The sun., 1908-04-10
TO CALL AN EXTRA SESSION
GOV. HUGHES AROUSED BY DE-
FEAT or ANTI-GAHBLING BILLS.
Lectures senators for Defeating Them and
says II Is Their Duty TO Reverse Their
Action -Urges the Enactment Of LegiS-
Iatlon which lie Has Recommended. 4.

Action Jrges the Enactment Of Legis.
latlOn which lie Has Recommended. /.
Albany, April o.-TO-day Gov. Hughes
in no uncertain way showed his resentment
toward tho treatment that the Legislature
IL extending to him in ignoring nearly
everything that he has recommended in
the line OF legislation. In a special message
transmitted to-day 10 the two branches
n the Legislature the Governor showed
his displeasure over the defeat Of the anti
racetrack betting bills yesterday and in
dicated that the Legislature had not heard
the last from him on this subject. At the
monday conference with the newspaper meu
the Governor talked more freely than he
has at any other time. While he would not
be quoted, he made It plain 10 the newspaper
men that he 10 getting ready to strike back
and to bring the Senate to terms.
Nc feels the keenest about the defeat
oi the anti-racetraok betting bills, and In
order TO bring about their passage, II such
a thing II possible, he will call a special
session Of the Legislature In May In
order to, get the necessary twenty-sixth
vote the Governor intends to call a special
election to fill the vacancy in the Forty
seventh Senate district caused by the death
Of Senator Frapchot. The Governor feels
that II there is an election in that district
he can secure alpthe( supporter for tho
Agnew-Hart bilIs. Shs issue would be
clearly drawn In the campaign which will
he vaged and the campaign no doubt would
he the most interesting that district has
ever had The election cannot be held
until May12
There Is some doubt in the minds Of
a good many people as to whether or not
the Governor has q right to ca II for an
election Of a Senator in the district, The
now apportionment law wipes out the
district and there would be a fine question
NJ law as TO whether or not a new Senator
could be elected from a district that does
not officially exist any longer. The Gov
lawyers differ with him on the subject.
But no matter what the Governor does
It is the opinion Of observers Of legislative
affairs that he cannot accomplish anything
at this late day. Even his friends believe
he has followed a course Of proorastination
that cannot be undone. He has seen the
legislature paying no more attention TO
his messages and recommendation than
II they had never been written. and he
knew on the day that the final adjournment
resolution was adopted that the Legislature
Intended 10 get away without sending to
him anything but the banking legislation.
and Superintendent Of Banks Clark Williams
and the interests behind Mr.. Williams are
responsible for bringing about the sue
cessful passage Of these bills. The general
impression In legislative circles is that
the Governor is pulling against the tide
and they don't fear him this year as they
did last year.
Even Senator Raines believes the Gov
ernor can do nothing at an extra session
Of the Legislature. He doesn't even think
a special election In the Niagara Orleans
district will help any, for he believes a
Democrat would be elected there.
Whether or not the eight Republican
Senators who voted 10 retain the Percy
Gray betting law would change their posi-
ton even at an extra session ia most un-
likely. The Governors friends say that
II he had shown a disposition TO use the
whip before he would have succeeded, but
now that he has permitted Senators TO go
on record II would be most embarrassing
for them to change their positions Sena-
tor Raines doesn't think calling caucus
would amount 10 anything, for he believes
the eight Republican Senators would bolt
il and that would gain nothing for the
bills
While the Governor in his message de-
voted the most OF his attention TO the ques-
ton Of the defeat Of the Hart bills yester-
day, he also called TO the attention Of the
legislature the other subjects that he had
in his annual message and
which have been ignored by the Legis-
lature. The text Of to-day's special mes
sage follows;
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
STATE OF NEW YORK. EXECUTIVE CHAMBER. |
ALBANY. April 9, 1908
. To the legislature
4 again urge you to enact appropriate
legislation TO abolish the existing discrimi- |
nations in favor Of racetrack gambling
The failure of the upper branch Of your
honorable body to pass the measures
designed to effect this purpose after their
Iassage in the lower branch cannot be re-
Earded az disposing Of the matter. The
Consttution, with its peremptory mandate.
It'll stands. 1t provides:
"Nor shall any lottery or the sale OF lottery
tickets. pOolsellng. bookmakinE or any
urher kind Of gambling hereafter be author
sd or allowed within this State: and the
! egIsature shall pass appropriate laws TO
Irevent offences against any Of the provisions
ol this section.
The evil Of racetrack gambling fourishes
not In spite OF the law but because Of the
law. Legislation pretending to carry out
the constitutional provision in effect
rullifes Il. You are not asked to ac-
complish the impossible or TO write upon
the statute books a visionary scheme Of
moral reform. You are asked TO rid our
law Of vicious discrimination whereby
offences equally condemned by the Con-
s'ituton are punished as crimes II COM
mtted in one place and are encouraged
hy the absence Of suitable penalty II com
mlttei in another.
chapter $40 Of the Laws Of 1895, known
a. the Percy Gray law, pretends in it's pro-
visions with regard TO authorized race
tracks TO prohibit gambling. This pre-
tsnce runs through the act. But 1t cheats
the prohibition by providing that the
only penalty, II no memorandum or token
q tho wager be delivered, shall be