Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06

You to lose your money. The odds in combi-
nation bets are, Of course, much greater than
in the other, but the odds against the ability Of
even greater. As small a bet Is 50 cents viii
be accepted by the combination man. while 81
is about as small a bet a. the other branch Of
the house likes to recognize, although there
are times when even 50-cent bets are not re-
iected.
WHO PArRoNIzHs THE BooxMAxERs.
The frequenters Of these resorts are made
up Of regular patrons, of occasional visitors
and Of certain throng Of citizens with whom
soap and dollars are seemingly unknown. For
the most part it is a crowd which varies little
in appearance or in size from day to day
throughout the year. Here may be seen the
professional racing gambler. loud Of dress and
OF voice; there q well-known business man,
neglecting business and all its interests in q
mad desire TO- catch q winner" here . gov
eminent clerk, wasting q day Of leave in the
vain pursuit of winning a dollar by other
mesns than by working for it: there young
lawyer, here young man OF means; there q
school boy, here a ragged bootblack; there
these 60 to make up tho crowds which day
after day throng these resorts. Every now
and then some familiar face is seen less fire.
quent and finally is seen there no more. Its
disappearance is noted, for there is a strange
feeling OF kinship between them all, and with
knowing shake Of the head the one general
verdict is given-''knocked out!' To those
who constantly 'follow the races no other re-
suit Ia hardly possible, for in the end it is
either case Of financial ruin or a realization
at last Of the fact that '.you can't beat 'emr'
HORSE RACING IS A BUSINESS
To no one does the writer of these lines &C.
knowledge greater regard for that "sport Of
kings" horse racing; but the writer, like every
one else acquainted with the facts, knows that
the horse racing Of today is business, not
sport; and business. too, sustained in a far
greater part thar the world imagines by the
betting ring and the pool room. The business
may flourish for time, but no pursuit SO sus-
tanned can hope to last. Already are some Of
our noted turf writer's crying out against the
consideration paid the betting ring and point
ing out the fact that it is matter Of future life
or death for this noble sport. The city pool
room is undoubtedly the worst enemy this great
sport has or could have. Such resorts attract
and arouse the gambling instinct which
exists in every boy and man,
homes are darkened and saddened
and temptations to the commission of crime
made hard to Withstand. Instances Of these
results are known here in Washington, and
Congress can do the District no greater good
than to enact q law under which such resorts
would be impossible. The bill passed last sum-
mer was commendable one and should be re-
enacted with an amendment to the effect that o
tax OF per cent of the receipts of any and all
race meetings held in the District Of Columbia
shall be collected and equally divided among
taict; By the passage and approval Of such a
law these resorts for gambling would be wiped
out OF existence and the preservation Of our
Jockey club secured