The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-08
The EaOrt to Make Racing Respectable.

termlned effort to raise the science of horse
racing from the disrepute in which it is held
in the United States, and to place it on an
equality with any other sport in which people
can without disgrace indulge. In their efforts
they have been compelled to contend against
an immense amount of opposition-an opposi-
ton as deep-seated as any of the opinions of
our people. From earliest infancy the youth
Of America have been accustomed TO rank
horse-racing with gambling and dog-fghting
and to look upon every one who patronizes it
as blackleg or prize-fghter. All the ira
ditions of our childhood, as taught to us by the
Sunday School books, tell us how the little
boy who went to horse-races and stole apples
came to the gallows. And when we remem-
Der the influence against which the New York
gentlemen, headed by Jerome and Benner
have to contend, we may well doubt the issue
of the battle. So far as we are concerned, we
have little or no sympathy with those who are
seeking to elevate the turf into position of
respectability. We do not base our opposi-
ton on the intrinsic wrong which might result
from general popularization of the sport, but
Britain, and take the instances so often quoted
by the advocates of racing as the ground
for our steadfast opposition to the success of
the attempts of the sporting men of the
Empire City. We have the case of England
frequently dinned in our ears, and are
told to look at the effect in that country,
and see the error of our ways in keeping it
out of this. We have looked at the workings
of the system in the "Mother Country" and
are at loss to discern, from the examina-
tion, any good ground for its introduction
here. In fact, the reverse is the case and
we are only more and more confirmed in our
opinion that to make racing respectable would
endanger public morality, promote gam
bling, and create vice. Let us see the effect
of the Derby of the present year, and Judge
for ourselves. All over the country, from the
south to the north, from the Isle of Man to the
Tweed, almost every potboy, hostler, trades
man, and gentleman had money staked on
the result of the contest. All classes were
impregnated with the fever for gambling.
Every one bet according to his means. The
poor took their hard-earned sixpences, while
the rich bet their pounds by the thousand.
AS a sample of the excess to which this was
carried, it is declared that Mr.. Chaplain, the
owner of the winner, won f22O,OOO on the
result, while a number of noble Earls and
Baronets were reduced to beggary, or saved
only by the interposition of the rich merchants
of London. 1t is estimated by the London
Times that nearly f5, 100000 changed hands
on that day. Here, then, are our data on
which to calculate the evils of such an insti-
tuition as the Derby. The fruits of years of
industry, the vast capital of millions, are
allowed to be lost to the legitimate owners by
the result of a horse-race. Labor is para
lyzed by such revelation. OF what good are
the usual incentives to honest industry, when
dustry are without an effort secured by others
That natural security which is only provided
for nation whose production and consump-
ton are the criterion of value, is here done
away with, and, independent of the deleterious
effects on individuals, which do not admit of
estimation, we see the whole trade of the land
injured by the indulgence in this sport.
With this instance of the effects of the
popularizing of horse-racing, we are told by
the clique in New York that we are old
womanish, and behind the age, because we do
not lend it our enthusiastic support. The
journals of Philadelphia are called slow and
provincial, because we do not seek to create a
fever in favor of the sport by publishing long
accounts of race, and seeking to elevate a
practice which is now generally frowned down.
The present condition of the game of the turf
is a sufficient guarantee that, as long as it con-
tinues in this condition, there will be no gene
raj indulgence in betting on the result of any
particular race. There is nothing lower, we
believe, except cock-fghting and dog-Aght-
ing. At present the prize-ring is the most
respectable. The effort made by the New
York Club probably will not be successful
but should they succeed, we cannotIbut think
that morality would be injured, and all the
evils attendant on gambling be rendered popu-
lar, so as to injure the trade of our country,
and reduce TO indigence those who now are
rich, while the worst class of society would be
the only ones who would derive benefit from
the success of the attempt. We therefore
cannot extend to it that support which we
heartily give to most popular amusem ents.
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PRINCE ALD ERT.-That the late Prince Con.
sort of England was very good boy is eyi.
dent from the tender biography of the Queen.
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