New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-14
TNWTSE TURF POLICY.

II Is 10 be regretted that the men VINO con-
troll the turf in New-York State look with so
favorable eyes upon racing at certain places
in certain other States which does not deserve
encouragement The law in New-York justly
! and wisely limits rhe number Of days Of racing
which can be given on any track between Mon
tauk Point and Buffalo. The reasons for this
restriction are not difficult to find. Excellent
sport as racing is when it is properly man
aged il must be admitted that If it Is kept up
for months at one particular track. or Is carried
10 excess in any form, It attracts large num-
bers of people whose assembling is not Of adj
vantage 10 the commonwealth. For certain
! classes Of lawbreakers the gambling In the bet
ting-rings on our racecourses has an especially
! enthralling fascination. II IL clear enough 10
persons who are acquainted with the facts
that unregulated and unrestricted racing is pro-
! life of evil. and It Is also clear that wherever
State Legislature does not take action 10 keep
this sport within proper bounds and under care
! full supervision the abuses caused by the race
tracks will tend 10 increase and become more
grievous season after season. The turf does
not deserve 10 be tolerated by the American
people unless it is governed by able and in
! tegent men. who will seek diligently to re-
| move grave causes of offence as far as prac-
ticable. The standard Of the sport Is higher
| in England and in France. in Austria and in
| Germany, than il IS here Professional gam
bers aud tricksters, who are constantly trying
to get unfair advantages. are too prominent
and influential on the turf in the United States,
and in no part OF the country in which racing
| now exists has sufficient energy been shown
in the work of keeping under the mischievous
! elements and putting the turf on thoroughly
| honorable basis.
| In most Of the States Of this Republic there
Is no racing, and in most OF the States the
| people want no racing. This is proved by the
! fact that the question OF such legislation As
would permit the profitable existence Of race
| tracks has come up again and again in the
| Legislatures of many States; and again and
again. except in a few States all plans for per-
| hitting betting-rngs on racetracks have been
| defeated. The men who own racetracks and
! the men who own racing stables declare that it
! is impossible 70 give valuable stakes and other
| prizes unless opportunities for betting ore af-
forded Anyway, It is a fact that contests be-
tween thoroughbred colts and fillies are not
maintained long in any part of the world
| without the accompaniment OF speculation on
| the chances Of the contestants. Naturally.
strong public sentiment against the liberation
| of gambling under State enactment prevails
extensively among the American people. When
Legislature passes an act under which spec
ulation on the results Of stakes and purses is
practically permitted through the imposition OF
some merely trivial penalty. the opponents OF
gambling can AT any time stir up tremendous
storm of enmty 10 such legislation Therefore
! II is for the interest Of persons who desire 10
see racing continued TO demand that the turf
shall be so managed as to call out as little CEN
sue and criticism as we'll may be. and not to
disgust decent people by excessive racing car
ried on chiefly for the support OF poolrooms. OF
bookmakers and Of the worthless and detestabie
elements in the community,
And yet. what do we see at th. very time?
In Nev-Orleans. from November until April, it
Is the practice TO six days every week for
small prizes and in conditions which do not
lift the so-called sport much above the level OF
the old days of early Brighton, Of Gutenberg,
| Clifton and Gloucester. There Is no excuse for
keeping up the racing at New Orleans six days
in the week month after month, from before the
beginning of winter until far into the spring.
At that city through those months are brought
together in and around the racetracks many q
the lowest and worst hangers-on Of the turf.
The New Orleans winter meeting. carried 10
the excess TO which it is carried. and bringing
together as II does bring together, the sare
class Of stable-owners trainers and Jockeys
that formerly delighted TO meet at Guttenburg
and Gloucester, is blot on the sport In this
country. The al-wntcr racing in California
is little better. In each case the turf is de-
graded II would he much better in every way
| II no more than thirty days of racing should
be allowed on any course in America. if legs-
lation should he adopted requiring stakes and
purses OF ample size 10 be given. and setting
up effective restraints against the operations
| Of the rascals who in hordes cling to and cus-
| ter about the tracks Of the United states. What
are the men who have charge Of the courses
! in the Empire State doing to discourage the
! indefensible awinter racing in New Orleans?
| They are putting in remuneralve and respon-
sble places on the turf in this State the men
who are conspicuous In carrying on the pes
I tiferons circus exhibitions In louisiana The
turf in the chief city Of the South has almost
always been tainted with lotteries and pool
rooms more fagrantly than II has been tainted
with gambling Of the worst kind in some other
parts 81 the country. But the racing authorities
here. so far from doing their duty in striving
/ 10 suppress all-winter racing, which is closely
bound up with the poolrooms, are helping it
and promoting II by paying liberal salaries to
officials who act al New Orleans all winter 10
fill important places on the principal tracks in
this city.
The present territory Of New,York includes
the three celebrated courses ut Sheepshead Bay
Morris Park and Grnvescnd Since washing
Ton Park. at Chicago. was closed these three
are ndispuiably the foremost Of the courses Of
America. and 10 positions Of power profit and
responsibility on these three courses in this
great city arc appointed the officials who oc-
cupy similar positions In connection with the
petty and pernicous little track In Ncw.OrIeans
Is this wise policy? IL this the way In which
!, to strengthen the turf In New-York? In this