Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-15

swallowing up everything within their in
f1rence. Farm after farm, workshop after
workshop, business house after business
house. 1t drew into the vortex the earn
ings, the morals. mind, conscience and soul
of both young and old-the poor and rich
were alike corrupted. The modern race
track surrounds itself and aggregates all
species Of crime and sin. The bookmaker
and jockey, the bunco-steerer and she'll
game man, the gambler of every dye and
degree, the thief p;ckpocket, the diSrepu-
table of every class and of both sexes. 1t
matters not how many honest and respec-
table people attend; the others are sure to
be there. The Sabbath day is training and
exercise day-admission free to the minor
and adult, alike to be ieeced by open bars,
gambling, and, in fact, every species of
mercless and damnable money getting.
Vigilance Needed.
IT will not speak to you of Alexander
Island. We know, feel and see its influence
around us. We know of the crime it has
brought TO our very doors, and its expense
upon u.s. but I would like to say to the gov
erEor of Virginia, its legislature, and its
good people, that vigilance. and vigilance
at once, can only drive them out, or they
will gain a foothold for years.
THE immense amount of money the mod
ern race track owners of this country, with
IT'S gambling contingent, can control for a
permanent abiding place, fully protected. is
sufficient to corrupt the body polite and
CT the Union. If Virginia will not, or can
not drive them from our immediate bor-
ders, let US beg of her to recede to the
United States a part of the territory that
was once and, perhaps, now is, legally a
part of the District of Columbia; for in
stance, commencing at a point on the Po-
tomac river about one-half way to Alex
andria, and then westerly in line parallel
with the old line of the District, leaving
Alexandria and it's vicinity, formerly a part
If the District. in the state of Virginia. the
part to he receded embracing the cemetery
in which repose so many of our nations de-
tenders and the government reservation
and buildings, and the river side, with all
the bridges that cross the Potomac, built and
and the District of Columbia. Alexandra
can and will then protect by it's police force,
aided by the virtue Of it's people, all the
territory as far north as the then new Dis
trict line. and the beautiful hills over there
las a part of the DISTRICT will become
grand villa sites and homes instead of the
base uses to which they are now put as
nurseries of crime and corruption. We will
then become law-abiding and prosperous
twin cities, like st. Paul and Minneapolis,
with common interest. Let us act to-
gether for 30 desirable result-a common
brotherhood and prosperity"
The Question of Retrocession.
The talk then drifted on to the other line,
presented by Mr.. Janney's resolutions. con-
corning the rightful ownership of Alex
floor to declare that Virginia has never had
any strictly legal right to the territory. and
he quoted Daniel Webster to prove his as
sertions. Webster bitterly opposed the pas
sage of the law of 1885, which retroceded
to Virginia that part of the ten miles
square that lies south of the Potomac.
This land, argued Mr.. Phillips. ought to be
recovered from the state and restored to
the. District. II would not be difficult, he
said. to bring the question before the Su-
nf ha nj cd Sfofa fn hn
tested and he urged that the board of
trade take up the matter earnestly. This
he thought, would be the best way to set
tie the gambling problem, for with the ter
| ritory in question under the District laws
the authorities on this side OF the river
would soon clean out the nests.
Mr.. Jesse +. Wilson gave an emphatic
negative to the proposition to try to regain
possession of this territory for the District.
He said that Judge Shelabarger, known to
be a most accomplished constitutional law
much study and thought, that beyond any
peradventure the ground having been once
restored to Virginia there was no power
to take it back again from her, and that
Congress had perfect right to pass the
act. which was perfectly legal and con-
stitutional In the light of such distin-
guished opinion he declared it would be
folly for the board to pursue the subject
further. There would be only one way by
which the property might be regained, and
that by purchase from the state.
Reorganization Not n Solution.
Judge 1. G. Kimball of the Police Court
| said that the proposition to try to restore
the territory to the District would not
serve at all as a solution of the question
The result of a restoration of the ground
would be to push the gamblers and law
breakers back into the next county of Vir-
GINA, and it would then be necessary to
purchase that county, and they would go
further and further back until they were
driven into North Carolina, perhaps. The
thing to be done is to raise public senti-
Tent against the evil
I'VE can't act directly on the state ex-
ecutive," said Judge Kimball, except
through such meetings this. 1t would be
of no advantage for us to get this terri
tory, as far as regards the eradication of
the evil. We should then have an imag-
mary line between us and the gambling
dens, instead of a broad river, as now.
have great faith in the sentiment of the
good people of any state or community,
and 1 believe that once aroused the good
people of Virginia will wipe out this shame
just as was done by the good people of
New Jersey. l believe in these meetings
the capital Of the nation feels with this
disgrace under its very nose"
The Time is Ripe.
DR.. Hugh johnson of the Metropolitan
Church was the next speaker He said
| that the time had come for a great upris-
ing of the moral and law-abiding elements
of the city. those who have at heart the
peace and welfare of the capital 1t is time
| to, take a stand against one of the most
terrible of menaceS He was one of the
committee that went across the river to
see how thirgs were run over there, and
| he was not the one who took a ii.tle-a
| very 1ttle-plunge into the waters of
| chance, as it was reported that one Of the
| delegation had done. He had seen a good
deal of gambling in one form and another,
| from the shores of the Mediterranean to
| the hells of San Francisco, and he declared
| that he considered that gambling in its
| worst forms is now being conducted at St.
| Asaphs and at Jackson City. Gambling
| includes the two elements of chance, and
| the want of an equivalent. Pool selling on
| the races is gambling, pure and simple
The race itself does not amount to much
and Mr.. Johnson said that he had seen
| many horses on the streets of the city that
| could beat the "old plugs that he saw at
| the track. Everything went to increase the
| elements of chance in the race. The crowd
| in attendance he said was well dressed
| and in some respects respectable looking,
! but it included all classes, fancy men and
| fallen women, the bully and the black
guard, the business man, the professional
| man, the tradesman, the young man-all
| drawn by hundreds to the track to be ltIred