The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-24

] 1<%&-~-~%-%-4~-<~-%-~- ever much it is approved or disapproved, has never proven successful without | selling pools This privilege is granted 1 to men who make business of such 1 sport. and the money derived from such privilege is used as a medium in making 1 fair a success, both as regards att tendance and as a source of revenue to l pay the competitive premiums and eX- l penses of a fair
 The bill provides for a referendum vote of the people whether or not pool selling should be allowed as provided in the bill Would 1t not be proper to allow the people to express themselves by bal lot whether or not the law should be operative? Who should decide this ques- ton if not the people?
 Mr. cabaniss Speaks.
 At the conclusion of MT. Krebs' re- marks MT. Jackson asked b. H. Cabaniss to express his views. MT Cabaniss said he lad not expected to say anything but would do so In the beginning he said; 1 MT. Krebs is one of the most public spirited citizens in Birmingham, and l really believe he thinks he is right; how ever, do not think so. l would like to inquire why he is opposed to having a- pool selling law to apply for all the time, l instead of for ten days in the year. IT | it is a good thing, why not all the time? Most of us here remember the pool selling experience we had in 1895, and we'll recall 1 that nearly everyone protested against 1t, even the saloon men. Little boys on the streets told how they had bought pools, and fathers awoke to the fact that the ch.ldi CT were being educated to be gam 1 haId in he l fCuse and it was then determined to i have law passed to do away with the l evil"
 He then told about the drafting of a bill 1 to forbid pool selling. He remarked that MT. Krebs said it was impossible to have successful fair without racing ane impossible to have successful racing with out pool selling He gave IS . success ful fair" said MT. Cabanss, and every debt was paid. There wss no pool sell l ing either" The speaker continued for fifteen minutes, and closed by saying: "There may be some here who are willing l to coin tears from wiVas and mothers l into money, and haze his iniGultv put upon us again, but I dont think they are many and shtely they have not thought seriously of tAe great eYil'
 The Rev. J. D. Simpson was the next speaker. He was on his feet but few l minutes, saying ne nedflHN eHuoFSeu what MT. Cabaniss had said. He referred to MT. kreb's argument about horse breeding and said: Have we got to go out of the man business and go Into the horse business in this way to have fine horses? If we have to do this for such an end then we must still stick to the man business. If we can't have a fair without all this pool selling we can do without one.'
 TN ~ ft,4t. ooA and he spoke for twenty minutes. He said he always tried not to be extreme on any question but when he saw a disposi- ton to impose wrong on the community or state in which he lived he was ready to make a protest and give his reasons.
 Colonel Bush a Card Player.
 "In making defense of the provisions of this bill" said Col. Bush, "a card was recently published in a newspaper It was in defense of the people who wanted races and pool selling. and compared it with ladies playing In card games where prizes were offered, saying this was q l form of gambling. He had the audacity 1 10 put himself along on the same plane I With the respectable ladies of the city. 1 Card playing is no form of gambling. i When a man gambles he takes a risk, he loses or wins. Because some one invites guests to home and cards are played and prizes are competed for no one has a right to say 1t Is gambling. It is not gambling in any sense of the word. Cards are, l regret to say. instruments that are often used for gambling purposes. but i the worst forms of gambling are entirely | foreign to cards
 If this bill is approved by some be- 1 cause they think it will draw more mon- l ey here it Is the basest kind of commer- cailsm of which I know
 l The speaker then referred to the young men who were too weak to withstand l temptations, saying that 1t should not be pit before them. He further remarked that gambling seemed to be getting to be an issue in Birmingham. He said in this | come ction:
 Gambling is beginning to be an issue in Birmingham. Some one has said that a certain official was neglecting his busi- ness in leaving the city hall to raid so- called reading rooms when robberies were | going on while he was away. Between the two 1 would rather have the thief take away my coat and hat from my 1 house than to take the character of my 1 boy. Gambling simply ruins a man or a l boy, and we don't often see reformed l gamblers. The pool sellers will work on the boys until they have their last cent, and worse than that, until they have | taken manly character"
 The Rev W. L. Hendrix made a talk, speaking in strong terms in opposition to the pool measure. He said in part: q would like to stand in the legislature as | minister of the Gospel and plead | against this great evil. As a minister have one of the largest rights to talk and fight against 1t. l would rather make | men than millions
 | z. T. Rudulph then read the pending bill. as he had received copy from I Montgomery As he read 1t it did not l contain the amendments referred to by | MT. Krebs. Mir Krebs said he thought | it had been amended and if it had not been he was misinformed He was sure