Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-08
agnew Measure Carrying Weight
for Age.
DDS FAVOR THE TURFMEN
Hart Filiy Backed Straight and
Place-Grattan May Pull
the Leader.
Special Dispatch To The Star

|
| ALBANY n Y, Anril sui., .,.
greatest uncertainty prevailing the senate
'ouay TOOK up as a special order on final
passage the bills of Assemb,yman Har.
which were substituted last Tbr-sd.,. g.,
the senate for the measures of Senator
Asnew. and which, IL passed. will mean
the death blow to racing in this state.
Never has the fate of a special measure
| hung SO much in the balance as have the
| oiils that repeal the Percy Gray betting
law That the campaign against the
Agnew-Hart bills was poorly managed is
admitted on all sides.
The turfmen have made 80 MANY mis-
takes that they played into the hands of
the reformers. but they have made an
eleventh hour struggle that may have re-
| suits
Two Votes Uncertain.
| Senators Grattan of Albany and Cassidy
| of Schuyler have been doubtful PROPOSE
tions from the outset. Neither has posi-
lively indicated his position. Last week
after Senator Cassidy had made a speech
which could be construed as placing him
as neither opposed nor for the bills anu
| oiSo dltcI having declared tnat ne would
vote to have the penal code amendment
bill take effect September l. he turned
about and voted against that amendment.
Senator Grattan last week voted to have
the penal code amendment take effect
| september 1, but In SO doing announced
he expected to vote for the passage OF
the bills.
Senator Grattan Is controlled absolutely
by William Barnes. jr., and has never
| been other than an organization member
In Mr.. Barnes Albany Evening Journal
last night appeared long editorial con-
ciuding with demand that Senator Grat-
tan represent the wishes Of his constit
uents by voting against the bills. This
is taken to mean that when the vote is
| taken Senator Grattan will be found lined
up with the friends of the turfmen.
Fear Senator Grattan.
Rev. A. s. Gregg. the field secretary Of
the International reform bureau. which
has carried on the fight against the bet
! ting law for three sessions. announced he
| was satisfied that the bills would pass.
The friends of the turfmen, though,
| said that if Senator Grattan voted against
the bill they would have enough votes to
| strike out the enacting clause of the
| bills. which would prevent them from COM
| ing up again at the regular session. How
| ever, everybody admits that the vote is
| going to be close either way, and will al
| roll call is completed late today.
Will Vote Late.
BY Associated Press
| ALBANY N V April S.-When the
Senate met today the fate Of the anti
race track betting bill was in the balance.
the outcome depending on the votes of one
or two senators. whose intentions were in
doubt One of the bills strikes from the
Percy-Gray racing law the clause ex-
empting race tracks from the penalty
which the general law imposes for gam
bling, and should it pass bettors whether
laying odds at race tracks or elsewhere
| in the state will be subject to 'imprison-
ment in a couty Jail or penitentiary for
period Of not more than one year. The
second bill is in the form of an amend
ment to the penal code and makes the
penalty for gambling the same in the
first bill and eliminates the existing alter
native of "a fine not exceeding 5000.
| The first fight today was on this latter
| bill
| Senator Thomas F. Grady moved to
| strike out the enacting clause. and In a
| speech supporting that motion attacked
Gov. Hughes for what he said in his ad-
dress before the Brooklyn League last
Monday night.
Lid for New York.
| Senator McCarren said the governor
was in error if he believed that the pend
ing bills would stop gambling or that he
could make a ''puritanical city" out or
New York.
Senator Armstrong. republican, declared
that the bill covered all forms of gam
bling. and that if Well street speculation
was a form of gambling ii could be Stop
ped under the present bill.
The senator argued against further TO-
erance of what he declared had been vio-
lation of the state constitution.
Senator Fancher of Cattaraugus, who
last week supported the measures, had not
reached the senate chamber at ] 20 pm.
and diligent search up to that time had
failed 10 locate him. His vote would be
| absolutely essential to the passage of the
bills in the present lineup"
AT 1:2O o'clock the indications were that
a recess would be taken before the debate
was finished. and that il would be late in
the afternoon before any decisive action