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NEW YORK STATE MUST ACT Dunnigan Visions Millions of Dollars Attracted to New Jersey. Urges Constitutional Convention to Vote Favorably Upon His Proposal for Fari-Mutuel Measure. / ALBANY, N. Y., May 28.— State Senator John J. Dunnigan, of New York City, democratic majority leader in the senate and delegate to the constitutional convention, made the following statement relative to the pari-mutuel betting proposition before the convention: - "I now have a proposal before the const!- j tutional convention to amend the New York ! state constitution to permit pari-mutuel betting at horse race tracks and that the large revenue to be gained by the state in that i manner— estimated at 0,000,000 a year — be used for relief purposes. If the delegates to this constitutional convention can only see the wisdom in adopting by proposal and sub- ■ mitting it to our voters this fall and I am sure the citizens of this state will ratify it by a large plurality— we will then be on an even basis with our sister state, New Jersey. "If, however, the convention does not adopt my proposal, New Jersey will have at least one years start on New York and may ruin horse racing in this state. TWO TRACKS PLANNED. "My understanding is that two sites for , horse race tracks have already been selected : at the Jersey end of the George Washing- j ton Bridge, places that could be reached I from Times Square in twenty minutes, which would mean that millions of New York dol-j lars would cross the bridge to Jersey and that gigantic revenue, which we could use for relief purposes, would be lost to us. Also, I am informed, sites have been selected on the Jersey coast, which is a summer play-1 land, and in or about Camden, to draw the large Philadelphia crowds. "New York state must act and act at once, otherwise we will have race tracks without meets, as the good horses will go where suitable purses are offered. That will mean a further loss to this state, as the race trade* associations will be unable to pay their taxes and their large number of employes will be without work— another burden for us to carry. "I trust that the delegates to this convention will realize the serious situation now confronting us and act wisely in the interests of the state and its taxpayers by adopting my proposal and permitting the people I of the state to make the decision as to j whether or not they want the pari-mutuel form of betting at horse race tracks in thia state or whether they are satisfied to see millions of dollars leave this state yearly to relieve the burden of the New Jersey taxpayers, when we need it so badly."
