The Washington times., 1908-08-16
ANTI-RACING LAWS
WORK TWO WAYS
Estranged One Element But Won
Church People-Candidate May
Turn Out to Be Prohibitionist.

with politics there. He was explaining
the pros ano cons of the situation ir
the Empire Commonwealth.
''The Republicans are going 10 be
blamed If they do. and blamed If they
don't" he went on. IT don't see any
thing for it but the nomination of the
governor; l think he's the only cnance
OF carrying the State ticket through,
though / don't believe in any case,
there would be difficulty about the eIec-
tOral ticket, unless the improbable con-
tingenCy of a landslide should develop.
The governor some months ago al
lowed ii to De given out that he would
not again be d candidate He was taken
al his WORD and group of men-Fas-
sett, Woodrlf, Young jim Wadsworth. /
Serene Payne, Butler. Perkins, and
others-busied themselves quietly with
some budding ambitions for tenancy OF
the shoes with the to let sign. SO
when the governor revised his judg-
ment and decided that he would after
all be willing 10 run again. it was small
wonder tuat some of these gentlemen
were displeased and inclined 20 the
crouch.
Those Against Hughes.
But there are aspects Of the Hughes
administration which make 1t certain
that he has very positive and definite
Weaknesses, a we'll as equally assured
and apparent elements Of strength.
Take the public service commission.
There Is a feeling that it has done
little It has been distinctly disappoint-
ing. The go-ernor vetoed "a 2-cent fare
bnL explaining that he would refer the
matter 20 the DUouc service commission
and let il decide whether the 2-cent
rate should go in. What happened?
Nothing. The commission hasn't made
a move. The result? Wen, for one
thing, q LOT of rates in the State have
. been raised, and travelling men are
thoroughly InceRsed about It, Their
vote VIII be found by a striking pre-
ponLersn-es / think, opposed TO Hughes;
certainly they are against him for the
nomination.
Many Fares Raised.
Then many local rates about the
State have been raised. The fsre from
Attica TO Buffalo was tradiuonally N.2l.
. Now it's $l-40, and the advance is typi-
& cal Of many others in the State which
are considered TO have been made pos
sible by the veto of the 2-cent fare
bill and the failure of the public serv-
ice commission TO make good. So there
Is a large element Of local travellers. /
commuters. etc. who feel unkindIy to-
ward the governor.
Another element is we'll worth men
tioning. The Legislature passed a bill
10 provide that mutual insurance com
panies pay per cent OF their premiums
70 the benefit OF volunteer fire CUmpa- |
MES In Incorporated villages. That
would be Just equal 10 the tax foreign |
companies pay in the State The gov |
eruor vetoed the bill. That veto will /
gain him TO votes among the insurance /
people and pOlicyholders. but it Will cost
him JUST about all the votes Of megnbers |
of the volunteer fire companies-hun- /
dreds of companies, thousands Of /
VOtes-au over the state. Their State
organization held a meeting the other /
day and adopted resolutions denounc- /
ing the governors veto.
Trouble Over Erie Canal.
Fred c. Stevens. chairman of the
secoad division of the public service /
commission, by the governors appoint |
ment. has not commanded the cOnu- |
dence Of the people by the conduct OF |
his office As chairman Of the upstate /
board, ne is the real boss OF the Erie
canal construction, for which the State
voted Sl0l ,O00, coo II Is charged that this
work has not been satisfactorily pushed, |
that there has been delay, and a good
deal OF inefficiency. The upstate, for
this reason. is prejudiced. and the city
doesn't think it's division of the com
mission has done any better. There
you have it,
Take the anti-racetrack gambling
legislation There is no doubt that his
fight for this legislation is responsible |
for the greatest strength and also the /
most menaCing weakness of the gov
ernOr II is good legislation; II has /
earned for Hughes the determined sup /
port OF the church element, the better |
classes and various other people who /
never do any real work at elections. !
Il is an element that the Republicans |
get anyhow; but this year it would be
Just certain TO bolt If Hughes were not !
nominated. That's the weakness Of the /
situation. It is necessary, ir o-der TO
prevent a big slump in the vote it nor /
mally owns for the Republican party /
to name Hughes.
Saloon Men Against Hughes.
But in naming him TO protect its /
own. the party is certain TO offend the 4
entire sporting element, and also the |
saloon people. In the past every saloon /
upstate, IN big and little cities. main /
tained bulletin of racing and other /
sporting events and some quiet pools /
were made by interested customers, all /
70 the advantage of business. Well. /
that's no more, and the saloon men are /
unit against Hughes
That isn't all the grievance Of the
saloon men, either. In New York, as /
everywhere else, they have been wor-
ried latterly about the spread OF the
anu-iquor movement. They suspect
il might strike them some time. Suppose
IL did2 II would be the most stuper-
dous loss for the liquor interests. the
most striking gain for the Prohibition
lists, that could possibly be conceived.
to have New York definitely line up
with the 'drys'
And yet, it is recalled By the saloon |