The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-11
Hor,e Racing and Gnmbllnr,


To what extent the practice of horse
racing has improved the breed Of horses"
We have never learned. It's effect upon
:'thc breed" Of men Is not left in SO much
doubt, being in nearly every instance de.
morslizing and degrading. AS developed
in the petty scrub racing" Of the cOun-
Try, this is conceded on all hands; but
there arc many who believe that in the
well regulated, professional tests Of
speed" the case is different.
Taking as reliable the testimony Of the
Buffalo and the Cleveland! press, this
view Of Ant,class horse racing is not
borne out by the facts. Those cities have
recently had unusual opportunities for
Judging on this point, they having been
included in the series Of races organized
for different cities on a scale Of grandeur
and extent never before known in this
country. The races at Cleveland occur
red two weeks since, and were attended
by several horses Of National renown,
drawing immense crowds Of people, hon
eat and dishonest The Leader, referring
tothe experience Of Cleveland, says:
mo race season in this city has been
attended with so much gambling as tho
present one, and games Of chance have
never been carried on with such brazen
openuess and defiance Of law as has char.
acterizsd the conduct Of the foreign pro-
iessionals who have come down like
wolves on the fold this week and played
their vocation In dozen places, making
victims Of old sheep, and tender lambs as
we'll"
That paper goes on to detail many facts
and incidents, showing the nature and
extent Of this evil as developed on that
occasion. 1t says: -.
"The unbluOhing openness and even IN.
due publicity that have characterized the
operations Of the visiting gamblers, this
week, 10 a matter Of much comment, even
In circles where some Of the principles
that govern the Police Department are
well understood; and that such state Of
affairs should exist Is q severe common.
tary on the ineficiency Of an organization
in which people who are interested In
supporting law have reposed great deal
OF confidence"
This, bear in mind, is In Cleveland. the
metropolis Of the Western Reserve, where,
il in any place in Ohio, VIC have right
to look for seeming outward obedience to
law, II for nothing else. But not so. The
"unblushing openness and even undue
publicity" Of the outrage was "a matter
Of much comment" 80, a first class"
race season don't contribute much to the
good morals Of community. -
Buffalo seems to have Jared very little,
lany, better than Cleveland. The Com.
msrciGI says Of the recent races in that
city. a~.-' -
The one thing seems to be insepsrable
from the other. ConcedIng 10 our Police
authorities fair degree Of vigor, with a
HnCeIe uChlE6 W enlOICc Tue laws SO Tar as
themeans at their command will permit
We must accept the prevalence OF pool,
gambling during the present week as a
confession on their part that the horse in.
1uence which insists upon supporting
pool,gsmbling Is too strong for successful
resistance nv our Police authorities.
10 yesrt past We have hoped that tho
next year would certainly witness the
experiment Of tesllng the question wheth.
or our splendid trolling carnival did not
In itself present sufficient atiracliveness
to insure success Without the adjunct Of
pool gambling. A walk up Main street
last evening, toward the headquarters Of
tho Park Association at the Tiff House,
quickly dssipated that hope for this sea-
son; Tor almost an entire block OF eide
walk was impossible on account Of the
crowds assembled IN front Of the numer.
Gus pool selling shops, kent out Of haTm's
way probably only BY the crowds within.
Pool selling on the sidewalks must ia ihe
next thing In order, II the police authori-
ties intend that every wouId.be moi
gambler Hhall be accommodated. :,