The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
One Authority Says Gambling In q
Balance Between Faith I'm Self
and Distrust i'm Self.
THINGS SEEN AT JENNINGS
SEDATE DIGNITARIEs OF THE Ma
TION's CAPITAL ARE THERE.
Indications Already Point TO One of
the Greatest Racing Seasons Ever
known I'm the East.

ct paid a visit the other day. while in
Washington, to the Bennings race track.
said r. i. Traeger. the travelling repre-
sentative of a New York manufacturer.
land was somewhat surprised to recognize
so many sedate dignitaries that had often
seen engaged in the Nations business In
the big buildings of the capital. And
good many Of them were betting on the
horses, too. for all that they were worth.
There's no use in talking. gambling is a
universal passion, indigenous among all
races and all classes of man throughout
the ages Gambling is an inherent activity
of the human mind, and as such II is not
to be done away with by purely prohibitive
measures. II IL is a menace TO social con-
ditions it will have to be channelized into
harmless courses. just as Clemens j.
France suggests. Mr.. France. who Is
student OF the subject. hits the nail on the
head when he says that gambling is sort
of balance between faith in self and dis
trust in self. The love Of chance is merely
one expression of that peculiar force which
has, through previous ages, preserved the
species man, and is a result of mans long
struggle with a dangerous and uncertain
environment. 1t is a sign of continued
to Mr.. France, and. although in itself right
and indispensable, Ii is nevertheless some
times wrong in its application.
THE race course under the shadow Of the
Capitol differs in some respects from the
tracks around New York. Unlike the met
ropolitan race tracks. the sport is limited
at Washington to only a short period. twice
each year. Everybody who is anybody and
L.
at Bennings. and it's an interesting assem-
bly,, can tell you. But what impressed me
most of all was the presence in the betting
ring of so many men who hold government
positions. There was particular reason
for my feeling surprised. suppose. for no
doubt government officials and employees
have just as much right to play the ponies
as other people, but when one remembers
the views concerning race-track betting in
certain communities of this broad land
here in Indianapolis for one-it seems
somewhat homogeneous to see the men who
work for the Nation pushing and elbowing
their way through crowd of excited bet
tors in order to place some money on a GER
tain horse that looks good TO them.
WON SOME MONEY.
81 know of one dignified Washingtonian
who made quite a neat little haul one aft
ernoon at Bennings the week before last.
1t was on Tuesday-the last day of March
/ remember the date because Of the fact
that the big prize fight took place at San
Francisco that night. The sober, we'll
groomed man who had been pointed out to
me as a person of some Importance bet an
even hundred dollars on the horse Star and
Garter in the nth race OF the afternoon
The price was 6 to i. Everybody else was
betting on the favorite, Carroll ID. Well.
Star and Garter was easy winner. with
the favorite finishing second. and the serv-
ant of the government cashed his little
cardboard, which called for 500. There
were very few other bets cashed on the
race and no other one large that I
couldn't help wondering what had caused
the 'dgnitary' to place so much money on
long shot with such calm assurance.
had watched him all afternoon Just out OF
curiosity, and had noticed that until the
fifth race came around he didn't make q
single bet Nor did he place any money on
the sixth and last race OF the day. He
made just that one bet won IL. and that
ended his gambling. II looks as IL IL had
been a sure thing doesn't It? But such
couldn't have been the case. or there would
have been more betting Star and Gar
ter. / guess IL was just pure luck unless
the fortunate bettor was following some
well-thought-out system OF his own. He
| certainly was quiet and dignifed In his
gambling methods.
1.-The most comical thing TO me at WASH
| ington's track was TO observe dozen
eager-looking fellows. all Of them wearing
the indeinable stamp of track regulars.
tagging after and almost treading on the
heels of a veteran ring commissioner. When
| the commissioner forced his way UP to the
stands of the bookmakers these chaps. who
wanted TO get a line on the operations Of
the commissioners employer as a guide for
their own betting, would form flying wedges
and keep right after him. remember on
one occasion a commissioner for a heavy
plunger was making 500 bets UP and down
the line of bookmakers on an s-to-1 shot In
the third race. When he had nearly COM
pleted his tour he suddenly turned upon
the fellows close behind him. and with an
| expression of the deepest scorn he said:
| Why don't you fellers go an spin tops or
play marbles an let a respectable gent
alone? The next Teller that steps on my
heel will get black eye. Now. clean out.
all of your And thus adjured. the humble
followers fell away without a word. Most
| Of them imagined they had already found
out what the commissioners employer was
| playing in the race. and they proceeded to
get down their little 81 and 81 wagers on
the Stool shot.
RATHER A MEAN TRICK.
We'll no sooner had they disappeared
| than the commissioner began making a
second tour Of the bookmakers line. and
this time he made the rounds TO bet $500 at
clip on the favorite In the race at odds OF
| two to one. His operations In the 500
amounts had been made. as learned after
ward, according 10 instructions with the
| idea OF making a better price on the favor
tie. the betting at first having been even
money. The favorite won. and the fellows
who had followed the commissioner on his
! first tour were pretty sick lot II seemed
to me a pretty mean thing for a man with
plenty OF money 10 deliberately go TO work
| and cause a crowd Of poor chaps TO lose
| their hard-earned silver dollars But most
| OF the big plunger's commissioners hate 20
be followed about by men who want 60 dis
| cover the plunger's choices, and these con-