New-York tribune., 1899-12-11
WHAT ABOUT THE HORTON LAW


7, ,s q rather singular circumstance that since
the election not one word has peeh saiu u! any
noar o,ose,v identified with the Republican OF
eanIzation on the subject OF the fior'oh i''
ond tho goneral demand for its repeal. Indeed
so far as we remember, that question was nv
,nont,oned by the managers during the cam
najcu. at least In this part OF the o'a'c'
Iewis of Rochester, who introduced tue repe"i
bill at the last session. had reason 10 pei',
that the prizefghting interests were "s'"s
money in his district to defeat him. ana III n''
declared since the election that his opponen''
would find him making all the stronger eior'S
70 destroy their pernicious industry OH 'na' "'
count He has also permitted the impression w
nrcvoil that the Governor has gwen Hill asSu'
ances Of support Perhaps the Governor ui'nN9
thot no direct personal utterance OH the supJ.''
iS called for in advance Of his message 10 li'e
legislature, but 1t is somewhat surprising 'n"'
Marty managers who are in frequent conSuita
.,oD concerning the work of the session. ana
H. aro willing to talk with considerable free
,o,, obout their nlans never allude TO the law
under which the prize ring flourlshes 'N''''
incly in this city and the necessity OF S'oPI'"e
the abominable business which the law j. 'o"-
srucd 10 authorize. That is TO say, 'heii SHoHN
is surprising. provided they mean 10 nave u'e
law repealed or effectively m0dlned i'll 'hc III
tcrcst OF public decenCy. If they nave sec''"'
resolved to attempt to call Assemblyman Lewis
off or 10 defeat his purpose they oDViousi! ""'V
reason for keeping their own counsel
On the other side Of the political fence the
uuhlic has expected TO find no sympathy Wl'h
tho movement TO wipe out a law whlch opera'eS
20 p,ore Tho State of NewYork contemptlple i'll
tho eves Of all the reputable people or o'her
Sto.os. vet the silence of Tammany Is not qui'e
ca comnleto and absolute as that of the Repup
uoon managers Members Of the Police Board
for examnle have lately declared in no'lcea
b,r omnhotic manner that they are strongly op-
rosod IN nrizefghts In the guise of sparrihg
,notobos and would he glad TO have the law re-
nealed They say that the statute Is so Worueu'
=. ,,oir oninion ne 70 license such performances
nc oro constantly going on here ana IL IS ho'
ra,. 90 occuse them Of insncerty merely be-
couso they do not choose to exercise an Arp-
-. ,,,horitv In n doubtful case. II Is alto
oother likely. if not quite certain, that the ponce
could nrovcnt these combats by putting dif-
,oror intprnretatlon on the law: or at least that
interference on their part would nave peen u
foc,roI at the outset. before the prize ring had
/ hepoinp firmly pStaDISDcu HERE anu 'N''
profitable. Nevertheless there is somewhat
general opinion that the Horton act does ACTUAL!
nrotect while intended to forbid. professional
pucilism under the conditions when nS pro-
moters are careful to observe
Al all events it is practical requirement OF
civilization in this State that the law on Wnich
the prizefghting fraternity relies shouiu pe rhu-
icolly amended or repealed and melancholy
oxner,apce suggests the advisability of taking
no chances with mere changes of phraseoiogy'
What do the Republican machine managers
tbin,, about the matter? Do they mean 10
hack mn Assemblyman Lewis in thoroughgo-
ing fashion? They are saying great c"ai
about party measures and are apparently any
ions 10 give that character to some extremely
questionable enterprises Here is proposition
which Is exactly adapted to he made par'!
measure. and which would receive overwheilh-
ing support. What fate are they arranging io'
( the Horton Law Repeal bill: