Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-12-28
Al IMPOSSIBLE Proposition


Having made such a success Of his fighting bouts in New
Jersey, Tex Richard, an internationally known promoter, is re-
ported to be agitating an extension of his activities in this state by
adding horse racing to his line. Instead Of being the state of New
Jersey we would have this the state of Tex Richard.
According to reports, Richard has put a proposition up TO
Governor Slzer whereby thoroughbred racing would be re-estab-
iished here, the proposition being to build a race course in Jersey
City. ten minutes from New York by tube, and another track at At
lantic City. Along with the horse racing would go betting conducted
under the pari-mutuel system. The proceeds under the betting
.aystem, it is 1 declared, over and above the operating expenses ana
Aa fair return on the investment, would be devoted to charitable
purposes. This is the sop thrown to those who are inclined to
lpppose gambling of this sort.
mi That the race tracks with the gambling feature attached would
kNA iaying Investment there is no doubt, and the share that would
fEa 10 charity doubtless would be large. But the proposition is not
klttnn DE taken seriously. There is nothing against horse racing IN
lxxEslf, but legalized gambling is out of the question, and without
S. gambling feature Richards plan could not be carried out.
% New JERSEY at one time was notorious for her race track
|~sSmbing. The scandal became so great that not only was a law
EpfEassed prohibiting book-making and poolselling, but the people
RSSsSnanded ever more drastic measures with the result that an
| fsdendment to the constitution was adopted making it impossible
Adareafter to pass a law permitting gambling. To carry out Tex
4 gnn kard's idea, therefore, as has been pointed out by Attorney
EINrx@2 McCran, would require the repeal of the constitutional
4 amendment. and this could not be done without a direct vote of
the people.
We cannot believe that Governor Snzer has given any en-
couragement to Richard in this latest idea of his. The fact that
the report says the matter has been before the governor for the
past two months and has not been mentioned by him is significant.
1t was the Democratic party that tried to father the racing
interests before, and the party was a long time recovering, 1t is
not likely that Governor Sizer, especially if he has any political
ambitions, will give any encouragement to such an enterprise. Once
it became known that a serious attempt was to be made to put
across a race track gambling measure the uprising throughout the
state would be tremendous. The fight of the prohibitlonists to
make the state dry would be childs play in comparison.
Incidentally, Atlantic City would do well to study the history
OF Long Branch before going in for such a thing as Tex Richard
proposes. The South Jersey resort isl no more thoroughly establish
ed or prosperous today than Long Branch was in its day. 1t was
gambling that killed Long Branch, and she has never been able to
recover. 1t would not be impossible for Atlantic City to so the
same way, once the element that haunts race tracks where gamb-
ling is carried on openly began to infest the place.
New Jersey has enough of Tex Richard with the prize fighting
that has been legalized. TO bring back the old days of the race
track ring is not to be considered. The people would never stand
for it.