The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-03-13
GAMBLING RACE TRACKS.

The popular uprising in Cecil county
against perpetual race-track gambling and
its demoraliZing influences merits the
hearty support of the whole State of Mary
land The gamblers who own and operate
these tracks have been driven out of New
Jersey and Pennsylvania by the force of
public opinion and have sought refuge in
Maryland, where, under an ingenious but
simple system, they are enabled to carry
on such vicious and corrupting practices
that it is a libel on horse-race betting to
call this species of money-gIabhing by that
name. Under the Maryland law the opera
tions of each race track are limited to thirty
days. This limitation was devised to pre-
vent all-theyear-l found gambling and at
same time not preclude racing at agricul-
tural fairs and the annual meetings at
Pimlico, such as the people have been
accustomed to enjoy ever since the colony
was founded. But by the trick of multi
plying race tracks and associations of gamb-
lers owning them there may be separate
track in the same neighborhood for every
month in the year, and all that the pro-
| fessional blacklegs in the combine have to
do is to fit from one track to the other
regulating their changes simply by the
Stiohtui vi iliohoto iloH W
December.
This, in nutshell, is what has been uone
in Cecil county, where "blackleg" racing
has become as great blot upon the SUI
sounding civilization as it was at Gutten-
burg and Gloucester. The population
which the Cecil race tracks bring to Mary
land is the same lawless, graspng, idle,
vicious set who have been driven away
from, tba Iarpfc Of On hnr nd
cester. They are people who should not be
permitted to colonize in any community
where they can employ such agencies as the
innocent, the thrifty and the industrious
masses of the country within the sphere of
their corrupting influence.
The lottery is prohibited everywhere in
the country but the lottery, even as it is
practiced in some of the cities under the
form policy playing" carried on by
"walking books and other secret agencies
in byways and hiding places, is no greater
evil than the blackleg race track gambling,
which has been outlawed in other States
and is Low fastened on one of the fairest
counties Of Maryland, and against which
the resident population are crying aloud for
relief. In the resolutions adopted by
HlSulI representative convention Oh unt
people, irrespective of party or creed, the
demand is made that the law should be re.
peaed or so amended as to prohibit race
track gambling under any form and at all
times and places in Cecil county. The de-
clarations which they put forth are COM
mended to the careful perusal Of every
voter in the State, in order that such
check may be given to the evil that it may
find no foothold elsewhere when it has been
expelled from Cecil.
The resolutions declare that the haneful
effects of the race-tracks have been demon
strated not only in brutality practiced upon
horses, but in the decentralization of the
people, the corruption of women, girls and
the youth of the community.
These declarations and demands are in
accord with the previous action of the town
council OF Elkton and fully justify the re
solutions of the town authorities on the
subject. Some attempt was made when the
council acted to show that the evil effects
OF the race tracks were exaggerated aNd in
measure to Justify the system by claim
ing that it made business lively and put
money into local circulation. This ''man-
fest tendency to bargain away respect
ability and decency for money is sternly
rebuked by the mass convention of citizens,
who see and feel the full effects of the
demoraliZing influence and are making
noble effort to rid themselves of it, All
good citizens wish them success. -Balti-
more Sun