The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-02-19
KEENE'S IDEA ON
RACE TRACK
BETTING
New York Turf Man Opposes
Hughes Bill
DEATH BLOW TO SPORT
Horse Breeder Says the Anti-bettlng
Bill Ought to Be Killed BY
Asse mbly.

NEW 1OKh, ftD. 10. - DtcidIlns
that the antibetting measure which
comes up for hearing today In Al
bany would prove the deathblow to
horse racing and very severe check
to breeding, James X. Keene, for
many years n horse breeder aud own
er and one of the most conspicuous
figures on the turf in this state and
elsewhere, asserts that the measure
should be killed.
The owner of the great racers Com
mando, Domino. Sysonby and Colin
not only sees the end of the sport,
which he has always followed purely
for sports sake, his bets being very
infrequent and in small sums, but de-
clares that New York will lose $50, 000,-
900 year from other lovers of racing.
LAS lover of the thoroughbred"
said Mr.. Keene. ut is natural that
should take deep interest In the pro-
posed measure to do away with all
wagering at race tracks in this state.
There are one or two points that APP
pear to me as important that have not
received enough attention in the dis
cussion that has been waged since
Governor Hughes began his antibet-
ting campaign.
Governor Hughes proposes by his
measure practically to destroy from
S60,000,000 to SS0,O00O00 Of racing
property in this and adjoining states,
throw out of employment from 10000
to 10000 persons engaged in the thor
oughbred industry and deprive New
York Of Its chief spring and summer
pleasure.
Il am inclined 10 think that the pub
lie has but faint conception of the
business advantages of the race tracks
of New York and of the loss of reve-
nue TO the city that would result from
the closing of the tracks. have taken
the trouble to make pretty careful cal
culatlons as to what this revenue Is,
and find the New York business pub
lie is benefited annually in a sum from
$25,000.O0O to SS0000,000. In the first
place there are $500 horses In training
in New York state. and we who own
horses know that 1t costs $40 month
for each animal kept. The money dis
persed in the maintenance of the
horses in training. counting the cost Of
labor, feed and the innumerable other
| items, Is not less than 100000 a year.
Then we find that 100000 persons
pass through the gates of the race
tracks each season. In addition to
these we have the money dispensed by
the seven or eight hundred thousand
| visitors who come TO New York each
season from all points In the country
and to whom the races are one of the
chief attractions. AS nearly as can be
estimated these visitors, some Of whom
come from foreign countries, spend
not less than 100000 while In New
York. This money goes to the shops
hotels, restaurants and other business
concerns. Every one in the trade gets
a part of it. Every merchant realizes
this.
1T Is serious matter to reduce the
money that flows into the business
hopper Of one city In each year by SC
vast a sum as $25,000,O00 or $4,000.
600.
THE logical result Of the operation
of this law would be to eliminate from
the sport the men who follow 1t purely
because Of the sport and would turn Il
over to the gamblers and those t.
whom horse represents nothing high
er than a device on which to gamble
II Governor Hughes idea is adopted
the immediate effect will be to put int
! operation the poorooms and to in
crease vastly the extent of the gam
bling on races"