New-York tribune., 1908-03-21
MONEY TO DEFEAT BILLS
900 FOR Il VOT'E.
Racing Interests Ready to Use Cold
Cash against Measures.
,By Telegraph to Tho Tribune. |

Albany, March 20-Senaters who are open TO
suasion can obtain argume1ts-up to the
amount of $4,000 i'll hard cash-against the
passage of the Agnew Hart ti-gambng bills
If any Senator should feel little squeamlsh
about accepting the cash himself it will be PAID
now to his political organization or retained
to the credit of the organization and doled out
in campaign contributions liberal as may
be needed.
The racing interests are using the most deS-
perate efforts 20 stave off tie inevitable. 1t
became known here to-day that for the first
time in their campaign they were actually
using, or at least we're prepared to use cold
cash in opposition to the bills. Supporters of
the anti-gambIing measures were not greatly
surprised. for while up to date no money has
been spent improperly here at Albany always
there has been the suggestion that it would
come.
Now it is known definitely that at least one
Senator has been approached No price was
named, because he did not receive the hypo-
thetical question which put 10 him with
good grace. After he had declared that his
attitude the a1ti-gambling bills aside from
his personal convictions, would be dictated py
the sentiment of his constituents and his po-
!itical organization approaches were MADE 10
influential men in his district. OFFERS OF hnah-
caI assistance were made to then-of cam
pdlgn contributions IllS dutuliill IL licy NSie
needed or of contributions up to d good
round sum, provided their Senator voted
right Somewhere i'll the course of these vari-
conversations the impression was received
that the people who wanted to kill the bills
willing to spend to the extent of $1,000
vote
Thus apparently the letter of "A Plain Gam
bier" to Governor Hughes predicting that his
/ fraternity would meet the arguments of the
Governor with 100000 stronger arguments" Is
being verified. The executive chamber is not
completely in ignorance of what is going on
There is much surprise, though, at the openness
and effrontery with which these attempts at
bribery have been made
Despite all this-perhap because of it-Hughes
men feel certain the bills will pass, and without
much difficulty. Bribery they have counted on
/ at some stage in the proceedings, realizing it
was the only weapon with which the passage
of the bills could be fought in the end. That
weapon they do not fear
Money has not yet made its appearance at Al
bany. The symptoms of purchase of votes to any
extent are unmstakable. 1t is more cunning
scheme which these gamblers trying, this
purchase of the political organization which
controls the votes, if they think they dare not
buy the voter himself Supporters of the bills
have known for several days of the 'accelera-
ton" of business organizations and small coun-
try newspapers wherever possible They have
| known of the campaign to bring pressure of
some degree of public sentiment to bear on the
Legislators against the bills But they hardly
thought open attempt at bribery would be
made as that which has come to notice here.
/ Speaker Wadsworth said to-day that the anti
racetrack gambling bills probably would come
up for second reading in the Assembly on Mon
day night Tuesday morning. and that they
would be on the calendar in the order of final
massage on Thursday morning Botn the bills
are far down the general orders calendar in
the Senate and it will probably require a fight
to reach them at all next week. Such fight
Senator Agnew promises to make.