Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-06
P0OL-SELLING FIGHT.
Discussion Of the Racing Bills Begun In
the House Yesterday.
MIR. MAuprN SPEAKS At LENGTH.
He Takes strong Ground Against
Gambling, and Earnestly A"'"-
.... MS uiIi-Mr. Murphy's Ex-
PLANTATION.
PLANTATION.

PLANTATION.
The fight for the abolition OF pooi-seii-
ing and other species Of race-course bet
ting is nov on In earnest and VIII pro-
baby extend over week or more IL
was started In the House yesterday at
O'Clock. and Messrs. Reddy ana Murphy
OF this city. and Mr.. Maupin. Of Henrieo'
the patron OF the bill which preciptated
the fight. made speeches.
The fact that the question would come
nm for discussion yesterday had oeeh
freely advertised. and as consequence
a large crowd Of horsemen ana others
interested in the fight were present ana
when the special order was called every
available inch Of standing room without
the railing and in the galleries OF the
hall was occupied by eager listeners
who hung on every word uttered by the
speakers.
When the bills were called Mr. Bryant
moved TO postpone them for thirty min
utes. MIR. Pitcher amended this motloS'
and asked that the bills be postponed !
made a special order for Monon ',s mo-
O'Clock. Mr. Bryant Withdrew ~fented.
ton. and Mr.. Pitchers was NED.
MR.. MURPHY EH.sun. and Dir.
The fight was then me Maupin bill.
60 a.,-.uded fhAI -, no read. AS
Soo"' arst take" F' -, A.
"hlcn .,,. readins was $3.50 that
soon as tne recognized, ana. sta'eu INA.
Murphy y" his vote IN committee against
= he had Gun bill because he believed II
the MAJ" " would injure horse-raising. !
passes~r snt TO explain" said he. why J
10" Going to vote against the Pllcher Dill
s 90 FOR the Maupin bill. / find upon in
vestigation that the Pitcher bill Is un-
as It conflicts with that
clause in the Constitution which provides
that no bill shall have more than
ore object. l have heard IRON 'he
people OF Alexandra. and want
70 assist them in closing the
tracks In their county, and / believe
~ the Pitcher bill is passed that 1t VIII
moi remedy the evil which exists there
therefore shall vote against 1t, and l
make this explanation TO show why
vote against a measure which ] support
Cd IN committee" This statement wa1
loudly applauded.
MR.. MAUPINS SPEECH.
Mr. Naunin was next recognizZ and
after some preliminary Introductory re-
MARKS aMl. s sDeaher.-The suDisyTnow under
consideration is. in my hY1ble judgment
of more importance to ~ people of this
commonwealth than ~ which has been
or will be consideY by this General
Assembly.
eve have up ye this time been enacting
laws which YT1te to their material IN
terest; we at now engaged upon mea-
sure affexne publ morality c.ao
nGam2ng is described In the Iooe
fchapZ $50 as an offence against pun
lie Hicy; and very properly so, ana as
WARE dealing now with one form OF TINS
HOO we may properly denominate 1t not
|only a measure affecting public morality
but also public policy. Now what is the
bin we are asked to enact by the gent {
man from Fauquer? Its title Is 10 pre-
vent pool-sellng. etc, on horse-races'
Cir ~ the bill means what It's title i'm
niles would be found advocating IT
rather than seeking its dismissal But II
does NOT mean that: far from II. On the
other hand. IL fastens upon the people
81 this Old State what three fourth OF
them do not desire-the very evil at when
the bill | introduced Is aimed.
"Gentlemen, read section of the Dill
C3D. and you will be at once convinced
that its effect will be to continue pool
selling. book-making. etc, under the act
approved March 3, 1894. In the second
section the time in which races may De
run Is limited 10 seven months, ana 10
thirty days on any particular track IN
any one year Does this cure the evils
of which we have heard so much III
Alexandria county?
TO DEBAUCH THE YOUTH
Let us see: There are two tracks
{possbly more) there. Fifteen days on
each track, OF thirty days in the spring
and summer and thirty days In the sum-
mer and fall. or sixty days-what more
time do the sports and law-breakers OF
washington city and the eXiles Of New
York and New Jersey need in which to
debauch the youth of that section of our
State; TO impoverlsh the homes of hun
dreds. and, as has been the case in the
mast. TO break up the home-circle and
cause the separation Of those joined by
the hottest ties known to man?
'sIs It not clear TO your mlnds that the
proper title Is to promote pool-selling
etc.? There Is another objection: The
bill provides TO- two distinct obJects-viz.,
10 lega.ize pooi-seliing, and to prevent
winter-racing. win any lawyer on the
floor OF this house undertake TO say it
would be constitutional? If not consti-
tutional. where will we be? Where we
are to-day, as provided for in section s.
and doubtless Intentionally so-not by my
friend who introduced 1t, but by its au-
thors at or near Alexandria city-for the
bill came from that ring, If | am not IN
correctly informed. and as soon as this
General Assembly has adjourned you
may expect TO see the same scenes en-
acted as were witnessed during the two
years Tor nearly SOD In which pool-selling
could be engaged in under sanction OF the
law.
This bill should be dismissed, because.
II passed by this House, IL win not be
In accord with the sentiment of the people
of this Commonwealth, who demand a
clean sweep of this evil, and who will hold
us 10 strict account as TO our action In
relation thereto. Does any one doubt
IT: if so, how does he interpret the resolu-
lions passes in various sections of the
State. and the editorials in the secular
and religious press?
HISTORY OF TRACK GAMBLING.
''rhe track gambling history Of the
past two years is doubtless fresh IN
the memory OF every member of this
honorable body. The General Assembly
two years ago In its closing days, and
/ believe, In an unguarded moment, en-
acted law permitting book making, pool
selling. etc, at agricultural association.
and on tracks of riding and driving
clubs. The bill l introduced repeats tina,
act and prohibits this species OF
gambling within our Commonwealth
"Under q charter granted the Grange
Camp Association of Northern Virgins
the gambling exiles of other States. and
perhaps. with them, few citizens of thi.
State decided to put in operation, sir
IN your section of this grand old