Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-16
HORSE RACING AND GAMBLING.

The final passage of the anti
gambling race track bills by the New
York legislature marks a triumph for
Governor Hughes in one of the most
excitingi and dramatic legislative con-
tests the country has witnessed in
many years. 1t required a long, bitter
fight to put the measure through. It
was recommended for passage by the
governor at the regular session of the
legislature, but the race track own
ers and promoters mustered strength
enough In the senate to defeat the
measure. The governor promptly
called an extra session and appealed
to the people to bring pressure in sup
port of the bill. 1t was finally passed
by one vote, a state senator being car
ried from his sick bed to cast the de-
Gliding vote in favor of the bill.
In the flal analysis the passage of
the bill was a triumph for law and or
der. 1t has been admitted for years
that the ace track gambling has been
carried on in open defiance Of the state
constitution. The laws ~ostensibly au-
thorizing and legalizing betting on
races we're in violation of the consti-
tuition, but the influence of the gam
blers was sufficiently strong to prevent
the repeal of the obnoxious laws or
their overthrow In the courts. In the
fight against the adoption of the law,
at both the regular and special session
of the legislature, Governor Hughes
was opposed by prominent politicians
in his own party and by the almost
united vote of the democratic men,
bers. He was assured that his action
would ALLEVIATE the support of the
sporting fraternity and would injure
his political chances in the state, IS
under the adroit provisions of the old
laws the farmers and county fair as
sociations got a liberal rake-of from
the earnings of the pool that IN
trolled the race tracks near New York
City and held a monopoly of the book
making and other gambling privileges.
Governor Hughes refused to yield, de-
claring that as the constitution of the
state expressly prohibited gambling, 1t
was his duty TO repeal any laws passed
in defiance of the constitution that
were designed to legalize larceny at
the race track. He has won his fight.
fight.
Just what will be the effect of the
new law on racing throughout the
country remains to be demonstrated.
The men engaged in the raising and
running of racehorses contend that
with the betting feature of the game
removed organized race meetings can
not be carried on, as the patronage
from gate receipts will not be sufficient
to pay the expenses of keeping up the
racing stables and the prizes necessary
to horsemen to go to the
expense of training for the contests.
They contend that no large number of
people will attend racing when the
possibility of wagering on the track
is removed. Be that as 1t may. the
exposures OF the methods by which the
race track gambling syndicate has an
nually mulcted the patrons of many
millions of dollars, much of which
amount has been used in bribing law
makers and officials, furnishes all Of
the justification needed by Governor
Hughes for his crusade against the
gamblers. II, as the racing promoters
assert, there can not be racing with
out gambling and without racing the
breed OF horses will not improve, the
best answer is that given by Governor
Hughes when this argument was pre-
sented to him. His reply was: 1T
Is better 10 breed men than horses. q"
1t is asserted that some OF the