New-York tribune., 1905-08-21
STEWARDS INCONSISTENT.
To Reinstate Jockeys Once Ruled
off Encourages Dishonesty.
" rELEGRApH Id - rRInuNE.I

Saratoga y. Y, Aug. 20-If the policy OF the
Jockey Club in the past may be accepted as a
PleceueAl' the men who have spent money in max
ing Baird clever rider have little reason to fear
that the investment will prove unnroAtobIa .vsD
though the stewards lind that the suspicious in re-
sard 10 the boys ride Woodsaw last week are
warranted.
ohould such prove the case, Baird will probably
nave MS license suspended indefinitely: but he IS
sun young and his present employers can well
aIord 10 pay his salary and keep him In idle
ness until the Jockey Club shall decide that It
either made mistake in suspending the bow. or
some rich owner who desires the boys services
shall convince the stewards that the cuID-tt has
been punished sufficiently.
To borrow racetrack classic this assertion can
readily be proved by the past performances Of
the Jockey Club. Two instances only are needed
In each case the offender had lis license indefnite-
~ suspended because OF alleged dishonesty One
was relnstated through the influence OF a wealthy
man who desired his services. The other had his
license granted him because the stewards took
pity on him and felt that the punishment had been
made to ht his crime
The evidence on which both riders were convicted
was wholly circumstaEtial but as that Is the only
evidence through which turf offenders can he
Drought to justice, IL cannot be used when an an
peal Is made for them In reinstating Jockeys who
have been virtually ruled off, the Jockey Club
posing any pTniIbment 16 1 Was m the wrong in I'm
ADMITS that dishonesty The turf is not cau,taI
f.
or the turf become.
lin 1t may De a severe punishment to ruin boys
I CaIeeI Ior one dishonest act. and it would be
mahiIestIy unjust in any other vocation: but the
@1rustworthiness @ Of jockeys. and SO long as the
men to whom its future is tntrusted Continue 10
someone onenceS or pardon the offenders II will be-
In spite OF a general impression 10 the con-
ITaTy, the same criticism made against The Jockey
ton the National Steeplechase and Hunt Asso-
CIalloh- Never IN the history OF this division Of
the turf has 1t been IN the hands of men more
anxious to keep the sport clean and honest and
never mas there been time when there was a
@ pronounced OF outspoken belief in its general
Turf critics have not the slightest hesitation IN
PIHcIdinlhS tnat the entire lot OF steeplechase
quick syndicate, with other purpose than TO
swindle public and employers. To say that all
they are always inspired with a consuming ambi-
tion 70 win would Ee absurd II is equally prepos-
formed themselves into a gang OF bandits sworn
to hold up the public whenever they ride through
the field.
The public. according to the theory Of the late
Phlneas / Barnum. might be humbugged in this
a.e DuS - ~ = SCtIcSy WItnn the bounds or
reason 20 suppose that the men who employ these
Jockeys could be 1t is not an exaggeratfon TO as
sumo that 70 per cent CT the who are racing
steeplechaserS to-day are doing so either from
the pleasure they derive in seeing a horse they
have personally educated run with their colors up
or because they believe II Is the proper sporting
thing do. They men who do not depend
upon racing for livelihood, and there are prob
ably not more than half dozen all told who do
find the stables extremely expensive luxury
In order to assume that these the
victims of organized gang OF thieves Ii is neces-
Sary 10 admit that they are not possessed OF oFdt
nary intelligence.
In attempting to refute this popular BELIEF II
might be added incidentally that whenever two
three Of them are gathered together it is with
great difficulty that they are restrained from
Veitch and Rcdrock. grouped together IN the act
of fixing race, would be worth preserving