Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-05

army.
But as the condition of our people has
improved there has been an improve
ment In our stock OF horses. Good breeds
that were not wholly eNtefninated by
the war have been developed. and there
has been considerable importation" OF
horses for breeding and other purposes
from Kentucky and other states. The
result IL that in this State there are
now Numbers Of stock-farms on wh.ch
hgh-bred and speedy horses are raised.
Some OF these are sod to Nirginians.
while others go 10 other states Upon
every Virginia rsce-track Virginia horses
are seen in goodly numbers. and some
Virginia horses have in late years won
great stakes in the North and West
But never till now have horse-racng and
book-mnlSing become vexed public ques-
iion. Never till now has the pno-
lie mind been stirred up in the matter
OF winter-racing. book-making. and pool
selling. That the subject Is now one Of
those uppormost in the minds OF our
people is due 10 the contempt OF pub
lic opinion exhibited by the managers
Of the race-tracks at Alexander Island
and ST. Asaphs Awed by the firm at
titude that Governor O'Fcrrall has taken
on this question. these people have now
mended their ways somewhat; but they
have done so rather because of the rising
tide of public disapproval than because
,r Of 4h.
subject Of winter-racing.
The management Of these Two tracks
has aroused great Indignation in this
State, and hence we find many persons
who formerly had 10 prejudice against
horse-raciug now denouncng Il We
hemently. But the true lovers Of the
horse have come forward with earnest
combinations of winter-racing. We are
glad TO know also that the Changers Of
Virginia are almost unanimous in wish
ing the Legislature to repeal the Grange
charter. under which withdrawing has
been conducted at Alexander Island. In
deed. If there is any Virginia sentiment
that fdvOrs or excuses winter-racinc IN
this state, we do not know where 10 find
it. On the contrary. the demand is gene
raj urgent. and insistcnt that the
Legislature at its present session shall
pass laws which will prohibit winter
racing in this State entirely. II Is a
practice foreign TO Virginia custom nor
is it tolerated I'm many reputable COM
munities I'm the West or North. "D1wn
with IT," say our people. SO. on this
subject, we should suppose that there
would be no two opinions In the Legisla-
ture.
There IS also considerable popular
demand for changes in the law with
respect TO book making and pool-seli-
ing. At present. book-making and pool
selling may be carried Oh all the gear
round upon the tracks OF the agTicul-
tural societies, and gentlemen's driving
clubs The people at Alexander Island
and St. Asaph's have taught us what
miscellaneous operations may be conducted
under this law.
The thing to do now is to correct the
errors OF the law as far as possible The
Governor and many others favor total
prohibition of book-making and pooi-sell-
ing IN Virginia; but it is doubtful II their
proposition can succeed. The agricul-
tural societies and driving clubs. or many
OF them, will oppose II. But these
do not ask that the privilege be continued
as at present. but for a limited time
during each year. And so the question
arises whether those who recognize book
making as an evil on par with faro
dealing and bucket-shop speculations will
consent to any legislation that stops
short OF entirely removing the evil COM
planned Of.
The like question was fercely debated
In Indiana, and the result was that book
making and pool-seIlng We're prohibited
on each track, except for ten days each
year
We understand that the State Agri-
cultural Society here wishes TO retain
the privilege. so that it may use it in
the spring, and at the races at their
fairs in the fail.
Our own judgment is that ii will
he difficult TO secure an absolute re-
peal of the law, and that IL would pro-
badly be wen to accept some such COM
promise as that which is said to have
been adopted i'm Indiana. This is our
present idea; we like 10 be conservative,
but we do not feel called upon to commit
ourselves to any plan until We have read
all the schemes that may be proposed
But in general we are not inclined to
reject an opportunity that we may have
of doing some good because we cannot
do all the good that we would wish TO do
If the ten days limit were agreed upon
and racing were strictly confined by
law to the spring and fall seasons, then
more fully 10 cure the greater part of the
evil complained of. it would only be
necessary to prevent the 'profes-
sionals' from getting up Strings"
or circuits of tracks. This could
be effected by statute con-
filming pool-selling privileges only TO
those tracks already chartered and
which have been actually used for real
racing purposes during the past two
years. This. we should think, would pre-
vent the revival of old and almost for
gotten charters. and would cut down
pool-selling from about 900 days in
year to not exceeding eighty or ninety
days in year.
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The Gas-Works Commission.
The Legislature will reassemble to-mor-