The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-10-24

Esactn. and Gambling

The ~elergymen Of the State are taking
concerted action against poolselling at
race tracks. A crusade has been started
to rid the State of racetrack gamblers and
to prevent the enactment OF a law similar
to that proposed in the bill passed by the
Legislature last winter and which the
Governor refused to sign. A circular was
read on Sunday in the protestant churches
of the State calling attention to the race
track iniquity aud asking ''the moral and
religions people of the State OF New
jersey to rise in their mightand combine,
irrespective of party, to defeat at the polls
any candidate for the Legislature who will
not pledge himself in advance to vote
against any bill legaiizing poolse!ling orin
any way f~avoring the race tracks.
The circular has the signatures of 126
clergymen appended. They are OF all de-
nominations and all the clergymen in the
State are said to be as Il unit ia the matter.
T~wenty-six Elizabeth pastors signed their
several OF them preached against the race
tracks. Rev. Dr.. Eserard Kemptshall, of
the First Presbyterian Church, and Rev.
DR.. Otis a. Glazebrook, of st. Johu's
Church, that city, denounced poolselling
in strong terms and called upon their
audiences to help suppress the evil in this
State.
The text of the circular which was read
80, Gttnia, and Af which, tl,nrc.,J, af
copies are to be distributed throughout
the State, is as follows:
If the people of this State wish to pre-
serve their homes from contamination and
the fair fame of the commonwealth from
disgrace. it is essential that they should at
once arise to an appreciation to the facts in
connection with the racetraeks already ex-
iStiug and projected in this State. There
are now in full operation in New Jersey
six different racktrGcks, all of which are in
close proximity to one or more lines of rail-
road. These tracks have been constructed
and are controlled almost wholly by nom
residents OF our State. Upon all of them,
as we are credibly informed, the cfilninal
laws in the State are constantly, openly
and shamelessly violated by the makingof
books, the selling of pools and the betting
of money on horse races.
y bill was passed by the last Legislature
sanctioning bookmaking on racetracks in
New Jersey; in other words, legalizing
gambling in the most open and public
manner conceivable. For this privilege
the sum of five per cent. of the gross
receipts from the gate money and grand
stand was to be paid into the Treasury of
the State. The Governor withheld his sig
nature from the bill, and it thereby failed
of enactment. That 4 renewed effort will
be made before the next Legislature to Sc
cure the end aimed at by this Ubiquitous
measure there c1n be little doubt. And
what does final success in this direction
mean? 1t means that New Jersey will
sacrifice the moral interest Of her citizens
and surrender her deserved fame for justice
in rebuking wrong for a paltry sum OF
money. the fruit of legaiized crime. 1t
means, in the word of Justice NanSyckel,
of the supreme Court, IN his charge to a
recent Grand jury of Guion county: "The
youth of your country drawni into the paths
of Idieness and vice; sons ruined; the lives
OF daughters embittered aud blighted by
the crimes of husbands, and trusted en-
ployes rendered dishonest aud uniaithful
such has been the experience of all time
wherever these vicious practices have been
tolerated"
HON Gail IllS lHIdully vt pItftlttO. III
our belief it can be lone only by a prompt
and vigorous arousing of the people of our
State to an apprehension of the impending
danger, and engaging them in an earnest
effort to secure the election OF men to Of
flee who can be relied upon to oppose it
wherever aud whenever the opportunity
offers. Unless this is done, New jersey
will soon become the r~allying ground of
the worst dement's of New York, Brook
Ign and Philadelphia. and our children
will have constantly before their eyes an
evil as demoTalizing as that which has
brought shame aud disgrace TO the State
of Louisiana.
Firmly believing that the evil thus
threatened is a most formidable one, and
can only he prevented by vigorous and
determined effort, we, the undersigned, ir-
respective of religious denomination
or party afiliation, have joined in
sending this appeal to the moral and religi-
ous people Of New Jersey, in the hope that
they may he moved thereby To use their
influence and cast their ballots at the APP
preaching election III a direction that shall
promise the greatest success i'll defeating
schemes which, il successful, will bring
disgrace upon the commonwealth and
misery upon homes and individuals.
Shall we say There is no use in trying,
we can do nothing. We must accept the
situation9 % or shall we make our votes
heard in the emphatic declaration, This
thing shall not be done?"