The Washington herald., 1908-02-20

Albany Feb. lS.-What the outcome will
be Of the efforts on the part Of the Jockey
Club. re-enforced by the county agricul
tural societies. to defeat the Agnew-Hart
bills, which are aimed to prohibit race
track betting, and also TO provide direct
appropriation annually for the support of
the town and county fairs. is decidedly
prOtlematical
The Jockey Club was represented here
to-day by 100 members. and for the first
time the voices Of James R Keene and
August Belmont were heard in legislative
halls They pleaded for the continuance
Of the present law, and Mr.. Keene said
that Gov Hughes was brought UP with
a narrow mind
The hearing on the bills was the largest
in point of attendance ever seen in the
capitol The spacious assembly chamber
was taxed 10 its utmost to accommodate
the persons who desired to listen to the
speeches for and against race-track gam
bling
Sentiment Against Betting.
The members Of the Jockey Club before
they left Albany tonight stated they
We're surprised to learn that there was
such a sentiment in favor of the bill. and
concluded that their representatives. in
Albany were not on their job and the
exact situation had not been represented
by them
To-day's hearing does not end the mat
ter. for the opposition was enabled to OBJ
tain two weeks delay This was
brought about by Hendeson Peck, law
mariner 30 Ccrr,er CA,. I,~a.t- = uY,-t-
requesting a supplemental hearing, as Mr..
Black could not be here to-day.
The codes committees of the senate and
assembly consented TO hear Mr.. Black on
March 4. He viii sum up for the agrlcul-
tural societies and will answer the argu-
ments of the advocates Of the repeal bill
II was easy to see that the opponents of
the repeal bill viii center their argu-
ments in a measure to showing that the
legislature has no right to make an ap-
preparation for the support of the fairs
The beet sugar bounty decision will be
their text to show that the legislature has
no such right.
District Attorney William Traverse
Jerome did not put in an appearance as
was expected and the absence Of him and
former Gov. Black detracted somewhat
from the hearing.
Both sides AppIauded.
As far as sentiment went. it appeared
that the majority Of people in the as
sembly chamber wanted the race track
betting law continued. for the applause
which greeted each speaker was deaf
ening. But the advocates of the bill
were there in force. too, and some Of
the questions asked made some of the
speakers vince As usual JOS. s Auer-
bach was the principal speaker in be
half Of the Jackey Club
Mr.. Keene created a sensation when
he declared that there was 100 pool
rooms in operation in New York City
az the present time where one could
bet any amount he wanted TO on any
day. He declared that the pooIrooms
would continue
Andrew d. Miller. one Of the stew
ards Of the Jockey Club, said that while
much had been said about people de-
faulting by reason Of being carried
away with race track betting. none Of
the big dcfaulters bet on horses.
Henry Sanger Snow, of BROOKLYN.
who was to make the principal address
IN favor Of the repeal bills, did not
spend in race betting any of the
100000 he misappropriated, and there
by became fugitive from justice. did
he?" asked GIr Miller
The absence of District Attorney Je-
rome was mystery 70 the proponents
Of the Agnew-Hart bill. He was sched-
uled 10 be the second speaker.