The San Francisco call., 1899-03-12
RACETRACK GAMBLING.

~ F all forms in which the gambling habit pre-
{ sents itself the racctrack has proved most
- ruinous The sport of speed contests be-
tween horses is very ancient and has been largely the
means Of important experimental breeding OF that
noble animal The American thoroughbred horse
originated in this sport Diomed, winner OF the first
Derby in England, imported to this country and
was the ancestor OF our thoroughbred strain.
Rysdyk's Hambletonian about whose breeding little
is certainly known, but whose performance as a
trotter an unnatural gait at high speed marked him
at once a wonderful horse, was the ancestor OF the
American trotter These two strains OF horses have
stimulated the American love for the horse and have
been the means of giving to this country certain
equine families that greatly excel. But the noble
trials OF speed and endurance which have accom-
panied this development have had many degenerate
limitations and ignobe results The rise of the horse
has been balanced by the fall OF man wherever open
facilities for track gambling have been tolerated.
The State OF New Jersey long ago felt the burden
OF track gambling, and its eradication became an
issue in State politics California is feeling keenly the
curse OF this practice. 1t is form OF the gambling
habit the easiest to acquire, the most convenient to
practice and the most demoralizing in its results.
Women boys and youths do not frequent the faro
game, nor the poker-room, nor do they throw dice
in the public places where alone that habit is in
dulged. But they find buying pools on the races
easy, quite possible without their personal presence
and with all the fascination which the goddess OF
Chance exerts upon her votaries.
The result is that, inspired by this passion, good
women become bad women, boys diShonor their
parents and trusted employees rob their employers.
In this city the list OF these oenses originating IN
track gambling is long one, and every case is black
with lost reputation the OF families and losses
of employers. None OF these things would be posi-
IL. L. <1o,rr
Of racing such decentralization was impossible. If
any desired to back with his money his judgment on
the speed of horse he had to find the spot
one of the opposite opinion and the willingness to
hack it. Bows and clerks, who don't know haw from
gee about horse and feel partisanship for favor
ite animal for they have judgment about It would
not be found wagering under such system, and the
widespread increasing and insuerable evils that now
exist would be impossible. One reply is always made
to everv effort to extirpate this moral cancer 1t is
ALWAYS characterized as enmity the sport of horse
racing and intended to destroy public interest in that
noblest of our domestic animals. But, set against
this is the fact that the kind OF gamblers whose
patronage pays the pooling profits and fattens those
who prey upon the public by that means know little
or nothing about horses, are ignorant Of the external
points which mark the qualities OF brain and nerve, OF
wind bottom and speed for which the horse is ad-
nlired and bred To them the horse is simply
means OF convenient gambling, way in which they
can risk their own money in the hope OF gain, and
when they lose it comes the temptation to forgery,
theft, embezzlement burglary, highway robbery and
other criminal means for getting another stake in the
hope Of winning back what lost.
Not only are all these crimes against property
caused by track gambling. Other evils follow. The
excitement of the habit its fluctuations OF luck, its
alternating hope and despair, undermine the nervous
system and resort is had to drink and opium. The
use OF the latter is most common result OF track
gambling especially in the case of youths and women.
To put stop to the OF these crying evils is
the first duty of the economist and moralist alike 1t
is promoter OF vice and crime to degree not en-
trely known to the public The record OF its blight
is in domestic dscords on the slabs of the morgue,
in the insane asylums and prisons. Let it be abol-
shed.