New-York tribune., 1908-04-09

existence of such a thing as Wall Street and
pointed out the ruin it has wrought"
Then he talked about executive usurpation
which undertakes to bully the Legislature into
adopting the paroxysmal views of any Gov
ernor" and maintained that IAN honest Gov
ernor would say that all forms OF gambling alike
should be prevented" About at this point his
eloquence-at least, nobody could assign any
other Jared loose an electric light bulb
from one of the side walls. 1t fell and shattered
with a noise like pistol shot, interrupting him
for at least two minutes.
MCARREN TALKS OF INTIMIDATION. .
McCarren also talked of intimidation" and
argued that Governor Hughes was taking up the
racetrack gambling issue in the belief that 1t
will permit people to strengthen his claims be-
fore the Republican National Convention" As
part of his speech he read letter from some
person, who argued that betting on the races
had been a distinct benefit to some of his ac-
quaintances. because 1t diverted their minds and
kept them from giving time and money to to-
bacco smoking. chewing and the demon rum
Senator Armstrong took up the cudgels with
impassioned appeal to each Senator to re-
member his oath of office. He said the real
point at issue had been touched on as little as
any question before the Legislature in his four
teen years of experience. The Percy-siray law
he called one of the most cunning legislative
tricks ever devised
These colleagues of ours talk about intimi-
dation and coercion" he said. Doesn't every
Senator here know that no matter how he votes
on this bill he can go to the executive chamber
without the slightest fear Of punishment that he
can talk for his legislation there and get moth
ing but fair. open and honest treatment? All
praise to the Governor for his attitude on this
question"
The Court of Appeals had rendered a Scotch
verdict on the Percy-G Gray law, he maintained.
not finding it constitutional but that there was
nothing in 1t which was unconstitutional. He
added
This question is not whether gambling shall
be suppressed: the question is whether this
Legislature shall heed the peoples mandate
Every member OF this body Iitte over over year
ago took an oath of Office. we pledged our
selves before the Almighty to support the con-
stitution The question Is not whether gam
bling should be regulated or suppressed II IS
not whether there is one form of gambling worse
than another: il is whether the Legislature shall
pass appropriate laws to carry out the commands
of the constitution. l do not know how lightly
that oath may sit on other members but know
regardless of my personal views on gambling,
that my oath obligates me to help pass appr0-
pirate laws TO prevent gambling. I can't dis
cuss the ethics Of this thing; that was all taken
out of our keeping 1t is small matter what our
views are; the people spoke in 1894. Respect
independence, means respect for law, whether
We like it not 1t will be a dangerous day
for this country when we obey only the laws
We like. That bomb in Union Square the other
day was the outcrOpping of such spirit II
do not show respect for the laws, what eX-
ample do we set the thousands in this state
who now profess no regard for the law? What
can Senator Grady and Senator McCarren say
about that responsibility simply because this
law doesn't meet their judgment? There is
escape from the fact that Senators who vote
against this bill break their oaths and violate
the constitution, voting TO extend one of the
most despicable forms of vice and continue
unnatural and scandalous special privilege.
/ surprised that Senator Grady should
have the temerity to challenge the honesty of
our Governor. His flow of language should have
given him other words to clothe that idea. The
name of Hughes will be synonyme for honesty
in this state long after the name of every Sen
ator on this floor IS forgotten.
ARMSTRONG EXPLAINS OLD VOTE.
Senator Cohalan wanted to know If Armstrong
in 1895, as an Assembl blXman, did not vote for
the Percy-Gray bill Senator Armstrong ad-
mitted it, saying this personality was intro
duced to disguise the main issue.
Il voted then the argument that that meas
ure would wipe out poolrooms and abolish race
track gambling" said he. History proves that
It has not. If I had done so knowing then what
I know now I should have committed a grev-
Gus wrong. AS it is, 1 am doing my best to
atone for the mistake
Senator Htnman in a strong speech followed
out Armstrong; arguments. He maintained
that the Legislature had nothing to do with the
question whether gambling was right or wrong
should be abolished or regulated; the constitu-
ton prohibited it and laid on the LEGISLATURE
the duty OF passing appropriate laws TO prevent
II. Addressing himself TO Grady and McCarren
he showed the fallacy of their position The
Percy-Gray law had been wofuIIy inadeouate
he said. He continued:
Why is ii the Jockey Club is here opnosing
these bills? They make the frank admission
mat II the bills pass the racetracks must he
cIoSed. Ihere IS nothing in these bills 10 pre-
vent racing, but they know that the gambling
VIII be lnterfered with. The only argument 7
nave heard advanced for gambling was Senator
McCarrens s. that il conserved morals and 7
noticed that he never cracked A smile y,-hnn be
gave II. The present law is a miserable suhter
Iuge. Ihe racing people frankly admit that II
does not prevent gambling; on the contrary
lIldJ gambling IS increasing yearly. It is certain
these blIls viii prevent gambling in some degree
constitution. u 'iie
AT this point a recess OF an hour was taken
At the afternoon session Senator Grady hees,
the fighting by another vitriolfc attack on the
Governor. When. in about hour, he finished
Senator Hooker said he hardly knew from that
speech whether the issue was a glorifcation or
horseracing, the impeachment of the Governor
or the euogy Of an honest horseman His mo-
ton was that the issue was perfectly sinpla-to
wipe out an iniquitous special privilege granted
by the laws in defiance of the constitution.
Senator Hill spoke briefly for the measures