The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-25
MILLIONS BET
YEARLY ON RACES
ambling on Sport of Kings
Fast Becoming One of the
Great Evils of Country.

Il
rm is being bitterly assaiied, when rail-
bad manipulation of the kind practced
j E H. Hartman is being the subject
national legislation. when Wall street
under bitter fire ana the powers are
s wing to find a way to deal with Monte
brio, gambling on horse races mas
kached this year its highest figures IN
b. history of the game in the United
ates.
Never have sums so great been wagered
4 the tracks of New York. Washington,
I ew Orleans. Los Angeles and other
i aces v here law permits the public TO
4 separated from its dollar on the
lance of which horse shall finish first.
SThe figures are astounding. More
oney, three times as much, in fact, is
t on racing every year in this coun-
& as constitutes Uncle Sans 800, 10000
bid reserve.
srhree hundred million dollars every
ar. It is six times as much as con-
Tess felt necessary to vote to President
=cKinley to carry the Spanish war 10
<lccessful conclusion. OF this huge sum
n 600, 900 in round numbers makes up the
5ofit of the bookmakers, those who ham
l. betting at the tracks. and the pool
Tiers, who maintain rooms where the
ar public can lose its cash without the
<ne, trouble and expense of going to the
: ack where the races are being run.
Many States Prohibit Betting.
I In many states of the Union betting on
i e races has been prohibited, with the
suit that once prosperous tracks are
ting oVergrown with weeds. This is
5btably the case in places like New Jer-
+ ~, where the act of a legislature ended
&e career of the noted Gloucester track,
I'D IN Missouri where Governor Folk
s 1t an end to the gambling carnival.
but the fact that horses cannot race
"A state by no means stops gambling.
be telephone and telegraph are ever at
i e call of the professional gambler and
Pat public which is always ready to De
S victim.
It is safe to say. without trace of ex-
EgerattOn, that money was wagered on
e outcome of the suburban, Brooklyn
I'D Metropolitan handicaps in every
+ ate of the United States, and that after
lew York state, Illinois. a thousand
les away. wagered more money than
<ly OF its sister commemorative on who
4ould win these big events.
3DeSplte the often expressed admiration
the public for the noblest OF animals
T. horse-racing could not exist without
s mbling.
The public hears mainly of the big bet
rs. the men like James r. Keene, John
Gates, John A. Drake. the BelmOnts,
hitney, men who wager and lose a
inbred thousand dollars without so
UGH as changing color.
Where Real Harm Comes.
EBut these wOrld-famous gamesters are
&ally pikers compared TO some of the
Zhaller fry, who line the rails of the
<eld stands at the big tracks. Here are
&erks, mechanics and minor employees,
10. stirred by the heat of gaming, have
ked weeks wages. a months wages
Jmey that belongs to wives and chill
Ten. or cash perhaps fiIched or embez-
% from an employer on the chance that
that plunsinS mass of thOroughbreds
e one they have picked will manage to
rvive accidents, overcome his fleet riv-
ana land first.
3FherF are more than 1890 racing DAYS
season in this country. and 5000 600
missions are paid at the gate. Twenty
*OuSand men and bows. including own
;. trainers, breeders, jockeys. stable
Us and the army of betting men. devote
\ emselves directly to the racing game
e year round. The victims-those who
~ the freight. number about 500. 600.
Ehe percentage of bettors who are indie
'ndent and can afford to lose without
rious consequences is not one in a
&ousand.
4 Bookies' Profits Astounding.
I1ne profits of the bookmakers and pool-
Hers are astonishing Ordinarily they
IN into several hundred per cent. II is
#lthing for big New York firm of DooI-
& Hers to clear a hundred thousand dol
~ in the seven months of racing per-
tied in New York This is the net re-
II after cash has been paid for all ex-
Enses. including police protection. Per
Us the firm is made up of two or three
xen. which means anywhere from $50 600
4 $4,000 apiece for a few hours work
Iv-
#Fhis money comes from the people. the
Dor, those who have small chance of
ping ahead on their salaries, and who.
red by the hope Of quick returns. take a
Eance in that form of gambling. whose
vltable end is theft, embezzlement for
#ry, drunkenness. disloyalty to the wife
~ home, and. in extreme cases, even
&icide or murder