The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1905-02-10
THE BREEDERS LAW.
Governor Folk Issues Special Message
Urging Its Amendment so as 10
Eradicate the Gambling
Features.

N''''i'NN TWIN N'illtNNF'l
message to the Legislature Tuesday
urging the amendment OF the so.called
breeders law $50 as to eliminate the
licensing of gambling by the State. "
The alleged purpose OF the law is to
encourage the breeding Of fine horses,
especially racing aud trotting stock,
aud has its supporters largely among
breeders Of this class Of stock and 9th
crs interested in race tracks and fairs
"Thc law forbids under pcnslty the
selling of pools (bcIting) on horse rae
ing except within certain Enclosures.
where it is permitted for fee that
goes to maintain the State Fair at Sc.
dala;' aud the Governor SAYS that,
in his opinion, "As far rs the law goes
in the direction OF cradicating pool.
selling it is good, but it does not 90
far enough. Ii pool selling is an evil
thing it should not be permitted at all.
Certainly the law should not sanction
such a practice, and by licensing it
make the State a partner in iniquty.
"Strippci Of all useless ycrbiagc, E"
SAY. the Governor, "this act lcyics trib.
ute On gambling on the result OF horse
racing; in this rrspcc! it is ndrfen,i-
bic from any moral standpoint. II it
be insisted that men will gamble any
way, and that the State may a, well
profit by their lust for the game, it
could with equal force be argued that
men will Kill, aud, therefore, the State
should license murder in certain form,
and in certain places, 80 as to profit by
this weak less of mankind. =
"lf it Dr. said that the licensing of
gambling is justiiabic when the pro.
coed, Of the license 90 to maintain II
worthy institution, the answer is, The
State OF Missouri is wealthy enough to
support adequately the State Fair with.
out making it owe it, existence to the
licensing OF practice that dcgrades
the youth aud polIulrs the morals OF
men
Ill il bc right to maintain one insli-
tuition by the licensing of wrong, the
same principle would justify the sup.
port OF all State institutions, aud even
the state Government, from the fruit,
OF lrgalIzcd crime. The Government
OF Monte Carlo draws its sustenanct
from the licensing OF the gaming table,
but such an idea Is abhorrcnt to every
true Mlssourau
ali it would be wrong to support
the State Government by putting d
price on evil, it is wrong to maintain
any public institution 10y such means
aud 1t is wrong to license gambling al
Alls ! HlN - NV WV hNllldlu VI u lltU
lied morality, but Of sound and heal.
thy public sentiment that will not tol.
crate the State sharing in the profits q,
vicious practices.
alt must be kept in mind, however
that the repeal OF the breeders law il
its entirety, without rnuCting an anti
pool-selling law in it place, would opcr
the doors OF opportunity for pooroom,
to run unrestraIncd recommend
that the law he amended by striking
out the license features, or, If repealed
altogether, that another law be enact
ed in its stead prohibiting pool-ScIling
anywhere in the State on races TO be-
run either within or without the State.
"'ln order that the State Fair may
not suffer by losing the revenue from
This source, recommend that an
amount equal to the income now de
rived by the fair from the licensing of
poo-seling be appropriated for the
maintenance of the State Fair II the
State Fair is good thing, as | believe
it to be, it is too good to be dependent
upon the licensing Of the human pas
sion for games OF chance