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SULZER GETS BIG PETITION TWENTYSIX THOUSAND NEW YORKERS BE ¬ SEECH GOVERNOR TO ENCOURAGE RACING Benefits That Sport Confers on a Community Are Set SetForth Forth in Document Presented at Albany by byCommittee Committee of Business Men lbany New York August 1 A petition with inurt than li00 signatures asking that racing be permitled In this stale under present conditions has lift1 a presented to Governor Siilzer by a committee of business men from New York Buffalo and Pough kifj sle The signatures include those of capitalist lawyers physicians bankers journalists miclianlcs farmers laborers business men and others who are residents and voters in the State of New York The petition states that there lias been no illegal gambling at the Itelmont Park track during the months of June and Inly The governor was asked to encourage those who are conducting the sport sportThe The committee members endeavored to demon pirate conclusively for the governors edification that racing is a sport attracting wide interest from which the greatest of benefits may be obtained both l y spectators and by the breeders of horseflesh and thai it can be tnd has been at the Belmont Park track conducted without one iota of illegality They pointed out that the sport should be encouraged nut hindered and that other and smaller eommuni lle than the metropolis are desirous of having race meetings in their vicinities vicinitiesThe The petition follows In full His Excellency the Governor Hon William Sul Sulzer zer Albany N Y YThoroughbred Thoroughbred horse racing in itself is a healthful entertaining pastime highly important as a means to induce the breeding of valuable horseflesh and a stimulus to an industry which in every civilized country today receives the careful and liberal en ¬ couragement of the government governmentWliile Wliile indulged in by the leading nations of TJuioppMhionghimt their respective territories their greatest race courses and most conspicuous racing vcnts have rrown about their commercial and political centers There is no capital in Europe which does not count among its recognized attrac ¬ tions race courses where the honors to be won rani with the rewards of the most useful and elevating occupations of its citizens citizensGreat Great racing events punctuate the holidays of spring and summer so that in time they have become the cause of a vast Influx of strangers from every part of the surrounding country as well as from foreign lands landsThese These occasions stimulate every branch of trade and Industry Those cities which are fortunate enough to enjoy a reputation for generous hospi ¬ tality and possess the facilities to entertain are greatly benefited thereby therebyPleasure Pleasure seeking is always accompanied by re ¬ galia dress and festivities Moving and happy throngs in a big community during such holiday events crowd transportation lines till bostelrles restaurants and theatres so that in the end all branches of trade receive some benefit and promote tin cities growth growthNew New York in this respect would respond In the same manner were it not that it suffers from over zeal on the part of certain citizens In the State of New York who have pursued and are now engaged in a crusade of persecution against racing under the guise of a hunt for the extermination of gamb ¬ ling This is not warranted by the facts as they exist today We claim too it does not represent the majority and thoughtful sentiment of this com ¬ munity or of the state at large We register our protest against such a policy and petition Your Ex ¬ cellency as governor to not only countenance but encourage this worthy sport and entertainment lead Ing as it does to such vast benefits to the first city of the state as well as to others who may enjoy racing in their respective neighborhoods Those who are conducting the races now in progress on Long Island have proved to our satisfaction and we feel to that of the public as well that racing can be and is to lx conducted as the law prescribes and that illegal gambling is not permitted permittedTin Tin governor was informed that other equally m prissive petitions in advocacy of the contest of the thoroughbred are in process of preparation
