New-York tribune., 1908-03-04
REPLY FROM GOVERNOR
MESSAGE TO ASSEMBLY.
Declines to Giue "Gamblers Name
Urges Racetrack Bills Passage.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune.l ]

Albany March 3-DeIay of at least a week
in the consideration of the antt-racetrack gam
bling bills was assured to-day when Senator
Hill, of the Codes Committee, announced a
hearing on March IL before the joint Codes
Committees, in addition to that scheouled tof
Tomorrow To many friends of the bills TINS
is an indication that still further delay will fol-
| low, to be ended by a rallying of antl-Hushes
and pro-gambling forces in the hope OF oefeat-
ing the bills How strongly the Governor feels
on the subject was shown to-day by his reply
to the Assembly resolution calling on him for
the name of the plain gambler who exuitihsV
wrote to him about defeating the bills by poouIe
funds The Governors message follows:
To the Assembly:
I have received copy Of the resolution
adopted by your honorable body IN Whlch you
ask for a certain letter addressed to me by an
alleged gambling man. and any similar Itu
or copies thereof relating to the pending pliis
to put stop to racetrack gambling -,
| must respectfully decline to comply with
vol,r request | am not acquainted with the
person who signed the letter. nor in view OF his
description of himself. should care 10 make
assumption to his responsibility Although
the letter was received at the executive cham
Der / had not seen it prior to its pubhcatlon'
and it goes without saying that such letter
could not be regarded as evidence that any vi
the members of your honorable body have been
or would be susceptible to improper influences.
The transmission OF the letter could serve no
purpose except, perhaps, to expose the author
to the revenge of the fraternity whose TRADITIONS
he had violated. ] may add that l have no ad-
| dttional letters similar to the one to which you
( specifically refer although I have very large
number from citizens who desire to see the nllls
passed and from those who reclte the dlstreSs
and decentralization which, as is wen khoWh'
have been the natural consequence of the pTac-
tices at which the bills are aimed.
L give credence to any report that the
members of your honorable body would be de-
fected from their manifest duty by any at
I tempt, If any such were made on the part or
those who have vast interests at stake In the
matter to corrupt their judgment. On the con-
trary have implicit confidence that the Lesis-
lature will carry into effect the constitutional
mandate and will purge our state OF this source
| Of misery and vice which exists only because the
will of the people, fatty declared in the funda-
mental law, has not been carried into effect.
On the side we have the plain provision
of the constitution that pool selling and book
I making shall not be allowed in this state
and that the Legislature shall pass appropriate
\ laws TO prevent these offences.
| On the other side stand those who would sac
| rifice the morals of our youth by extending the
area of unnecessary temptation; who would in
| fict needless suffering upon helpless women and
children, dependent upon the cultivation OF
| thrift and Industry, and who would ifnperii the
| welfare of thousands of people simply be-
cause of their selfish desire TO make money out
of gambling privileges. They fatten upon
wretchedness and have the effrontery TO demand
| that the laws of the state shall be adapted to
| their purpose
| Your honorable body knows that pool selling
and bookmaking at racetracks are not now pre-
vented by appropriate laws the constitution
requires. but flourish substantially unrestricted
| under what amounts to legal protection This
| is scandal of the first order and a disgrace to
| the state. The bills are not aimed at racing or
| at racetracks at property. They are aimed
| at public gambling, prohibited by the constitu-
| ton, condemned by the moral sense of the peo
| pie, irrespective OF creed and conceded to be
| the prolific source of poverty and crime.
| l sincerely trust that nothing will divert your
attention from this main ISSUE and that the
| Legislature, acting in obedience to the constitu
tional provision, will free from curse of
"hch no JuN defence Is possible, ana tnus
| command the approval and confidence of the
people of the state.
CHARLES E. HUGHES.
| The Assembly listened to the reading of the
| message in absolute silence, somewhat sullen.
| 1t was tabled without word of comment
| discussion. Assembyman Hammond. intro
| ducer of the resolution. said he would do moth
| ing further Speaker Wadsworth later made
| formal statement that. the Governor having
| disclaimed any intent to dignity the letter. the
| incident was closed. He said:
The nature and character of the charges con-
| tanned in the letter would have attracted little
| attention if il had not been made public from
the executive chamber. The channel through
which 1t reached public notice gave the matter
| a very serious aspect-one the Legislature could
not afford to overlook. The Governors reply to
| the Assembly resolution is gratifying to the
members in that 1t makes plain that the Gov
| ernor places reliance the charges in the
letter and declines to vouch for the responsible
| ity or the author. Moreover the Governor dis
claims responsibility for the publication of the
| letter in anonymous form, The incident there
| fore is closed
| Coincident with Senator Hls announcement
| of another hearing before the Codes Committees
on the anti-gambling bills, Senator Davis chair
| man of the Judiciary Committee, announced a
! hearing March Il on the amendment to the
| PercyGray law which is before his committee.
| In the Assembly the bill amending the Penal
| Code and that amending the Percy-Gray law
| both went to the Codes Committee In the SEN
| ate the Percy-Gray amendment went TO the