New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-14
THE FATE OF RACING.
SECOND HEARING TO-DAY.
What Those Opposed to Bill van
Shoe Profits Exaggerated.


The second hearing on the Cassidy-Lansing
BIN. 10 so amend the Percy-Gray law that pet
ting on the various racetracis in the state VIII
be a felony. viii be held before the Senate ana
Assembly Committee at Albany to-day. Ihose
opposed 10 the measure will be heard and II
looked Yesterday as if it might be quite as
strong as If not stronger than, the plea OF thoSe
who are supporting the bill was last Mediies-
day.
The Jockey Club. or the State Racing Com
mission. viii not be represented at the hearing
but the various racing associations and num-
Der Of prominent owners have delegated Joseph
Auerbach TO appear before the committee ana
present their side Of the case. 1t is more than
likely also. that a number OF persons who are
vitality interested in the sport and the breeding
industry will appear in person. not to argue in
favor Of betting but 10 show that the ad-
advantages OF racing are offset by what some
persons consider the disadvantages. 1t is
thought too, that the various agricultural soci-
cites viii oppose the measure, although 1t has
been said that they would not lend their in
duence.
A person who is familiar with the situation
and has made a close study Of conditions said
yesterday that. in spite Of reports 10 the con-
trary the various racing associations would not
put up one dollar 10 influence legislation, and
that the purpose Of being represented at the
hearing was TO show that everything possible
had been done 10 restrict betting in the in
closures as far as was in their power, that the
law had been lived UP 10 in every particular
that the bookmakers had no rights and priv
ileges. and that betting operations which at
tracted notice and came 10 the attention of the
stewards were not tolerated. He said:
Racing has been conducted by the several rae
Ing associations of the state in strict conformity
with the law. while the constitutionality OF the
racing statutes has been repeatedly upheIu Ia
the Court Of Appeals.
II is an open secret that the racing associa-
lions nave on several occasions investigated ale
cations TO the effect that certain individuals had
been charged with making bets IN way mimi
cal 10 the best interests Of the sport and notified
them that If there was recurrence badges of
admission 20 the several association Enclosures
would be refused at the gate
Furthermore. the racing associations, when
confronted last spring by the pretensions Of GER
tain persons that they enjoyed special privileges
at the track for the purpose Of laying bets, re-
fused TO admit their claims and declined TO sell
them tickets, upon the purchase of which they
based their claims for recognition.
The position taken by the associations is that
every bet made on the racetraCk is a violation
Of the contract made when such ticket is sold
and that they doing everything to restrict
betting within limits. Those who want TO wager
must seek out the place where they get
bet down Those who enjoy the sport as a sport
ana are opposed 10 betting can go to the track
day i'm and day out and never have their sense
n propriety shocked or know that betting is
going on.
The same person also pointed out that the
various racing associations were not making the
hig profits which usually credited, and that
with one or two exceptions the stockholders got
little or no return beyond the bare interest on
the money invested, while in some cases losses
were registered He said that the Saratoga Rae
ing Association had been losing money each
Near-nOt s. 600 or $4,000 bur $4,000 and
SG"eo; that the Buffalo Racing Association had
not earned a dollar in seven years; that the
Nestchester Racing Association lost money last
year at Belmont Park, and that the METROPOLITAN
Jockey Club at Jamaica. was barely holding its
own. The other associations were better off in
this respect he explained, particularly the CoDev
Island Jockey Club, AT Sheepshead Bay. but this
ne said was largely due 10 the fact thar the
property was acquired years ago. when il was
htte more than marsh land, and did not reDre-
sent the big outlay which was now necessary IN
secure good racing property He concluded By
saying
rms certainly shows that those I'm favor Of rho
pIu VINO maintain that the improvement Of the
"leeu oI thoroughbred horses and the snort as
Sport were only blinds 10 make il possible to
earn vast millions hardly spoke from a kpov-l-
edge Of the facts. The men who haze a5I-ancad
the money TO make racing IN this state what il
IS to-day have done so ia many Instances o,,t
oI pure love for the sport. and without any hone
OF ever getting back more than would he nos
slole m the purchase Of bonds or improved real
estate, ana without the same security.