriously II any punishment were In
fcted upon any owners trainers or Jockeys for any
offences which they might commit upon the
grounds OF that club. Consequently 1t was his
custom to brush aside matters which gave ground
for suspicion OF wrong doing Mr.. Lawrence could
be enough when evil-doers attempted TO
practise trickery at other racecoursos AS presiding
Judge at Monmouth Park he ruled off Bryant, the
owner Of Big Medicine, because :here was reason
to believe that Bryant had ordered Big Medicine
20 be pulled in a certain race. Mr.. Lawrence acted
promptly and justly in that case. Bryant was
ruled off the turf in very few minutes after the
Big Medicine race had been run. That was at Mon
mouth Park But when Mr.. Lawrence in
formed at Sheepshead Bay that Galilee had been
pulled in certain few years ago chat was
before Gaee bought by his present owners,
the Beards, Mr.. Lawrence refused to take any
action although the just clear that
OF Big Medicine at Monmouth Park And in
tain other cases at Sheepshead Bay Mr.. Lawrence
refused to take action. He appeared to think that
stern measures against turf rascals would impair
the prosperity OF the Sheepshead Bay track.
Now the day for that sort of mistaken eniency has
gone by. Things have changed since then. The man
who had control Of Galilee wnen Galilee was pulled
at Sheepshead Bay has since been ruled off the turf,
and the Jockey Club has wisely and properly re-
fused to take him back although he and his friends
have begged with tears over and over again that he
be taken back That Just clearly guilty
when the complaint against him was made TO Mr..
Lawrence as he later ~hcn the Jockey Club
ruled him off. and he ought to have been ruled off
Just that time when the complaint was made TO
Mr.. Lawrence, who could have had him ruled off,
as ne deserved to be, few minutes after the
Galilee race had been And several other SINH
lar cases occurred when Mr.. Lawrence was the con-
trolling power at SheeIshead Bay in which Mr..
Lawrence refused to take action. He shrank from
exposing any turf scandals at his own track.
THE FIGHT FOR HONEST SPORT.
The Jockey Club this year has refused the appli-
cations Of a number OF persons who were under its
ban for the removal OF that ban Its refusals were
right There has been too little severity the turf