New-York tribune., 1908-04-18
SICK OF RACETRACKS
Looks as If Louisiana WOuld Pass
4nti-Betting Bills.

The LEGISLATURE OF Louisiana is to wrestle
with antiracetrack betting, according TO Joseph w
Hyams Speaker of the Assembly of that state.
who is in New York for few days in relation TO
his duties as chairman of the pOhcyholders' COM
mttee of the Mutual Reserve Life Insurance Com
pany. 1t appears. however, from Mr. Hyams's
observation of the situation that the outcome in
Louisiana may be the reverse of that in the New
York Legislature. for both Henry n. Pharr, the
Republican candidate for Governor and J. Y. San
ders the Democratic candidate, have denounced
raCetrack gambling
Mr. Hyams did not give his personal views OF the
anti-betting campaign but spoke generally of
what has noted legislator and OF
affairs. Down way he said. you will find
most OF the opponents cf the racetraek evil have
not taken that stand from any religious idealis
tic impulse. They considering facts. and they
say In the first place there is safety of life
and limb purse that is concerned. In New
Orleans it found that with the opening of the
racetrack season crooks and thugs and strong
arm came in as hangers-Op and touts OF the
followers. Crimes of all sorts increased dur
ing the racing season and dropped back to normal
when the horses went away. The police force
not large enough familiar enough with metro
pOlitan silk stocking criminals to cope with them
Therefore there great many opponents
of betting who simply safety They feel that
betting is stopped racing Will end ana therefore
there will not be the regular influx of undesirable
citizens.
Besides this New Workers do not have racing
a
we had about one hundred days of racing
each season. beginning in November Now we have
three four tracks, with summer racing follow
ing winter racing But the climax when the
management OF of the tracks entered into a
contract with electric lighting company to have
the track wired and lighted that there could
be night racing well day racing This was
the last straw. and the Mayor OF New Orleans an
noanced that the city would stand for il. He
made his position plain that the racing people
managed to be released from their contract by the
lighting company.
For several years, too, there has been a trend
OF feeling against racing. In 1904 was passed
that made the keeping OF a poolroom a felony
The poolroOm men fought it up 10 the State Su-
preme Court and the declared vaRd
Since then have had no pooIIooms hand
books.
Even more plainly public opinion gagged
by the defeat in 1906 of a bill that aimed TO create
a state racing commission understand that
New York has such body and that its members
are estlmable men who true lovers OF the
horse On the other hand in Louisiana the per
sons who argued against creating such i commits
sion said that they ii want the state thus to
recognize racing and the said. besides that they
we're dubious about finding the right sort Of men
To- serve on such a commission make IL a
brnent instead vi menace 5u the hill did not
pass"
MIR. Iiyans said lac not a prophet and would
not attempt furrtru the fate OF the anti be ttug
bills which Will introduced when the Legislature
meets on May T.. 1t Is not a party measure
he explained 'and have told merely the things
that have occurred in Louisiana and that show
how great many persons feel on the subject