The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-14


loudly about the diversion of money
into the pockets of the bOOEmakers
by this means ii is lost to city and
State. The inability Of men, here
tOfOre of good credit, to pay their
bills, and the general demOraliza-
ton, smaller In degree but similar
IN kind, is like the fever which ex-
listed during the ''vvfIdcat" stock ex-
element of the last generation. For
these reasons and on account of my
familiarity with the case made by
the managers of the race track,
which was presented to nue. officially
last year, 1 was ready to, and did,
sign this order as soon as it passed.
1t is unusual to sign nm order so
promptly As & general proposition
1 take the time the law allows for
the purpose of hearing objections.
would like to point out the folly
of the Board of management of the
race track in not listening to the
advice of the Board of Supervisors
of last year and having the Legis-
IatuTe pass law limiting the sea-
son to II certain number of weeks
We have the opera season ana
everybody attends, deriving enjoy
ment and musical education. IL we
had grand opera Tor six months
very few could afford to attend, and
very few would be tempted to at
tend because there would be no
season They would defer going I'M
til the end, and perhaps not go at
all. The very frequency OF the
operas> would surfeft them. where
as, now. by having IL limited season.
everybody goes as n matter OF taste
or fashion, pays for the privilege
for the season, and the box office re-
ceipts enable the management 10
give the very best talent without
selling pools on the merits of the
performers.
So we'll patronized season of
racing in n great city of pleasure
loving people would be acceptable
by nil IiberzI-minded men, but they
will not accept the piIlnge of
community even If \ the legitimate
sport and the breeding of horses are
urged as n reason for 1T. In. other
words, we are asked to pay too high
a price for good sport. Can we not
have good sport without paying SO
dearly for it9 1 believe we can.
SUPERVISOR PERRAULT - The
resolution passed as L was sure 1T
would after I heard my colleagues
express themselves on the measure.
1t means much to the merchants ana
to the respectable members of So
ciety In this city. The race track
has long been Il drain them
financially. to say nothing of it's
bIighting influence on all who per-
themselves IN q into
its whirlpool of infamy. The saIu-
tary effect of the new law should be
felt at once, as 1T Will relieve the
tension under which many people of
this city have existed for six months
in the year for several years past.
SUPERVISOR LACKMANN - The
main benefit TO be derived from the
passage of the ordinance Will be
the closing up of the pool rooms.
The law is so general that it closes
down the bOOkmakers at the track
and does away with the side-street
evils in our city. i am glad that
their influence has been eliminated
by the adoption of the law, and L
only hope that the governing bodies
across the bay Will follow our ex-
ample and stamp out the pest.
As it is, those who are anxious to
bet their money on the races viii of
necessity be compelled to go either
to EmeryviIIe, Oakland or SausaIito.
AS this viii make it more difficult
than heretofore, 1T is hoped the
temptation to gamble Will be les
sened.
So far as the constftutiOnaIity of
the law is concerned, it is my Opin-
ion that this board has power to
regulate such things.
am pleased that my fellow mem
bers voted. did, as the best citi-
zens of the community demanded
the passage of the Inv. 1 am not in
favor of any action that Will tend
to nUIIify the ordinance. Racing I'M
der ITS present conditions is injur-
ious to our city. 1t is good sport
If pool selling is eliminated, but
until that is done 7 don't believe
the gamblers should be allowed to
continue in the business.
SUPERVISOR BYINGTON-I voted
in favor of the resolution because
great abuses have grown up under
the pool selling system as it existed
at the race track, and because it
was n reform called for and de-
manded by the best citizens of the
community. As a Supervisor 1 was
elected to respect the wishes of
those who have the welfare of the
city at heart. Personally L do not
believe In the existence of the
temptatiOn held out by gambling
which draw our men and women
away from the pursuit of an honest
business calling.
believe this resolution was
passed in good faith and that the
Board of Supervisors should not be
continually open to an influence
that Will cuuse n suspension of the
ordinance whenever those control
ling the race track wish 1T done. If
that were the intention of the board
1T was an entirely useless procedure
TO adopt the measure.
4 think the passage of the Ordi-
nance. will have good influence
upon the young men of our city. In
my opinion there was no greater
danger held out to a community
than the temptation of squandering