New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-01
SUPPRESS THE BETIING-RiN

All ihr really earnest and sincere friends "f
honorable sport will be- grath'd If the proposed
anti gambling amendment Ia the Constitution
is ratified at the polls next Tuesday. II j.
mistake for any one 10 say that he suppression
~ betting ring. oh the raretracks Will ruin
racing. II will tend To purify. elevate aud ben"-
iii the turf II will rll"v" II 10 considerable
extent of thu congestion Of evil elements which
has worked So much mischief ia recent years.
No form Of sport ought 10 be- diSiigred and de
filed by a betting ring attachment. Baseball
and many OTHER sports flourish in this state
without betting rings The rue interests of The
turf have been seriously damaged by III" wild
imitation and The frrnzied gambling which have
been seen I'm This State since The Ives Pool act
protected the betting rings. Indcr The opera
lions Of that act the turf has been infested by
horlrs Of hookmakcrS and other professional
gamblers Racing has been degraded and dis
.,rr,,...d by IA" enormous betting rings crowded
with widowed gamblers Honest racing is i'm
possible while betting rings flourish These
betting rings offer tn strongest temptation 10
the most frrnzicd and most pernicou> gam
bling aud also - hr pracic" OF every dishonest
and fraudulent device In racing which con
sccncrlrs> ingenuity can suggest.
Many bookmakrrS aud other professional gam
blrrS own racing stables or have financial III
t,rrsts in the running Of certain horses. Many
bookmakrr> and other professional gamblers and
various people Of dishonor'd and degraded lives
control racctrlcllS in the East and in the West.
I'm the North and in the South. Few Americans
who hay" not given careful study 10 turf af-
fairs suspect how largely the American turf Is
dominated and controlled 10y the criminal
classes that is. 10y persons who for many years
made a practice Of violating III" laws tx
keepers Of faro banks, habiiual and professional
lawbrrakcrs control Il number OF well known
racccoursrs both In the West aud in the East
II the betting rings were abolished the sport
would he. FAR more, attractive to decent people.
and the evils and abuses of racing would be
largely eliminated The betting rings have
never helped the genuine interests Of The turf
They have always cx"ried "A baueful influence.
and from them spring The scandals and swlndlrs
which disgrace the sport. II the betting rings
were suppressed. rs they ought to he. dishonest
men would not havc the opportunities and facll
tiles for committing frauds which they now pos
sr>S The anti gambling amendment II ratified.
will put IN end TO "plunging" Oh the turf. and
this will be- Il great gain. The ''pIunger>" have
~
ishing the betting rings will do much toward
Kidding the turf Of lis Boss ThompSons. of
Glo,icrser: it's Walbaums. It's Corrigans. It's
IIankinscs. its Engcmans and the other noiori-
o,ls and Objectionable lawbrcakrrs who are now
couspcuously offensive upon The racetracks
Of the country. II The betting rings are sup
pressed The turf will be less attractive 10
thieyish gamblers. thicyish politicians and
thieves of every kind and every degree than it
Is at present Races Will De run more honestly
and skin gambling and brace games will III
largely don" away with. Dishonest owners
trainers and Jockeys will find their occupations
gone AT least to II considerable extent
No one can suggest any sound aud reasonable
arguments against the adoption of the anil
gambling amendment. Its adoption viii relieve
The Empire State Of grevous reproach and
will he fruitful II good