Gittins Bills Advanced A Bit., Daily Racing Form, 1911-06-22

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GITTINS BILLS ADVANCED A BIT. Albany. N. Y.. June 21.— Witli the directors liability bill and its companion measure defining book-niaking now in a position where final action may be taken on them in the Senate at any time, the friends of the proposed legislation are predicting with re oewed confidence that they will be passed. At this late stage of the legislative session any bill in general order is referred to as being in the "morgue." so slight is the chance of its being passed. Efforts to advance the bills from general orders had been twice blocked by Senator Newcomb. Just as yesterdays session was Hearing its end Senator Gittins handed a notice to the desk that "at some future date" he would move to suspend the rules and advance the two bills out of their regular order. Tin1 notice was not put in at a time provided tor by the rules, and a single objection would have compelled its withdrawal. Senator Newcomb was absent and no objection lioing made, the notice was accepted by the disk. No matter what the order of business may be it is now possible for Senator Gittins to move his bills to third reading and have them passed al once, provided he has the necessary votes. "Exaggerated reports have b.-en circulated." Sen ator Gittins said, "as to the effect of these bills. Their par pose is not to revive the betting ring, nor to make professional betting possible. It is merely tO save racing. "I have little if any doubt but that the bills will pass both bouses and, although the reformers are circulating literature showing how bad a man I am to father such propositions. I really can see no reason why the bills should not pass. If they do not become law we might just as well sweep ail the race tracks otT the map. "Why. some of the people who oppose these bills do not know just how drastic are the present laws making directors of racing associations responsible uii.br any and every condition, while others to whom I have Explained the provision we propose to amend really d .t believe it mold have been made a law. "Do yon think, for instance, that a man ought to be sent to prison because somebody on his premises committed a crime of which he had absolutely no knowledge 1 Does any sane man believe in a law of that kind* Why. that is the most drastic measure put on the statute books since the time of man. "I have received a carload of letters regarding my bills and few are in opposition. The statements of opponents of say bills that they are aimed to let down the bars are absurd. We have no desire to Interfere with the provisions of the laws which prohibit gambling; all are want is plain justice and common sense."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1911062201/drf1911062201_1_4
Local Identifier: drf1911062201_1_4
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800