New-York tribune., 1908-05-26
WALLACE TAKES SEAT
REITER4TES HIS PLEDGE.
Racing Bills TO Be Recommended
When F0elker Returns.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune ]

Albany. May 25-One step in Governor
Hughes's campaign to bring about enact
ment of his anti-racetrack gambling measures
taken tonight when William Z. Waliace
took his seat as Senator from the 4ith Dis-
trict and answered to his name on a roilcail-
This afternoon the State Board OF CanVassers
passed on the returns of the county boards
his certificate of election was filed and ne look
his oath of office with the Secretary of state.
The oficia! canvass gives Mr.. Wallace piu-
rality of 251, increase of j. He reiterated
tonight his pledge to support the Governor on
the racing bills.
The illness of Senator Foelker is all that now
delays action by the Governor and consequent
action by the Legislature, on this important
proposition. Senator Agnew, sponsor for the
anti i-gambling bills, said tonight that he heard
indirectly that Senator Foelker was improving
rapidly, and while nothing definite was known
about the date of his return to duty he thought
the Brooklyn Senator ought to be here next
week. Agnew expects the Governor Will not
send in the recommendation for the passage of
the racing bills until Foeker resumes his seat.
Although advocates of the repeal OF the
Percy-Gray law waiting for Foelkers re-
turn, they are not depending on him alone
Vigorous efforts are being made to prlns over
all the Republicans who voted against tiie
Governor. and upstate people are concentrating
their efforts on Knapp of Clinton County, ana
Emerson, of Warren. Both are candidates for
reelection, though the two are thrown by the
reapportionment into the same district Meet
ings Of protest against their votes have been
held for two weeks in their home counties ana
letters by the score have been sent to them
urging them to join the majority of their party
colleagues in supporting the anti-gambilns plils-
Tonight the Rev. Robert E Hill, chairman ol
the Law Enforcement League OF Ilconderosd'
buttonhoed both of them, using as one OF HIS
chief arguments a petition with l,oco names
urging them to change their att1tuoe on tHe
measures He used another argument with
Emerson also-that he never could be eiecleo
in his new district without Essex County and
that Essex County never would vote for MIN
unless he voted for the anti-gambling bills when
the case came up again.
Evidences of a new campaign by the racing
interests came to light tonight in the mail or
every Senator who voted for the ant1-samohns
bills Each received a huge batch OF letters
purporting to come from constituents urging
him to defy the Governor and vote against the
bills if they introduced az the extra ses-
sion These rnissives were written according
to three or four stereotyped forms, but the thlns
which revealed the trick more clearly than any
thing else was the brilliant hued paper used
When the Senators got to comparing their let
written on paper of white. yellow, blue, pink
o. browl. ~ r!e1 paper in each case was OF the
same quality In cases illegible signatures
were attached Almost always the address OF
the alleged constituent was missing In some
cases addresses were given which were not IN
the district of the Senator TO whom the letters
were addressed.
There seems little doubt that the Legislature
will be in session for at least two weeks longer.
whether or not the Governor submits his rec
onlmendation for the anti-gambling bills earlier
Senator Raines, asked to-day when adjournment
would be taken, replied frankly that he had not
the faintest idea.
Not this week unless it would be in the in
terests of reform he chuckled Then. of
course we'd adjourn. But maybe next week.
It's certain that we've got to go to Chicago for
the convention, and to do that we've got TO
leave here by the 18th I'd have to go day or
two earlier maybe"
Both houses will hold business sessions to-
morrow The Assembly committees will hold
executive sessions and report several bills.