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CRITICISM OF SENATOR BRACKET!. Saratoga. S Y.. August 1. Saratoga people are not entirely satisfied yvith the attitude of Senator Edgar T. Braekett on racing legislation. Ever since the passage or the Gittins bill in the Senate at Albany Senator Braekett lias lieen explaining his vote at great length in the Saratogian, and the Sun has been replying with letters from the people that suggest grave doubts of the Senators sincerity. "One who is interested," lias written the following letter: , , . "The article entitled Senator Braekett Explains His Vote was another proof of the Tact that the Senator can only see things from one standpoint that is, his own. Because he states that It is my confident belief that Saratoga would have been vastly better off had no race track ever been established or maintained here does not prove that his belief is correct. Or I may truthfully say and can bring evidence of my neighbors, many of whom do not agree yvith me, that for years I have denied the commercial value of the races to the village and have, in season and out, urged that the community turn its attention and its hopes in other directions and seek its prosperity- and living from other sources. To deny the commercial value of the races is the height of absurdity. Ask any hotel keeper, restaurant proprietor or shop man in Saratoga and he-will tell you of what great value the races are commercially. You cannot make a manufacturing town out of a summer resort, and where is the necessary yvater power for running factories? Jt is true that native-born American women do not want to work in factories and that the proportion of foreigners in nearly all the largest mills is great. Differing diametrically with the Senator, I can truthfully state Saratoga was perfectly happy, contented, beautiful and prosperous live years ago. Men made money in the stock market in New York and spent it freely in Saratoga, at the races, at the restaurants, at Cantields and in the shops. Every hotel, boarding house and cottage was filled to overflowing. There was no place like it in this country, and none so beautiful in Europe. The races certainly attracted the crowd, for yvhere is it this season and what amusements are offered to take its place? None. "Where are the bath establishments, up-to-date kursaal, etc., such as foreign spas provide? What plans are being made for their construction? The people of Saratoga are quite in the dark. You pay five cents for a glass of mineral water, but this surely will not attract a multitude. Senator Braekett seems to lay great stress on the opinion of the Methodist Church but to people not bigotted the spectacle of a Methodist minister, like Canon Chase, being reg-. istered as a licensed lobbyist is certainly a new phase in politics and an exceedingly dangerous one." In another letter, which carries the initials "II. J. K.," the statement is made, referring to Senator Braekett: "He has killed racing in Saratoga Springs, the only sport which brought people of great weal t It to out village. He voted for the Agnew-Ilarl law, the first deatliknell of racing voted for the law that made directors liable, the most unjust law ever on the statute books of any state. For the passage of the Gittins bill in the Senate, all honor and gratitude of Saratogians to Senator Thomas F. Grady and Senator Gittins and to the racing men who circulated petitions in its behalf.. "No credit can justly be given Senator Braekett except, having scuttled the ship Saratoga, lie was quick to save the hulk. Saratoga dared oppose him consistently for years, and he threw her down. throttled her, and for the defeats, political and otherwise, she yvas given him, be lias slowly and purposely dug her grave on the brink of which you and I yviihout racing today are tottering." Meanwhile Saratoga presents the appearance of a deserted village this summer and the community will have to face a heavy financial loss as a direct result of the lack of racing. .
