The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-02-21
Representatives OF All Glasses Of Men
Appear For Or Against sAunew.Hart
Bill Prohibiting Race track camb-
ling in New York-1elmont Calls It
indispensable.

adjourned until Wednesday. It is in
tjn.ated that August belmont. chat,
mon OF the Jockey club, will call |:
meeting Of that organization TO agree
upon certain suggestions IL be sub
mitted to the Legislative COMMITTEE,
designed to check gambling by youns
men. Among those who made brie,
remarks We're Mr.. Belmont, James R
keene, owner Of many famous race
horses and PIP. johnson, Of Kentucky
president Of the National Trotting as
ISOLATION.
The principal address against the
bill was made by J. s. Akerback, at
torney for the Jockey clup, who up.
held the socalled unconstitutional dis.
elimination in the present Perry-Gray
law under which betting is permitted
on race tracks subject only to the
penalty of the recovery in a civil &C.
ton Of the amount Of the wager.
Discrimination.
He declared that the measure would
create discrimination against the race
tracks and favor the pool rooms and
criticised Governor Hughes for max.
ing "a speech here and a speech there
and with full scenic effects, in sup
port OF the bill"
He said that two years ago a SINH
lar bill was introduced but that after
Rev. DR.. slicer and Bisnop Doane har
been informed that it was promoted
by the pool rooms, they withdrew their
endorsement Of 1t. IT am not saying
he continued. that this bill was
prompted by the pool rooms, but I do
say that 1t is in the interest OF tho
pool rooms"
Mr.. Belmont was prompted to d a
few words by a question by Senator
Hill as to whether the Jockey club
could suggest some means Of check
Ing the tendency of men 10 gamble.
Nj. Belmont said that off hand. he
cnuld not, but he would cal a meet
ing Of the club to consiler the mat.
ser.
Only An incident.
Racing is not conduc.es. fer the
sake Of betting" continued Mr. PEI
mont. 'but for the breed 0; horsey
one OF the incidents Of racing Is bet
ting, and51 must Say that IT. is jndes.
pensible but it is onlv an Incident"
~ think" said Mr.. Keene, that the
bill praised by Governor Hughes and
pending before the Legislature, would
transfer the betting from the
race track to the pool rooms. and the
moral effect desired would not be ac-
complished.""
Senator McCarren asked Mr.. Keene
how much he bet on the races.
Il never bet" replied Mr. Keene,
Except two or three times a season
on some one elses horses"
Asked by Senator Agnew If. he did
not believe the pool rooms were open
New York now, Mr.. Keene said:
Il think there are at least 100 rooms
in New York and you can bet all
the money you want and there is moth
ing to stop 1t. Governor Hughes
knows little about this question, and
like many reformers he has looked up
only one side Of the question and
has not looked at the other.
&s Bill Would Harm.
This bill would strike at so or 60
dollars worth of property and
retard the progress of horse breed
ing for three decades. 1t will drive
out Of the state $25, 100000 annually
and throw out of employment 10000
people,"
The speakers confined most OF their
remarks to the contention that the
did not intend a discrl
mination on gambling in favor Of race
tracks and that the Legislature should
square the law with the constitution.
A. G. Feeble, president OF the fedora
ton of catholic societies, said that he
was authorized by Archbishop Farley
to go on record in favor of the bill on
behalf of all the Catholics Of the state.
you should not cruelty the man who
CANDLES outside the race track fence
as a malefactor to men and glorify
the mar inside the fence as a bene-
factor to horses" he said.
Among others who spoke In favor of
the bill was Homer Davenport. Of New
York.
A Chicago slaughter house makes
OF dollars monthly by say