Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-08-27
JOHN A. MORRIS.
FOXHALL KEENE,
PIERRE L0RILLARD.
PHILIP DWYER.

JOHN A. MORRIS. PIERRE LoRILLARD.
FoXHALL KEENE. PHILIP DwYER
creased three or four times. The racing
center is New York city, near which are
located the four great tracks which belong
to the board Of control, body that at
tempts, and in some measure succeeds, in
making American racing rules as the
Jockey club in England does for the United
Kingdom These four tracks are the Coney
Island, the Gravesend. the Morris Park and
the Monmouth.
All but the last named, which is in New
Jersey, where betting on races is against
the law, are in New York, where betting
under the Ives pool bill is permissible I'M
der certain conditions at race tracks only.
The success of racing, as at present conduct
ed, depends upon the legal sanction to bet
on the result of the races. Upon the theory
that the racing Of horses tends to improve
their breeding and to stimulate efforts TO
secure better stock many persons who are
bitterly opposed to ordinary forms OF gam
bling think that gambling on horse races
should be tolerated by the law. IL was
upon this theory that the Ives pool bill was
framed. This bill permits each racing as
ISOLATION to have 80 days racing between
the 18th OF May and the 18th of October
every year. For many seasons past there
has been racing in the neghborhoOd of
New York every week day between the
dates mentioned. The tracks have been
improved and magnificent grand stands
erected. Two of these, Morris park and
Monmouth park, are probably the largest
and most connexions in the world.
These racing associations made money
handsomely for several years, and so many
mel. became bookmakers and hangers on
tina the six months season was too short.
Therefore winter racing was begun in New
jersey, and for several years past during
the whole OF the cold season, over frozen
ground, through snow and slush, the horses
have run, and crowds of people have gone
20 see them. This has not been with the
&c ~ - Ct Chs boEra Il control, but against
It's wishes and protests The board has
even gone so far rs to bar horses that were
raced on these winter tracks and to exclude
also owners, jockeys and boOkmakers. But
this has not sutliced to stop the racing, and
the board Of control could not go further,
as one OF the tracks represented in the
board WAS racing without warrant OF law,
and it Is more than suspected that the
board was not confident that the court Of
appeals in New York would not declare the
Ives pool bill unconstitutional if the ques-
ton should ever be brought up. The board
therefore had to make the best it could OF
a bad business
Then again the poolrooms in the cities
have been kept open upon the pretext that
they did only commission business. These
poolrooms have not only tended to bring
racing into disrepute because Of the ease
with which boys and small wage earners
could gamble on the races, but they have
made it unnecessary for every one who
wished TO bet on the races to go to the
tracks to do it.. In the latter way they took
revenue directly from the tracks. Tie CON
Sict with the law, the increased number OF
tracks, the city poolrooms and the doubt in
The public mind IS to the integrity Of the
contests have combined to decrease the
profits Of the associations Indeed | am
persuaded that some, il not all, of the board
If control tracks lost money last year.
This season, however, since Richard Gro
ger, the Tammany Hall chieftain, began his
:urf career, the New York rOolrooms have
been closed with an iron hand, and despite
The fight made by Peter De Lacy and other
pOolroom magnates, still remain closed.
The effect of this action has been toincrease
he attendance at the tracks, and the differ
ant racing associations have consequently
been more prosperous this season than they
we're last.
The other day had n talk on this subject
- nfftrfal - nf fbaga tracls "A
uan who is specially well informed as to
ncing past and present. He said; The
American people always go in their pleas
lres and sports at too rapid Il gait. Once
TOtting was in vogue; once every baseball
game would draw thousands of spectators.
Now both Of these have lost much Of their
popularity there seems 10 be
baseball revival this year-and it is the
same way with racing. / candidly believe
that the great vogue for racing is past and
that the reaction will be more seriously felt
next year. We have too much racing near
New York and also in Chicago and other
places. A real lover OF racing cannot prob
ably have too much of ii, nor can the gam
blers who live by it. But those who attend
race meetings purely for the love OF the
sport are comparatively few, and the gam
5lers or bookmakers contribute very little
10 the support OF the sport. On the con-
trary they are heavy tax on 1t, for they
lake commissions just as the brokers do on
the exchanges While believe that the
generality Of race horse owners are most
honorable men. there are others that are. to
Gay tbs ieasl, LI.4u;y lrlc-y. 400 49,.
thoy make 90, errasscasnt with book
maker or two Ind absolutely rob the pub
lio All these thiogs tend "a mske the rae
ing outlook rathsrS9pnry.
What remedy woutd;y ou suggest"
II hsve.po specific ar1knd. Indeed there
are several things that might be done. and
these might help the situation. For In
stance, II the Ives pool bill is unconstitu
tional, II should be repealed or be declared
so. In the last event IL would be nullity
and have no effect Then we should have
free trade In racing. and after very hard
fight che fttest Of the associations would
survive, while tho others would go to the
wall. Then again. IL the Ives pool bill wers
repealed or found to be of no effect, book
making might be made illegal by statute
The bookmakers are without doubt yer,
demornlising element. The generality Of
them are men Of poor moral principles
The only question the average bookmakel
asks himself when deciding In shady
transaction Is whether or not II
would be a safe venture-that Is
whether he could win money and Is
cape punishment by the stewards
Then again they frequently 60 In with m
owner who puts good horse In race, but
does not intend the horse to win. The book
makers make the horse favorite and then
lay heavily agninst.him. This Is . frequent
way Of robbing the public. 1t might b
that the general adoption Of the French
nsntusl ayotan wspld b the uropez thinn