The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-02-20
THEY WANT WHAT
THEY WANT AND
MAY GET II
Governor Hughes Says lnsis-
tence Will Win Out
THEIR DEMAND IRRESISTIBLE
Suffraeists at Albany Addressed BY
Governor Hughes, But He With.
holds His Opinion.

ALBANY, n. Y, Feb. 20-Milllon'
aires, race track followers, clergymen,
lawyers and legislators We're represent
ed ut the hearing before the joint SEN
ate and assembly codes committees 'on
the Agnew-Hart bill proposing to
amend the penal code so as to prohibit
gambling on race tracks as suggested
by Governor Hughes. After over four
hours discussion the hearing was adj
journcd until Wednesday, March 4.
During the interval il Is intimated that
August Belmont, chairman of the
Jockey club. will call Il meeting of
that organization for the purpose of
agreeing on certain suggestions TO be
submitted to the legislative commit
tees and designed to check the prac,
tice of young men gambling.
Among those who were not sched-
uled to speak. hut who made short
remarks. were August Belmont. chair
man of the Jockey club; James Il.
Keene. owner of many lannon's race
horses. and L. L. Johnson of Ken
lucky. president of the National Trot-
ting association.
The principal address against the
bill was made by Joseph $. Auerbach,
attorney for the Jockey club. who mp
held the so called unconstitutional dis
elimination of the present Percy-Gray
law, under which betting isspermitted
on race tracks subject only to the pen
atty of the recovery In Il civil action
Of the amount wagered; declared that
the measure would create discrmina-
ton against the race track and in favor
of the poolrooms and criticised Gov
ernOr Hughes for making "a speech
here and speech there and with full
scenic effects" in support of the bill.
He said two years ago similar bill
was introduced but after Or. Slicer
and Bishop Doane had been Informed
that II was prompted lay the poolrooms
they withdrew their Endorsement of it.
81 am not saying that this bill was
prompted by the poolrooms. but | dc
say that it Is in the interests of the
poolroons."
'This bill discriminates against the
race track In favor Of the poOlroom,'
he continued. Where is there pen
atty of imprisonm mt for bets made of
the race track? There is none
Mr.. Auerbach's opinion was asked as
to the constitutional right Of the legis
lature to pass "A bill appropriating $3.50,
600 to the agricultural societies of the
state In lieu of the tax they now re
ceiye from state racing receipts.
"If you can't grant beet sugar roy
atty, who expects yjm can appropriate
It to fatten pigs and pumpknsT re
piled Mr.. Auerbach.
Mr.. Belmont was prompted TO say q
few words by n question OF Senator
Hill as to whether the Jockey clut
could suggest some means of checking
the tendency Of young men to gamble
Offhand Mr.. Belmont said he could not
but said he would call IL meeting of the
club and consider the matter.
Racing Is not conducted for the sake
of betting" continued Mr.. Belmont
~"but for the breed of horses. One OF
the Incidents of racing is betting, an(
] must say that 1t is Indispensable, bu
It Is only an incident"
~ think" said James r. Keene
"that the bill recommended by Gov
ernor Hughes and pending before tn,
legislature would simply transfer tn
betting from the race track to the pool
room, and the moral effect desired
would not be accomplished
Senator McCarren asked Mr.. Keen,
how much he bet on the races.
81 never bet" replied Mr.. Keene
Except two or three times a season OIL
some one elses horse"
Asked by Senator Agnew If he dit
not believe the poolrooms were closet
now. Mr.. Keene said: II think ther,
are at least a hundred p0olroOms opel
in New York now, and you can bet al
the money you want, and there Is moth
ing that can stop 1t. Governor Hughe
knows little about this question, AM
like many reformers he has looke'
upon one side Of the question and ha
not looked at the other. This bill
would strike at fifty or sixty million
of dollars worth of property and re
tard the progress of horse breedin
for three decades. 1t will drive on
of the state $25,000.000 annually an
throw out Of employment 12.00O pet
pie. What do you get as result
The transference of betting from til
race tracks to the p6oifooms, and tha
Is all"
The speakers in favor of the hi
confined most of their remarks to til
claim that the constitution did not II
tend a discrimination In gambling |
favor of race tracks and that the lie,
islature should square the law wit
the constitutions
Alphonse q. Koelbe, president of IL
Federation of Catholic Societies, sal
that he was authorized by Archblshc
Farley to go on record In favor of Il
bill on behalf OF all the Catholics
the state. "You should not cruelty
he said, "the man who CANDLES on
side the race track fence as NAL
factor to men and glorlfy the man |