Wants Better Control of Racing.: Senator McCall Moves to Amend New York Law as to Appointment of Stewards., Daily Racing Form, 1907-03-09

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WANTS BETTER CONTROL OF RACING. Senator McCall Moves to Amend New York Law as to Appointment of Stewards. Senator McCall. of New York, intntduced a hill in the Legit la tare at Albany to •■amend Chapter 570 of the Laws of IMS for the incorporation of associations Car the improvement of the breed of horses, lo regalatC same and lo establish a State Hating Association in relation lo the appointing of sit-w arils or yadgea." The act is amended by in-sciling therein a new section to reatl as follows; ■The Joekey Club ami t lit- National Steeplechase Association, as the cane may be, may appoint slew arils or JmlfJI t for the running race Meeting or steeplechase meeting subject to its jurisdiction; but before a person to appointed shall act as aach his appointment inns! i.e certified by the Jockey Club or National Steeplechase Aasoclattoa to the State Boeing Commission and also to the supervisor of taxes for running race meetings, appointed pursuant lo section 20 of this act and approved by at least two atetahers of such commission ami by such supervisor of taxes, if such appointment is disapproved by either the State BtM tag Commission or by such supervisor of taxis, the Jockey Club or National Steeplechase Association may in like Manner appoint another person to act as Steward or judge, whose appointment must also lie approved as provided by this act. No person shall act as a steward or judge of a running race or Steeplechase meeting whose appointment has not been approved by the Slate Baring, Commission and by the supervisor of taxes, as provided by this section, and any person who shall so act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. •This act. shall take effect immediately." The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Senator McCall. in explaining his measure, said lie was an enthusiastic friend of the racetrack and that racing properly conducted is the grandest of all sporls. ami that abuses in the management should be ttspped by the legislature. ••Iersous at Albany favorable to racing are in accord with tlie idea involved in Mr. McCaila pro posed amendment to the racing laws. says the New 1 M k MOming Telegraph. Ml has long been fait thai the Baring Commission, which has a recognised legal status and is supreme in rating mailers, should, as the Hating Commission, pay direct attention to the management of the sport. The stewards of the virions Meetings ill this stale. always appointed b. the Joekey club, and who have bcvir been directly Indorsed by the Baring c mission, have not always been as strict in their dep iineiil as the friends of Hie spori might desire. Mr. McCall Might improve his amendment by stipulating 1 hat stewards approved of iiy the Baring Commission shall be regularly paid by the race tracks .ii which City act, and that their compensation per day shall be big enoagh for the important onace These paid stewards, it is contended, ah wild assume a solemn obligation to attend strictly to their duties sad take an oath not to bet. Also, ii is contended, they should be atea in full possession of their pliyslt al faculties. By employing paid stewards obligated not 1.. bet the iinetlif.v ing practice of regularly appointed itewsrds delegating their authority to others n, order thai they maj make beta on their own or other persons horses wUI disappear. It is the opinion of Members Of the legislature favorable to racing that ii is not a uimm! thing to have ainaleur stewards directing eases in which their finer tl friends are involved in Sanaa ranging from fl gap, 0 ,O00l Hut that feature of the Mnall amend ineiii uiving the collector of racing taxes a voice in the selection of stewards is decidedly unpopular. It will Ik- vigorously opposed. There is no reason why a mere clerk should take part in the deliberations Of such a body as the Lacing Commissi! n. The New York Sun comments as follows on the amendment: •"Senator MeCaBs proposal has caused some talk among turfmen, who have come to regard the Jockey Ciuh and the Commission as one and tin- same thing. Senator McCall says that the stewards in most cases last year were either incompetent or unfair, and that in his opinion there were many esses of rank favoritism involving jockeys who Indulged in fool riding."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1907030901/drf1907030901_1_4
Local Identifier: drf1907030901_1_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800