Try wrapping your options up in a hash:

print CGI::start_table({border=>'1', cellspacing=>'0', cellpadding=>'1
+'});
[download]

Prints:

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" border="1">
[download]

See the CGI documentation - especially the 'PROVIDING ARGUMENTS TO HTML SHORTCUTS' section.

If you are starting out with CGI then Ovid's CGI Course is a good starting point.

You may find some of the Tutorials' section CGI Programming material helpful too.