The Washington herald., 1908-04-09


Albany. n. Y, April S.-After one Of
the hardest fought battles ever witnessed
In State legislative circles, shortly after
3 o'clock this evening the two bills 10
prevent race-track gambling were prac-
tically killed IN the senate.
The bills failed by one vote TO receive
the required twenty-six votes Of senators,
which are necessary TO pass bin in the
senate.
twenty-five votes IN favor Of the bills.
and the same number II. opposition. were
recorded.
The vote on the bin amending the penal
code. making Taee-track betting a felony,
and the bill repeating the Perey-Gray bet
ting law. was the same
To the governor 1t has been a hard and
severe blow. for he indicated his disap-
pointment in a short statement he made
as soon as he mas acquainted with the
result Of the vote. The governor has Ia
bored ineessantly. in speeches. TO arouse
public sentiment. and be has done all that
he could 20 bring the senators 10 view
the bills as he did.
Grattan Defeats. Bills.
1t was Senator Grattan. Of Albany. act
/ ing under orders OF William Barnes, jr.,
the Albany County Republican leader,
who defeated the bills. Had he not voted
against them. the bills would have passed
/ by a comfortable majority, for there
would not have been more than two OF
three Republican senators who would
| have voted against them.
While there is still the danger of the
| bills being called up and passed before
/ the legislature adjOurns its regular ses-
sion, on April %. the possibility is such
a remote one that there is no fear enter
/ tanned Of that event occurring. Every one
/ expects the governor will call an extra
session IN an effort to secure the passage
of legislation that viii repeal the Percy
Gray law, should IL not be passed at this
! session, and in that event, the governor
would order a special election TO ill the
vacancy caused BY the late Senator Fran
chefs death, in the hope Of getting the
necessary twenty-six voters for the bill
Never Such Uncertainty.
| Seldom. If ever, has been such a feel
| ing Of uncertainty concerning the outcome
Of legislation as was the case with the
| two bills of Assemblyman Hart. which
were substituted last Thursday for the
| bills of Senator Agnew. No one knew
whether the men who were relied upon
TO vote against the bills would stand fast
to the end, Senator Cassidy Republican
| of Schuyler had everybody guessing Vi
/ to the time he said, Il am against these
! bills" That was when he was brought
/ face 10 face either for or against the bills
/ Never have senators had so much pres
| sure brought TO bear upon them TO vot
| for bills. The men who were known &
| be counted upon to assist in killing tn
| bills were harrassed from every source Z
| induce them TO change their positions
/ Telephone calls for Republican senator
were frequent all day. and the senator
wore worried looks most of the time tn
/ debate was in progress.
| Senator Grady, after having made sucl
a splendid fight, was robbed of the fruit
of a complete victory through Lieut.. Gov
| Chanler The latter either did not under
stand the effect Of what he was doing, O
was in favor Of the Hart bills.
Moves. TO Reconsider.
After the vote had been announced ol
/ the bill 10 amend the penal code, by max
ing betting on race tracks a felony, Sena
tor AgEew, who was in charge OF the bill
moved 70 reconsider the vote by whicl
the bin was defeated, and that the motioi
lie on the table. He would have had t
have twenty-six votes to carry the motto
to reconsider the vote by which the bill
was defeated, If il was put 10 a vote ther
/ Although the lieutenant governor canno
vote on bin when there is a tie, he ha
the deciding vote on a motion.
Senator Agnew did not know wher
Lieut.. Gov. Chanler stood, and neitne
i did Senator Grady. as events later show
/ ed. Senator Grady insisted upon a vot
en- Senator Agnews motion to reconsider
and was opposed to the tabling Of it. Ha.
the motion been put and failed to receiv
twenty-six votes. it wouid have prevente
bringing up the bill again at this session
and this was the method Senator Grad,
had decided upon TO effectuaIIy xiii tn