Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-01-27
MASS MEETING.

|
years past, every available seat being
occupied and large number of persons
were standing in the rear of thu
church.
Rev. T. H. Rice opened the meeting
by requesting the assemblage to unite
in singing one verse of Call Hail the
Power of Jesus Name" This was fol
lowed by prayer offered by Rev. ]. Il
Williams.
Rev. Mr.. Rice then nominated as
chairman of the meeting Mr.. George
r. Hill, which nomination received the
unanimous endorsement of those pres
ent.
Mr.. Hill on assuming the chair earn
estly addressed the gathering upon
The evil against which the meet
ing had been called to protest. He
felt sure that it our legislators could
but view the scene before him no furth-
er action would be necessary, but as thi
could not be it was incumbent upon
those interested in the upholding OF
morality to resort to the method OF for
warding to Richmond petition. He
then introduced Mr.. K. Kemper as the
first speaker Of the occasion.
Mr.. Kemper introduced his subject
by stating that an attempt had been
made to demonstrate to the Legisla-
ture and people outside ofthis city that
our people do not oppose, but on the
other hand favor, the race tracks,
and one of the reasons Tor
this meeting was TO show them
that the impression sought to be Great
ed was not in accordance with the facts.
He vshemently refuted the allegation
that the operations of the race tracks
had brought any real prosperity to our
city. Even if it were true that some
money had been brought into the COM
munity, how did that compare with the
damage done to those who had been
lured to their ruin
Mr.. F. ]. Pollard was next intro
duced. He dsclaimed any ability as q
speaker, but would merely add his most
earnest protest against the evil which
threatened the community.
Mr.. Supplee, of Del Ray, was intro
duced. He defed any body to prove
that the race track had brought into the
community any money. The few dol
lars put into the hands of few dealers
was far more than offset by the loss &C.
casioned by the fact that numbers of
good law-abiding citizens who would
come into the county are kept away by
these same institutions. Besides, while
the operators of the track may invest
some little in articles needed by them,
yet the young men who go out there
and leave their money behind more
than counterbalance in actual dollars
and cents the amount brought iu the
community.
Rev. J. II. Butler was then intro
duced. He explained that two bills have
been offered for the consideration of the
legislature, one to prohit gambling ofall
kinds and the other n sort of compro
mise measure permitting horse racing
and betting thereupon for period dur
ing the year. He could not see any
consistency in prohibiting gambling by
some methods and permitting it by
others. He earnestly advocated proni-
bition of all gambling institutions.
Mr.. A. II. Thomson volunteered q
suggestion that two or three represen-
tative men from our community go TO
Richmond at once aud ask hearing.
He thought this better than any peli-
ton forwarded by mail. He reiterated
the statement of Mr.. Supplee that the
country between here and Washington
would build up Immediately if these
race tracks could be abolished and thus
bring more actual pecuniary benefit
than the race tracks could ever accom-
plisb. fla motion was in order he
would move that committee be select
ed to go to Richmond at once as he had
before suggested.
Mr.. Hill answered that committee
had the matter in charge. Mr.. L.
thereupon withdrew his motion.
Mr.. A. G. Uhler being called on ad
ded his protest against the evil, speak
ing of the crowd of young men whom
he had seen while on his way to and
from Washington. He said the argu-
ment of injury to an industry was very
specious. These tracks were not for
running horses but for the purpose
of gambling. Take awey the
book making and pool selling and how
long would these tracks do business
He called attention to some instances
known to himself of ruin brought upon
young men by attendance at the track.
Rev. C. f. Ball made the point that
there was not dime alleged to have
been brought into Alexandria but that
was Offset by more than double that
amount carried back and lost there.
He then referred to pamphlet issued
by the race track people and presented
counter expression in the shape of
memorial or resolution addressed to
the Legislature of the State of Virginia
and signed by the committee -Revs.
c. E. Ball, P. p. Phillips and Bergman
Green. He moved its adoption by
rising vote, which was done, the vote
being unanimous. Mr.. Ball then
moved that these resolutions be ap-
pended to any communication sent TO
the Legislature and made part there
of, which was carried.
Rev. F. T. Benson read q petition
addressed to the Legislature in opposi-
ton 10 the continuance of the race
tracks, which was circulated for sigma
lures. The petition is as follows:
To the Honorable Legislature Of Wrginia:
We, the undersigned cit zens Of Alexan-
dris. announce ourselves as Internationally
opposed to race track gambling We regard
the race tracks of Alexandria county as IL
ccnsed gambling in its most rcrnicious form
We Most respectfully and urgently petition
your honorable body to exercise the right
~ ha Of