The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-14
OPPOSE POOL SELLING,
MINISTERS SPEAK AGAINST THE
 HARRINGTON BILL.
Revs. A. L. Andrews N. L. Anderson, General Sanford and Mrs. Craig head Before Committee. Author Declines to
 Defend.

The bill to permit pool-selling on horse races at fairs recently introduced in the House by Representative Arlington of Montgomery. was pretty severely handled last night at a meeting of the House Committee on Commerce and Common Carriers at the Council Chamber.
 Two clergymen of Montgomery. Rev. Neal Anderson, pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church. and Rev. A.. L.. Andrews, pastor of the Dexter Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church. appeared to oppose the measure, and both dealt with the proposition In a most vigorous man. ner.
 There were other speakers. Mrs. Erwin Craighead. wife of the Editor of The Mobile Register. who in behalf of the Alabama Federation of women's Clubs opposed the bill, and General John W. A. Sanford of Montgomery also spoke against 1t.
 pr. Andrews held that inasmuch as the minister Is a citizen he should have a certain interest in matters pertaining to the welfare of the community in which ho resides as well as for the State at large. He opposed the legalizinE of pool selling as one tending to the debauchery of the citizens. and declared the propo- sition was enough to arouse the opposi- | ton of every true man and every noble | hearted gentleman.
 He inquired if 1t was absolutely inpos-
 sible to hold a fair in the Capital City
 of Alabama without inviting the gamb. lers and the disreputable element general
 ly to the city.
 | To legalize this practice. he hold, would
 be a backward step for the State. since
 1t had been wiped out years ago. The
 proposition to permit pool selling in towns
 in counties having population of 60.00(
 he declared was one that should be passed
 upon by the representatives of the whole | State. and that the will or wishes of
 members from towns or cities particular
 lv interested in the matter should not
 prevail. He pleaded against what he
 characterized as a dangerous step. a dis position to lower the standard of man. | hood and womanhood of the State. MT. Anderson declared the proposition | was mercenary one from start ta finish. l He recalled how in 1897 an anti-pool law
 had been passed by the Legislature and
 how repeated attempts had been made to repeal it since
 He read from The Advertiser of Feb ruary 22. 1897, the accounts of how the
 pro-gambling fraternity had, through underhand means. sought to effect the repeal or tho law, and now their enorte | had been frustrated. He declared that every time the proposition had been | brought fairly before the Legislature ii | had met with defeat.
 The speaker lauded the work of the lawmakers at the present session in their dealings with the reform institutions of the State. and pleaded that now nothing should be done that would tend to in- crease the number of the inmates of these institutions and the penitentiary.
 Mrs. Craighead spoke forSsbly against any action on the part of ths Legislature to legalize a practice that had In 1t noth- ing of good and whose evil influences were apparent to everyone.
 General Sanford declared that to au- thorize gambling in any form would be ruinous for the youth who would be brought under it's influences. He could not understand how betting on roulette wheels and faro tables should be ssn. and on horse races a virtue.
 Mir. Arlington. the author of the bill under consideration. was asked to say something in defense of his measure. but declined. He said, however. that in en- deavoring to get the bill through the Legislature he would resort to no dues- tionabIe means, that everything would be done in the open.