The Morris County chronicle., 1908-04-14
RACING SITUATION TENSE
Stumping Campaign Planned in
Niagara-OrIeans District.
Full of Fight Hughes Decides on Elec-
tion of Senator to Succeed Fran
chot and Add Vote.

Albany, ". Y.-Governor Hughes
took up the gauntlet of battle thrown
down by the Senate when his race
track bills failed to secure the consti-
tutional majority of votes, and con-
vinced his opponents that his declara-
ton that the fight is just begun"
was no idle boast. In a message to
the Legislature the Governor repeat
ed his demand that the constitutional
inhibition against race track gamb-
ling be reinforced by suitable legisla
tion
He included in his message fur
ther demand that other legislation
recommended by him be pressed upon
without delay
That the Governor is full of fight
and intends to exert the full power of
his Office to run off the dead heat,
which gave the race track people
temporary advantage, was indicated
by the peremptory tone of his mes
sage to the Legislature This docu-
ment created CONSERVATION among
the supporters of the race tracks, who
did not anticipate so speedy an ac-
ceptance of their challenge. Even
while they were counting the cost to
the race track promoters of prevent
ing the passage of the racing bills the
Governor was preparing for his move
of reprisal.
Developments here indicate that
Governor Hughes fight to have
passed the anti-race-track gambling
legislation may broaden in scope un-
til it includes a stumping campaign
in the Niagara-Orleans district on
the gambling issue, direct battle
with the Senate on the question
whether a successor to the late Sena-
tor Franchot may be seated or not,
and perhaps appeals to the courts,
which may reopen most of the points
in controversy in the fight over the
constitntionality of the reapportion
ment act of 1906, thrown ont by the
Court of Appeals last year.
Apparently the racing forces intend
first of all to try to prevent a special
election for a successor to Senator
Franchot If worsted, they have de-
clared that they will fight to prevent
his being seated, and that fight will
reopen all the question over the pow
ers and rights of the de facto Senate
or any one of it's members. Into
such battle the entire Senate must
be drawn, and in that case the atti-
tude of the Republican organization,
or even of individual Republican lead
ers, several of whom have showed
their antagonism toward the Gov
ernor, must prove of the utmost inn
portance.
The general situation here is as
suming tenseness and bitterness
which serve better than anything else
to illustrate the absolute desperation
of the racing inserests. Governor
Hughes refusal to consider himself
beaten and his prompt and vigorous
measures to continue the fight have
convinced them that now it will be
battle to the death, and that they,
instead of the Governor, will be on
the defensive. Some indication of
this is given by the flood of letters
pouring in on those Senators who
voted against the anti-gambling legis-
lation.
All the fight now will centre
around the special election in the Nj
agara-Orleans district Governor
Hughes issued a proclamation for this
election, to be held on May 12. At
that time, without question, special
session of the Legislature will have
convened, and the newly elected Sem
ator will be prepared to take his seat.