The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-03-04
STATE D|SGRACED
BY RACE TRACK
GAMBLING
Gov. Hughes Refuses Assembly
Gamblers Letter
SECOND HEARING ON BILL
Turf Crooks, Says Chief Executive,
Fatten on Misery and Wretohed-
ness OF Their Victims.

AIbAN1, n. l., March u 80 lHc
hearing on the Agnew-Hart racing bills
reopened here today and appears to
attract as much attention as the first
one, held two weeks ago. Practically
the same track delegation was on
hand, possibly even a larger crowd
came from New York In order to hear
former Governor Blacks argument on
behalf Of the Fairs association.
Saratoga was represented at the
hearing by "A large delegation of busl-
ness men who opposed the measures.
Village President McNulty and Assist
ant District Attorney Kilmer made
addresses.
Governor Hughes sent communities
ton to the assembly In which he fatty
declined TO give out the gambler let
ter" as requested by resolution pass
ed in the assembly, but at the same
time the governor took the opportunity
to express his confidence In thu legis-
lature and urges action in the passage
Of the Hart-Agnew bills. The govern
or said that he placed no faith in the
charges Of the corruption fund to de-
feat the bills, as suggested in the letter
in question. The writer, he says, is
unknown to him, and, far from COM
mending the action of the person who
sent him the communication, the gov
ernor says that the transmission of
the letter to the assembly could serve
no purpose other than ITO expose the
author to the revenge of the fraternity
whose traditions he had violated"
This Is the governors reply:
IL have received copy of the resolu.
ton adopted by your honorable body
in which you ask for a certain letter
addressed to me by an alleged gam.
bier and any similar letters or copies
thereof relating to the pending bills tc
put stop to race track gambling.
must respectfully decline to comply
with your request
II am not acquainted with the per
son who signed the letter nor in view
of his description of himself should
care to make any assumption as to his
responsibility. Although the letter was
received at the legislative chamber,
had not seen 1t prior TO its publication
And II goes without saying that such &
letter could not he regarded as evi
dence that any of the members of YOU
honorable body have been or woult
be susceptible TO improper influences
| The transmission of the letter coult
serve no purpose except perhaps to ex
pose the author TO the revenge of thu
! fraternity whose traditions he had vic
lated
Il may add that | have no add
tional letters similar TO the one t
which you refer. although | have {
very large number from citizens wht
desire TO see the bills passed and from
those who recite the distress and de
moralzation which 1t is well knowI
have been natural consequences from
the practices at which the bills ar,
aimed. | give no credence to any re
port that the members of your honor
able body would be DETECTED from
their manifest duty by an attempt, il
any such were made. on the part o.
those who have vast interests at stalk,
in this matter to corrupt their judg
ment.
ION the contrary, / have implicit
confidence that the legislature will car
ry into effect The constitutional man
date and will purge our state of thi
smirch Of misery and vice which ex
lists only because the will of the pee
pie, fatty declared in the fundamenta
law, has not been carried into effec,
On the one side we have the plail
provision Of the constitution that poe
selling and bookmaking shall not b
allowed in this state and that the lee
islature shall pass appropriate laws t
prevent these offenses. On the othe
side stand those who would sacrific
the morals of our youth by extendin
the area of unnecessary temptation
who would intiict needless sufferin
upon helpless women and children dc
pendent upon the cultivation of thrift
and industry and who would imper
the welfare Of thousands of our pee
pie simply because of their selfish do
sire to make money out of gamblin
privileges. They fatten upon wretcl
edness and have the effrOntery to d.
mand that the laws of the state sha
be adapted to their purposes.
'Your honorable body knows tina
pool selling and bookmaking at rae
tracks are not now prevented by al
propriate laws as the constitution n
qulres and flourish substantially unr'
stricted under what amounts to legs
, protection. This is scandal of tn
first order and is disgrace to th
state.