New-York tribune., 1908-04-06
THE WEEK AT ALBANY
RACING FIGHT IN FRONT.
Bills Seem Sure of Passage, Despite
the RumOrs.
IBy Telegraph TO The Tribune,I

BY Telegraph 10 The TriDune-i
Albany. April 5.-The fight of the racing interests
to preserve professional gambling racetracks in
this state will hold the centre OF the Legislative
stage again this week While ii seems practically
impossible that the Agnew- Hart bills embody ing
Governor Hughess recommendation to wipe out
/ the special penalty racetrack gambling which
the laws OF this state h5ve sanctioned since 1875
can be deteated whom they up for final pas
sage by the Senate Wednesday the desperate
efforts of the racing people and the closeuess OF
tne vote last week combine to focus all interest on
this issue
Dispatches to legislator and other persons here
indicate that the socitude exists through
OUT the state lest the bills be defeated Seldom IN
recent years. not even for Governor Hughes's pub
lie service commissions bill of last year, has there
oeen the same direct and intense manifestation of
PUBIC concern for the success OF an important
piece or legislation Mass meetings OF citizens TO
demand the passage of these bills delegations at
~ .Ne various hearings. and steady stream Of
4etters and teegrams pouring in on every Senator
snow the extent of this feeling
PRESSURE OF every kind is being exerted to kill the
oiis ana While seemingly the leaders OF the rae
ns Iorces here have thrown up their hands in
ueopair there Is no chance that they will cease
'heT Iaoors until the final vote has been taken
even until the last name has been called in the
iast roIcalL Their efforts during the long debate
"nich preceded the killing of the McCarren amend
ieh' 10 delay the time these measures should take
erect untli September were remarkable but they
a'or VINO by any fight of imagination could be
nee'eo nkeiy to reverse the position he took then
IN IaVor OF this legislation has been assaied with
'"Iedts and arguments from every side AS re-
SUI reports OF every variety. of which the follow
ing are samples, go the rounds each half hour:
Inc nliIs will be killed three Senators have
sNItcned The bills will be fought in the courts
lneE never can pass, for certain Senators sud
dehiN VIII leave the state. or become so i'll before
wednesday that they cannot attend the session
or perhaps some mysterious amendment which will
command the support OF every senator. although
It VIII emasculste the bills, viii be presented and
adopted at once.
The ordinary, conservative view is that the hills
will be passed after long battle hv vote ra~ear
tnan that which killed the McCarren amendment
senators Grattan and Knapp. who then voted with
inc racing forces. have pledged themselves to vote
on the Governors side on fnaI passage of the
measures Senator Wilcox who probably Will be
here If his wfe's Illness not So dangerous as 10
make necessary his presence in Auburn is held 10
be for the bill. Senator Raines saws he - sure
wilcox will vote for the Governors IegisI atton In
that case the vote pass the bills would he %
Senator Raines has made himself practically re-
sponsiOle for the fte of these measures which
IN effect means that they have become T. partv
proposition as much as is possible short OF adop-
ton by the Republican caucus Most friends 81
the bills express the view that II is inconceiva-
bic that Senator having voted 10 kin the Sen
tember l amendment desired by the racing inter
ests could abandon that attitude in the face OF
present conditions
Both sides iE the controversy over the anti
gambling bills awaiting with keen interest the
speech which Governor Hughes is expected 70 Dc
liver tomorrow evening before the BROOKLYN
League, civic organization which was one Of the
hrst to indorse the Governors attitude on the sub
Ject- The Governo makes no secret Of his intense
concern in this matter, which he regards as in
some ways the most imp )rtant before the T4ris
lature, and there is gooI reason to suppose he will
declare himself with vigor
Next IN interest to the fate Of the racing bills is
the possibility Of legislative action to remove At
torney General jackson from Office II L.L
houses Of the Legislature tomorrow night the nra
sentiment OF the New York County Grand Jury con.
cerning that official and the minutes OF the iurys
investigation will be read What action will be
taken depends entirely on the nature OF the tasti
mony contained in these minutes In no case will
the Senate DO anything with the communication
since 1t must occupy judicial capacity if anv ac-
ton is begun, The affair will be thrashed out in
the Assembly, either by debate to-morrov night or
in conferences OF the leaders. There seems to be
rather general impression that legislative action
Of any sort may be taken but that proceed
ings may be left to the Governor who also has AT
his disposal this material
Two measures in the success Of which the Gov
ernor i deeply nterested-the TravisCTreen direct
nominations bill and the Page Wainwright amend
ments to the Public Service Commissions Law
bringing telegraph. telephone ferry and stage COM
panies within the Jurisdiction OF the commissions
are travelling toward critical point their career
If the direct nominations bill can be said to be
travelling in any way. The Legislature seems de-
ternined not 10 pass this measure Twice last year
the Assembly defeated it-onCe at the regular ses-
sion and again az the extraordinary session made
necessary by the reapportonnent nuddle. This
year the Judiciary Committee once refused 10 re-
port it. and the Assembly on Thursday BY 4 huge
majority refused TO discharge the committee from
consideration of the bill II now has been taken
over by the Rules Committee. a ma jority of whose
members including Speaker Wadsworth. are
strongly opposed TO IT. In the Senate Judiciary
Committee has not even taken a vote on IT,
Notwithstanding all this, Governor Hughes is
firmly impressed with the advisability Of enactng
such legislation, and his friends say. will make a
hard fight 10 get the measure passed
The Senate Judiciary and Assembly Electricity,
Gas and Water Supply committees will hold a
hearing the Public Service law amendments on
Wednesday if the racing battle does not render
that impossible. as ii did when the hearing was
scheduled for last Wednesday. Whether this meas
ure will receive consideration in It's present form
is serious problem The upstate commission does
not desire to take charge Of the telegraph and
telephone companies believing that present task
is enough, The New York commission is quite will
ing undertake this work in addition TO its pres
ent difficulties. There is much talk that the bill
may be split-those changes in present law de-
sired by the commissions forming one BILL as 10
whose passage there would be little difficulty, the
new features going into second bill. which prob
ably would not be passed Any such programme
would BE- bitterly opposed by the Governor. warm
Hughes adherents declare. and attempt 10 put
il into effect would be likely. in their opinion 10
delay adjournment prectpitate extra session
for mature consideration of this problem.
Despite the fact that preparations for adjourn
ment by April Il are under way. much legislation
which coucededy must be passed this session still
is far from passage The Senate on its caleu-
dars most of the important banking reform meas
ures which are daily provoking bitter opposition
from the Democrats. The proposed highway code
recommended by the special legislative investigat-
ing committee. which spent last summer studying
his nrnhAm Is annIher bill W hich the nar,n..rats