Evening star., 1895-04-22

1t is especially gratifying to note the
steady growth of public interest in all mat
ters where the morality of the national
capital Is concerned; an increase yesterday
conspicuously apparent in several local pull
pits, occupants of which denounced the
evils in and resultant from the pernicious
race-track gambling which has been so
persistently fought by The Star for many
years. There was time, and not so long
ago. when bookmaking had legal residence
In the heart of the city; when men and
women and even young boys could step
from one or more of Washingtons principal
thoroughfares through open doorways into
Unconcealed rooms where temptation
faunted itself continually. How much of
crime was thus fostered no one knows;
how many beings-young and old-were
ruined or assisted to ruin by those ex-
trennely accessible dens of iniquity even the
statistician of criminology can only guess.
The struggle that finally ended in the ban
ishment of the book-making establishments
was one that called for all the fighting
qualities to be found in those who would
elevate public and private morals to the
highest plane. Arrayed against The Star
in that notable contest were many tremen-
dous Influences; some open and not lacking
in courage, while others-perhaps more
powerful-operated under cover of dark
ness and not infrequently behind mask
of responsibility. A technicality permitted
the book-makers to conduct their gambling
schemes in a region which, while beyond
the city limits. was within the District. and
so convenient of access as to be an abiding
temptation. Again The Star assailed those
strongholds of iniquity. and again were the
criminals and quasi-criminals compelled to
move on. But though temporarily discour-
aged. the gamblers were not entirely de-
feated; they crossed the Potomac, and on
It's western bank-protected by officials
whose duty 1t was to cast them out-they
have to greater or less extent fiourished.
Then came efforts to establish winter-rac-
Ing within the bounds of the District of Co
lumbia-the thinnest sort of an excuse for
gambling of the most unfair variety; gam
bling from which the elements of chance
were as far as possible eliminated Here
again The Stars duty to the city of Wash
ington impelled 1t to vigorous publication,
and as a result. through the able and per-
sistent activity of District Attorney Birney,
the mob OF sharks and thieves and cut
throats were forced to find other fields than
the national capital. With the leasing of the
Grange Camp grounds on Alexander Island
by the racing-book-making combination,
the crowd of undesirables found location
which was safe and convenient to this city,
and from that malodorous center the crooks
and thugs have operated to the danger of
all this community. Not satisfied with hav-
Ing forced the tough aggregation to resi-
dence elsewhere, The Star has continued
steadily its warfare, ably reinforced of late
by the Washington Times, and throughout
1T has enjoyed the support of all that is
moral in local sentiment. The strife will
continue so long as there is a book-maker
or any other variety of race-track shark to
be fought; there will be no let up until all
such vicious influences are too far removed
to work Ill to the residents of Washington