Evening star., 1907-07-28
The Handbook Will Go.

Twelve week days ago, when The Stars
campaign against the handbooks wss in
augurated, it was as easy to make a bet
In Washington on race in any part of he
country as 1t was to buy n meal The
handbook men were prosperous ana their
business was fiourshng. They fancied
themselves secure from interference by
the police and from Interruption through
any awakening of long dormant public
sentiment.
Today the handbook men are on the run.
1t Is as hard to get a bet down-tbough
not yet imposslble-as It is to get a drink
on the Conduit road with Marshal Collins
on duty. and the pikers and the makers
of small books and big books are hunting
cover. Many of them have let town and
others have about decided that change
Of air will do them good.
All Forces United.
Spurred by public sentiment TIE police
department is busy: the district attorney
Office is actively In the fight and the Police
Court judge who will try tn, handbook
eases has announced that Jail sentences
will be metad out to convicted offenders
One week ago yesterday saw the close OF
the fourth day of The Stars determined
fight against the handbook busin ass in the
District of Columbia. Up to that time Il had
not been possible to create renewed activ-
ity on the part of the police department.
in the effort TO arrest yiolators OF the pool
selling law. Prosecuting Attorney Given
had announced his decision to require an
| increase of collateral from persons charged
with bookmaking from 500 TO $1,000 Judge
kimball had reiterated his statement that
jail sentences would be imposed instead of
District al l,ad
ised vigorous prosecution OF offenders
The District Commissioners and the clergy
men of Washington had expressed thzir
sympathy with earnest support OF tn.
anti-gambling movement, and the book
makers had started to run for cover
Developments Of the Week
The week just closed has seen day by day
developments in the campaign along the
desired lines. Early In the week business
men of Washington. either pub. ely or pri-
Vately assured The Star OF Their earnest
support in the war on the petty gamblers.
These expressions of opinion did rot come
from any one section of the business COM
munity. Men of all trades and OF all pro-
fessions We're represented in the army of
cO-workers who promised cooperation and
support. This new clement has proved to
IL
representative business men stated in plain
terms what they had found to bc the inevi-
table effect of betting upon the trade and
c dit tone of tht Natl, n.tl c ii /. - strust.
bad debts and slow collections among tho
handbook patrons were but few of the
evils they mentioned being attendant
upon gambling on the races as II has beea
carried on here in Washington.
Then the excise board stepped III and
made Itself an important factor in the cam
paign by announcing that in the future
saloon keepers whose places were known To
the police as clearing houses for the gam
biers would be refused licenses TO conduct
their business Last Tuesday the hartman
of the excise board wen; squarely on record
TO this effect, and during the past week the
reports of the police on apr lcations for
licenses by salooIkc ccpccrs mad during fhs
past four years have been gone over In or
olr 10 ASCERTAIN the natG-y ~ LOS wnus.s