The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-17
WILL LIMIT TRACK BETTING.
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but tickets are not given out. A stranger
may proffer cash and he will then get a
cash settlement, but the regulars bet on
their word, and the settling day for all
wagers, give or take, is on the following
Monday. On that day a winner expects
to receive a check from the bookmaker,
and he must pay up on the same day any
Losses. 4 defaulter is posted at latter
Ready money bookmaking iourishes
mainly in the field at English racecourses
and it Ia always a fair chance that the layer
of the odds will welsh on a losing bet. AS a
proof of their probity and to attract trade,
the most reliable cash bookmakers wear
sensational looking suits and occupy at
each racecourse the same pitch" The
member of betting clubs pay a fee for ad-
mission to the club stand and Enclosure
The fee is usually five pounds for the meet
ing and it is not unusual for a racegoer to
belong to three or -four such clubs, which
adds a considerable item to the race ex-
penses of the season. The bookmakers
of a club, in case Of a dispute with a GUS
toner, have the right to summon him be-
fore the stewards of the meeting for q
hearing on the evidence. To this extent
the English Jockey Club recognizes betting
and it is a step further than our Jockey
Club goes.
You can say that the Jockey Club in
tends to make 10 impossible for minors,
young clerks, women and men who are in
poor circumstances to indulge III specula-
ton - said a man close to the racing gov
emors, yesterday. while no written
agreement exists, there is a distinct under
standing between the Jockey Club and the
organization of which DIR. Slicer is a mem
Der to discourage racetrack gambling
both in the poolTooms and at the track. In
return for these promises, made in good
faith, the religious societies. convinced
that the poolrooms would he greatly bene-
flied by the passage of the Cassidy-Lansing
bill. have withdrawn their support.
1T ia perhaps an odd feature OF this
crusade that three of the strongest advo-
Gates Of the bill do not live in this State.
Anthony Comstock is a resident Of New
Jersey. the Rev. Wilbur F. Crafts lives in
Pennsylvania and the Rev. Mr.. Gregg halls
from Spokane.
And that reminds me that Comstock
recently said that il he should sit astride of
ing a bet inside would be protected by law,
while his right hand, placing a wager out
side. would be guilty of q felony. Suppose
Comstock stood in his front door with one
foot outside and the other foot inside and
then proceeded to take of his clothing!
conduct while his left hand would be free
from prosecution! 1t is a parallel case.
There are many cases governed by the
laws in this State which make it illegal
to do certain things in one place while it
is legal in others. For instance, laundries
are prohibited from doing bushes within a
certain locality after 10 P. NJ. though not
SO prohibited elsewhere. A game Of cards
for pure fun is illegal in a house Of worship,
! but not outside Of such a building. 1t is
illegal to hold any kind of a race between
animals within one mile Of a court house,
but not elsewhere, and so on. The Court
of Appeals has upheld the Percy Gray law,
just on such lines, so that Comstook's argu-
ment does not hold water"
The Rev. DIR. Slicer said yesterday:
Il believe that a mar has as much right
to own a racehorse as a yacht, consequently
/ do not oppose racing. | do not believe
in betting. but at the same time l cannot
see how IL can be abolished. The Jockey
Club can restrict il, however. AS | have
received assurance and as l am convinced
that evil influences are at work in favor Of
| the anti-betting bill, | ma We decided to with
draw my support. l think you will find
that the Jockey Club will institute many
reforms this year which, will make betting
a much more difficult matter than ever
before"
DIR. Slicer and about thirty other citizens,
including Edward X. Hewitt, son q eX-
Mayor Hewitt; William Herbert, Francis
G. Lloyd. F, H. Brooks, F. A. Baker, Emer-
son Foote, put their names to the following
communication which was sent TO the
Legislature the other day:
After careful consideration of the Cassidy
Lansing bill, now pending in the lie gislature
in this state, we are of opinion that although
the bill is from mlsapprehen siOn advocated
by some worthy people, IL is not, as claimed,
aimed at gambling. but derives lis origin and
main support from evil sources in the city of
New York. and that its passage would be most
injurious. if not disastrous, to public morals,
We do not by this position wish TO be under
stood as indorsing or approving OF betting
on the racet rae ks or eisew here, but We are
of the opinion that the evil OF betting is to
be reached by attempts to repress and limit
and control il within bounds rather than by
any general scheme Of SURPRISING it. and
that ANYTHING like the present meas sure would
| operate to cause the evil TO manifest itself
in a much more fla grant, prejudicial and
injurious form.
Moreover, We have received the satisfactory
assurance from the gentlemen responsible
for the conduct Of racing in this State that
they will cooperate not only in discouraging
the spread of gambling in its most injurious
forms In cities. but also will do what may lie
in their power TO restrict the evils OF betting
generally.
1t is, in our opinion. difficult to empha size
too much the benefit 10 the community that
may result from the cooperation Of these
| RtIlltIl'lr ~ " 'i "a in'N W. btfn
conducting racing under the laws of this
State, upheld by the courts as within the
spirit as well as the letter Of the Constitution.
Because we feel that any such experiment.
az is now proposed would lead TO injurious
results. we prefer to see the conditions re-
main as they are. under the control of men
for whom the community has full respect,
and who, in the assurance referred TO above.
have given additional evidence that they are
| entitled to this respect, rather than TO have
these cond ton changed at the instance OF
unworthy or worthy people.
We are of opinion that racing. as is true
OF other kinds of business or industry. has its
attendant evils, and that betting is one Of
those which attend racing. The whole sub
ject, how ever. must be looked at not. abso-
lutely, but relatively. 1t having been found
by experience impossible to wholly suppress
these evils, prominent writer's and citizens Of
the community generally have wisely con-
cl,ded that the more judlcious course il TO