The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-19
THE TRACK GAMBLERS.


MO one expected that the profits of track
NJ gambling would be surrendered without
struggle The revenues have been large, and
accumulated profits will be used literally in ltgating
the prohibitory ordinance.
The Supervisors have simply put into law the wish
Of the community. They reflected the public desire
to have the stain erased from the citys fame and
name. They could not restore the good names lost,
the lives blighted, the bread taken from families, the
money stolen from employers, the public funds Off
cal1y embezzed to go into the pockets of the idle
and vicious schemers who fatten on the bread and
ruin of others. But the Supervisors could and did
say that for the future this lure shall be removed and
prohibited and that money shall be lost, no
more stolen, no more embezzled and that the
morgue prison and insane asyluns shall get no more
recruits from the pool-box and books These vicious
revenues have amounted thousands OF dollars every
day. and nearly every the price of honor Let any
watch the crowds that go to the track and est-
mate how many drawn there by love Of the horse
or wholesome admiration for noble sport. Such
are in a minority so small that if they were the only
ones to be present the stand would be almost empty
The fact is that the lovers of the horse and enthusiasts
in trials of speed and endurance kept away from
the track by the presence there of gamblers and their
victims The track has become as much the means
of gambling as the green cloth and box and dealer Of
a faro game. No visits faro den to admire the
dexterity of the dealer the watchfuness of the look
out the color of the cards, the structure of the
box or table. All these merely the accessories
necessary to the game of chance In like manner the
track, the horses, jockeys, starter and Judges
merely necessary parts of a process upon which
money may be laid, to be lost by victims of the
gambling craze and by the skilled student of
chance.
The prohibitory ordinance will be picked to pieces
as far as skilled attorneys do it, and the people
should stand guard it. They should back up
the Supervisors. They should keep vital the present
condition of public attention to the matter. The
ordinance must have than perfunctory defense
in the courts. If it show flaws under the judicial eye
lis defense must be such as to compel the courts to
develop and bound and deimit the extent OF public
authority over the question, resting in the Board of
Supervisors, to the end that if this ordinance fall
another may take its place securing the object
and able to stand assault in the courts
All the ingenuity that money employ will enter
the lists against it. II it stand the judicial test then all
the craft that greed engenders will be called into play
to evade it. Then will the necessity of constant
vigilance to smoke out and prevent these evasons
and violations of the law.
The vice has been long permitted that it has
taken on the character OF fixed habit and as such
has lived on the federation of the community. If it
can be prevented long enough make its prevention
habit there Will be little danger OF its temperance
A man named Lewis recently had the experience of
being hanged on gallows he had built for the
reformation of another offender It is OF record that
named Hanan had somewhat similar ex-
perience.
Certain statesmen signing for the day when the
anti-cartoon bill shall go into effect and that day
will arrive the prospect for continuous crop
of sghs is better than the chance for yield OF prunes
A pugilist IS about to be laid away in Eastern
potter's field which is sad of course. However, bet
ter in the habit of earning an honest living have
reached similar end, which is much sadder.
Sampson has made many friends by his generous
expression OF desire to have other naval officers pro-
NOTED, even if his name be emitted from the list.
There seems little need for Spain to worry about
prisoners held by the Fipinos, for the latter are
rapidly losing thir grip