New-York tribune., 1908-01-03
WARM CONTEST LIKELY
OYER RICETR1CK L1WS.
Great Part of Battle WW Probably
BE Under COrer.
Isy Telegraph tn The Tribune. ]


Albany, Jan. I'm ali probability Governor
Hughes will have harder fight On his hands
this year in his effort TO abolish raeetrsc<
gambling than he had last year to obtain the
passage of the public service Bill y great
part of the battle will be under cover-a re-
turn to the old subterranean methods OF az
celeration." moral suasiOn" and legisatIvs
fnesse. which had almost disappeared in the
two years of Governor Higgins and the one OF
Governor Hughes. Comparatively few 1eGis-
Iators will care to appear openly as the cham
pions of racetrack gambling. but this viii not
lessen the bitterness OF the opposition
The more the Governors recommendation IS
discussed here the more apparent becomes ths
difficulty which he will experience in getting
this legislation passed In his fight for tbs
public service bill he had the strong support
of public sentiment. Legislators who have con-
sidered this racing proposition for several years
declare their honest belief that there is a great
deal Of public sentiment in this state in favor
of betting at the racetracks. irrespective OF
the conceded fact that horse racing practically
would be wiped out if the betting were aooI-
ished.
Opposition will come. OF course. from tho
racing people and the breeders Of fine horses
August Belmont and the Jockey Club have
always opposed bills designed TO repeal the
Percy-Gray law. Tor one reason or another
lators about the sincerity of some of their most
vehement supporters The bookmakers will
fight for their business more vigorously
than did the theatre ticket spectators. who
last year killed bills designed TO abolish their
trade
II is not at all certain that the agricultural
societies which Governor Hughes proposes TO
subsidize in return for the loss OF their ineomo
now derived from the racetracks viii not fight
&, Lolfs fsh
gambling handled last year by Senator Agne'v
had among them one providing for a state ap-
preparation to make up for the profits now de-
rived from the tracks. Yet the official repre-
sentatives of the farmers fought those bills
declaring that their income now was assured
and did not depend on the obtaining of a yearly
appropriation. which might be cut of or dl-
minished at the pleasure OF the Finance COM
mittees This argument is being heard from
the mouths Of many rural legislators now
Senator McCarren, who expressed his opinion
Yesterday on this subject, but did not say ono
tenth of what he thinks: Senator "Christy' Sui
Ivan who has an interest I'm the Sullivan sta
bIes and big Tim are generally credited with
an abiding intention to head the Ieg1siatiNe
hattie This to the legislative world IN ftseiI
means much for McCaTren is known "a great
fighter and one of the shrewdest politicians anu
eIeverest men in the Senate He VIII nave
f11uCh legislative support just Aot tiAS 4ON0 '-
the game" for many legislators may De found
IN Saratoga i'm the racing season. and many
take A lively interest in the transactions IN a
popuIar poolroom, the service of which was not
disturbed much even during the recent "closs
eason'' here
Much interest has been shown as TO the PROD
able attitude toward this proposition OF speaker
wadsworth whose father is head OF the state
Racing Commission
.T never attended a race meeting IN New
York in my life" declared the Speaker to'Say
whom asked about 1t. "and only two. think.
outside New York Racing doesn't mean any
thing tn me- 1t would be different II TINS
,ronosition concerned baseball" He was one
- .h. clever players on the Yale nine during
his college days
AssembIyman Merritt. majority leader OF the
,ou,sr house. would not talk much about the
subject
.sIf this Is TO be taken Up. the only thing 10
do is what the Governor has recommended
make a straight appropriation for the asricuit-
,raI societies. he said.