New-York tribune., 1908-03-27
PASS RACETRACK BILLS
BIG TOTES IN ASSEMBLY.
OnIg Nine Members Oppose
amending tLe Percy-Gray La5c.
- - . q rr!b..as. ]


Albany. March 26.-The Assembly passed to-
day the two anti-racetrack gambling bills by
a large majority. On the amendment 70 the
Percy-Gray law striking out the discriminat-
ing clause favOring racetrack gambling the
vote was i26 10 0. On the amendment 70 the
FenaI Code providing punishment Of one years
imprisonment for professional gambling. book
making or pOolselIing the vote was l26 TO q
The following AssernbIyrne voted against
the first bill CuvilIier. DonneIly- Fay Geoghe-
gan. Graubard. McCue. Oliver and schutta-
Democrats. and T r Staley- Republican On
the second vote McCue voted for the bill and
StaIey switched also Staley comes from AM
sterdarn. the home Of the SanfOrds- racing men
and horse owners Of prominence
Most OF the Democrats, while they opposed
the bills. some openly IN debate others only
in private conversation. lacked the courage to
vote against them. Mr. Palmer, minority
leader declared he was glad TO see the Re-
publicans acknowledging that they were wrong
IN adopting the Percy-Gray law. and was glad
to help them right this wrong
Colonel D. C. Robinson. OF Chemung. who
tries to take leading part in the councils OF
the Democrats. made a coarse attack on Gov
ernor Hughes
RUSH To OFFER AMENDMENTS
When the nti-gambling bills were reached
there was a rush of Democrats to offer amend
Gray law take effect on December l; Mr Cuvil-
Her offered his former proposition TO make the
racing associations a boOknaking trust. while
Mr. Keller wanted TO have fine Of $3.50 penalty
for violation of the gambling provision instead OF
the year Imprisonment Mr. Oliver talked az
length about the unfairness of these measures.
which he said. amounted TO COnfscation OF DIG
property rights
Marty" McCue pleaded for the ten or twelve
=7s6 had
no other employment. Incidentally. he declared
it was fooIishness for the racetrack owners to
say they made no profit from professional gam
bling at the tracks We all know, said he-
that the racetrack owners connive at gambling
and get a profit from il. If you don't pay them
you can't make book al the tracks
Mr. CuvfIIier talked also
AssaubIvn1an Hart said that the Legislature
had no need to take up the moral side OF this
question: the constitutional convention DIG
that when il decreed there should be no pro-
fessfonaI gambling. 1t decreed that the Les1s-
Iature should make appropriate laws to stop
gambling Since the enactment OF the Percy
GRAY law attendance at racetrackS had IN
creased tenfold and gambling about IN proper
ton The oath Of office OF every legislator was
clear; II left him option save 20 vote Ior
the bills. In closing the debate Mr. Merritt.
the majority leader. said the bills would make
no
OF the constitution. II was the DUTY OF the
House 10 pass them without amendment Then
he moved the previous question. shutting of
further debate
DEMOCRATS EXPLAIN THEIR VOTES
The Oliver amendment was beaten los 20 Is.
C1IviIlier's came next and got two votes-those
of Oliver and Cuvf1Iier. The Keller amendment
was voted down On the final rollcaH many
Democrats took occasion 70 explain their votes
AssernbIvrnen shortt and Terry spoke and voted
for the bills
When the Penal Code amendment was
reached Mr. Merritt Immediately moved the
rravfous question The Speaker refused 10
receive an amendment offered by Assemblyman
Oliver. The question put and the bill
passed without any ado
In the Senate the situation seems somewhat
ba+-ar Friends Of the bills say that the Nc
Carran amendment can be stricken out surely
and the bills advanced 70 the order OF final pas
sage On "Wednesday Il seems highly improbable
that they can be passed on Thursday though.
since all the banking bills which are in the Sen
ate have been made special orders for that day
Thus they would be thrown over into the week
of the state convention. and some delay then
might be used by their enemies 70 Jockey them
70 death. Hughes men say they are safe
enough. since their adve-saries. at least those
Republicans known 10 be certain 70 vote against
them. have dwindIed TO four Nevertheless the
-acfne reopIe preserve their confidence and
serenity. and the stories that If the bills are
killed the first day of racing at the New York
tracks will be a day of rejoicing and celebration
for many Senator's. still persist Ins DIS n
the Senate are not YET out OF danger