New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-06
AMERICAN TURF PROBLEMS.

Reports filed at Albany indicate that the turf
organizations in this State had a fairly pros
porous season. Under the present law the clubs
give a percentage of their revenues for the
benefit of county fairs The figures sent to the
State Capitol show that the Coney Island and
Brooklyn Jockey clubs had profitable year.
Brighton, Westminster and Aqueduct Jagged be-
hind the two clubs in Kings County, but Sara
toga hourished surprisingly. Racing In the
Empire State. last spring began with boom.
Had the promise of the opening weeks been
kept all the associations would have paid big
dividends. Thoroughbred contests are popular
when they are managed in the right way, but
unless the management is sound and strong it
is easy to ALLEVIATE and repel great majority
of those whose goodwill is most needed. Never
theess, it is difficult to convince the owners Of
the tracks and the officers of the clubs that
the sport must be held well in hand if intelli-
gent citizens are to look with favor upon a
pastime which is so encompassed by betting
rings.
Many mistakes We're made last year. Week
after week trainers and jockeys and bookmak-
ers were allowed to play tricks. Later in the
season penalties were imposed, but the mischief
had been done. Americans are prOverbially the
best natured people on earth. They bear
great deal that should not be borne, but when
they make up their minds that they are con-
stantly duped by the betting rings without
effective interference from the stewards they
sometimes find fault They did so last season.
Year after year Of leanness lad come and
gone. With the spread of general prosperity
the jockey clubs had tempting opportunities
Racing had regained its popularity and nine
months ago the outlook was inspiriting. Trouble
came quickly. Professional gamblers evil
The turf rulers did not meet the emergency
promptly and boldly. They let things drift and
scandals multiplied. When they began to bestir
themselves and to suspend or expel trainers and
jockeys they found that they had not acted
soon enough to restore public confidence. In
few seasons since the first race was decided IN
this State was there M ch reason for sus-
picion and censure as In several months last
year.
The prospect for the closing season. of the
century is not allurng. The Jockey Club
practically n sef-constituted body-has re-
elected the stewards whose work last year was
! not all that it should have been, and the
| stewards have reappointed the short-sighted,
narrow minded, inefficient employees who did so
| little when they ought to have done so much.
| The owners of turf property in most cases have
been overanxious for immoderate gain, and
have not conducted the tracks in a manner that
| has been satisfactory to the owners of stables
| or TO the general public When d. ID. Withers
| ruled Monmouth ali the net earnings above a
| fair interest the capital actually invested
| were applied to the increase OF stakes
| and other prizes. He was no seeker of
fat dividends. He did not try to make money
out of Monmouth. There was no water in the
stock II he were alive to-day Monmouth would
| still be one of the great courses of the world.
! After his death a greedy clique grabbed the
property and tried to extort profits which were
beyond reason or excuse. revolution on the
| turf in this State must occur at no distant day.
| The Brooklyn Jockey Club grounds will be cut
/ up for streets within a few years The lands
owned by the Coney Island Jockey Club can
/ net be reserved for racing long after the next
| century has begun. Certain capitalists who
! desire TO promote the true interests of sport
! hope 10 lay out new course on Long Island to
| be handled as Mr. Withers handled Monmouth
| These gentlemen intend to turn over to the
racing fund, in order TO increase stakes and
purses, all the profits, reserving only modest
interest On the capital When that plan is
rounded out racing may again invoke the zeal
OF the masses, but II is now feared that sew
! eral of the worst trainers and Jockeys, whose
/ dishonest practices were notorious last season,
! VIII receive their licenses for 1900. The turf
was misgoYerned In such fashion in 1899 that
the betting ring was not purged and disinfected
as 1t should have been, and men who failed
10 DO their duty toward the betting ring last
| season are not likely to do much better in 1900