New-York tribune., 1908-03-11
TO ACTON BILLS TO-DAY?
ALBANY AWAITS REPOKTS.
Committees May Consider Gambling
Measures, Though Delay Is Possible.
rBy Telegraph to Tho Tribune.


Albany March 1o-whether not the Senate
ana Assembly Codes committees will report the
anti-racetracK gambling bills at their meetings. 10
morrow IS the topic OF interest mere to-hsh'-
For the first time Legislators viii have an oppor-
tnity to register their sentiments regarding these
measures While the result will not necessarily
Indicate certainly the fate OF the bills, IL surely
will have considerable influence ON their passage
since failure to report them will be taken by anu
Hughes men as a distinct setback for the Gov
e-nor's project
The Assembly committee is reasonably certain to
put out the bills-certain barring some unseen oo-
stacle: and even If it does not report them to-io
without doubt do so the following "eeh-
The difficulty just now being encountered in the
Senate Codes Committee. where the Governor
s,pporters in his effort 10 abolish racetrack gam
bling are finding some new sticking point each
day Developments there tomorrow viii De IrausHe
With significance
Chairman Murphy of the Assembly Codes Com
rlittee said to-day that he no reason WHY
the Hart bills should not be reported to-norro"
He has his committee well in hand The seiu-
1aent in the Assembly seems strongly for fne
bills, and the numerous racing lobbyists ap-
parently have given up hope OF that house
II shall bring up the question Tomorrow saii
Mr. Murphy .and L expect the bills TO be re-
ported If for some reason the corlinlttee ueeiiI7
wise wait little. surely they VIII DC Ie
ported next week, and being reported 'i'uaiiS
means being passed here
Mr. Merritt. majority leader. predicted cohnoei1-
" that the bills would be reported this week or
xt and be passed soon Thereafter as posSioio-
Senator Hill would not predict what WouIo hiP-
pen when his committee met tomorrow morning.
The bills will be moved for reporting Seemingly
their friends number five to four members against.
but of delay, of emasculatins amendments
and divers other dire things are ahoat- Ger
tainly the fight there Will be stiff Senator Hill
rather surprised the supporters of the Agnew Dlis
by declaring to-day after all much signih-
canoe must be attached to the action OF his
committee, since the really important bill was oe
for the Judiciary Committee Senator Agnew VIII
be content. though not satisfied if the codes bill
alone is passed. The amendment to the Percy-Gray
bill before the Judiciary Committee. while part
the scheme is not Indispensable
Senator Agnew to-day filed several letters with
the Codes Committee for consideration. One was
from Commissioner Bingham. The letter says:
be any poolroOms 10 bet racing which does
not exist. New York. louisiana. Kentucky and
he n5o,ished in New Work and not in "tbet sta4a
racing poolrooms will come to end because these
poolroOms have elaborate facilities for information
from races OF other states
1t is true there pooIrooms Gn operation
in New York Cityl during the racing season Gin
Pooroom gambling is already both felony and
ba of es eu noa S ae fae main trouble s is
to Jail They apparently get off with fine. which
is no punishment at all
Another the letter of Monsignor I-avene au-
li!OIiZIHS +aiploHSt u ]\OtIDle 10 represent lHe
New York County Federation OF Catholic Soce-
ties at the hearings
The Archbishop is quite willing" says the let
ter, that go record in favor of the law
proposed by the Governor. Consequently you can
act in the matter with his entire acquiescence"
Still another from r. G. Fl. Speed secre-
tary of the Tompkins County Fair Association
He declared that TO his certain knowledge some of
the delegates of 'so-calIed agricultural societies.
at the last hearing 'misrepresented the sentiment"
of the farmers. Said he
At the annual meeting of the Tompkins COUNTY
Agricultural and Horticultural Society year ago
we found the hall packed with the local saloon
keepers and horsemen. They took control os the
society organization by electng four officers who
have entire control of the annual fair and only
one of them owns any land.
telegram received here from DR. w f
Crafts. of the International Reform Bureau. say
ing that few days ago in Washington H. T
Oxnard. OF the Jockey Club. urged him To support
the Jockey Clubs credit betting suggestion
Not in years has Albany such deIuge of
lawyers and plain lobbyists has flooded the
Capitol in the last days They swarm in the
corridors and hotel lobbies and barrooms but
tonhOlng legislators and politicians supposed To
have influence with legislators. The only excuse
anybody offers for their presence is anti-ganl-
bling bills. There is indication that any money
to pay the fees of the lawyers and others who
are here. Friends of the bills sharply on the
watch for exactly that thing. and racin. people
enemies that too lavish expenditure of
and subject TO misconstruction.