The Washington critic., 1886-05-13
THE ANTI-BETTING BILL.


devote that attention to the local inter-
ests of the national seat of govern
ment which their importance really
deserves, and that the system of repre-.
sentation on which the people of the
District depend for hearing on the
floors of Congress Is too imperfect
and indirect TO insure them proper at.
tention in all cases. To greater or
less degree this is true.
The more's the pity, then, that with
only one District day in The month in
the House, so much Of the time thus
graciously accorded rs Is taken up with
what might be called the poorest pos.
sible quality of legislation. 1t is not
the committees fault altogether, for
the committee is pestered with petit
tions and memorials for just this kind
of legislation; nor Is ii altogether the
fault Of the House in Committee of the
Whole, which naturally feels obligated
to consider what the District Commit
tee recommends. But it is certainly
somebody's fault, that when there are
so many questions to be Investigated
and acted upon that bear directly
upon the improvement and pros
perity of the District, there should
be single hour of precious time
squandered in an attempt to pass bill
inhibiting the people of Washington
from betting on horse race, or row.
ing match, or q local option election.
We do not believe in the validity of
the excuse offered for such legislation
that it is in the interest of public
morals, because whatever is absolutely
impracticable and counter to common
sense cannot be of permanently or
even appreciably rcformatory char
acter.
If Congress desires to make Wash
ington the grandest capital on the face
of the globe, 1t is within the legitimate
range of its power and duty TO do so.
1t can give us the finest streets and
noblest public buildings, the best sewer
age and the best water works on the
continent, the most superb and clabo.
rate examples of art, architecture and
science, parks, boulevards and avenues
surprising those of Paris or Berlin
everything in fact that goes to make a
city great.
Yet with objects thus comporting
with the civilization of the age and
thus stimulating to patriotism, there Is
certain class of citizens and certain
class Of Congressman who think that
in order to build up such capital as
we ought to have we should go back a
couple of hundred years and start in on
the Blue Laws of Connecticut or the
ethics of old Cotton Mather.
Gentlemen of Congress, such legisla-
tion is unworthy of you. There is not
man in Senate or House but knows
that he is posing for effect, and not for
high purpose, when he stands up to
advocate bill to extinguish forms of
diversion that, If not always innocent
in their influence, are the product of
an inextinguishable human instinct 1t
is as natural for man to bet on an
election as 1t is to deal for the honors
of nomination--as natural to bet on a
race as 1t is to compete at county fair
for the blue ribbon of prize squash
The world Is full of betters. 1t is an
outcropping of its spirit Of enterprise.
The same innate energy that speeds a
fleet of sailing vessels around the
Horn entered into the building of the
Pacific railroads across the continent.
The whole country is taking chances
on its prosperity and progress and
thrift.
1t is true that some lose and some
win-with Congressman the same
but 1t has always been so and will con-
tinue to beso as long as there is ground
for horses to run on or water for oars.
men to row over, or fairs to raise church
moneys with, or stocks on Wall street
to speculate in. The excess of this
gambling spirit, If so you please to call
1t, must be regulated by public opinion
ii cannot be suppressed by statute.
TIE New York Chamber OF Com
merce has taken the first step toward,
Centennial Celebration of the Con
stitution in 1880, by appointing a com
mittee TO devise general plan for tn,
occasion. The first duty imposed upoi
the committee is, of course, to report
bill to Congress asking for an appro
priation. New York is not slow abou
asking money of the Government
which she ought 10 raise for herself
but 1t will be very slow process get
ting 1t this time. The celebration o
the ina guration of the Governmen
will be held at the seat of Government
The presumption is filed.
THE vote by which the Inter.S Stat
Commerce bill passed the Senate wa
singularly unanimous when the heate,
debates and animated contests whicl
had preceded II are called to mind Al
interesting and peculiar method wa
employed TO bring about this result
The Senators who desired 10 ament
the bill TO make 1t more stringent and
radical were allowed TO do 80, then the
Senators who wanted TO amend so as "a
offset and nullify these amendments
were grati6ed. When the representa-,