The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-24


REPRESENTATIVE It. w. SIMS,
Whose bill for widening Bennng road viii stop
boolInakine.
house was soaked and the veranda looked
uncomfortable AT any rate, there were
never more than dozen people in sight
about the place.
Costly Refreshments.
But If the weather hurt the races and
the pocketbooks Of the Washington pub
Tic. It did something for the Washington
Jockey Club, for II drove people who
were not betting under the cover OF the
grand stand. where the liquor counters
maintained by the Jockey Club are sta
toned. Here so that there may be no
doubt that the law is being obeyed, the
license of the Jockey Club is prominently
displayed. and here nimble bartenders
supply beer and several qualities of
whisky that make even race men blink
their eyes when they drink. at prices
that must make downtown saloon keep
ers who have no racing adjunct to their
places enviOus The Washington Jockey
Clubs prices are in many cases more
than double the regular prices.
II was a disgruntled lot of people that
filed away from the sloppy track after
the races last evening. The women look
ed tagged and bedraggled; the men looked
over their programmes and told each
other how nearly they had won. One
man. who had a drawn look about his
face. said:
NO one had a chance to win on such
track, and the odds those bOokmakers
give are fierce. / bet on six races and
nsver cashed a bet. needed the money.
too. / wish to heaven they'd keep those
id temptations out Of the way
And yet writer in the New York Morn
ing Telegraph that morning had written;
"All Washington, from the sOlons Of the
nation. who sit in the two wings Of the
Capitol and debate weighty affairs of
state, TO the humblest clerk in the Pen
sion Office. is anxious for the opening.
1.-The merchants and professional men
and the folk from the country round
about Washington will gather at Ben
ming tomorrow 10 snin the pleasant doors
OF the salt marshes of the north fork Of
the Potomac and see the thoroughbreds
run.
zone and all are glad mcfarland is
beaten.
Washington wants racing for several
reasons. There is a fine sportsman-iike
! sentiment among the people here. and
the races bring big sums of money into
the town. which is deadly dull except
when Congress Is in session. Congress
happens 10 be in session just now, but il
does not do business all the time"
Might Hurt Boobies
And another horseman who had feared
that. this being the National Capital. the
laws against gambling might be enforced
said that IL any move were made 70 stop
the professional gamblers from winning
the money of Westinghouse. "it might
be the beginning of a move that would re-
duce my $4,000 worth Of property to 5000
in value. I don't know whether the
theory is that l have no right to live.
or whether some are Of the opinion that
the universe should be regulated TO suit
the notions of a group, which IS very
small minority Of the whole. / don't
know exactly what 10 make OF IT. / have
been able TO get living out Of the raising
of horses. and racing them to advertise
my farm and stations never have made
a dollar that was not legitimate. My
wonder is what some of the Teformers
would think. if they should suddenly be
, legislated out OF Office. or what their opin-
ion would be II legislation were passed
which would reduce the value Of their
property by 90 per cent They would
call this a cold and meddlesome world. l
reckon, and make a Wry face at trying
the boot on to see how il fits
But the best thing that the bookmakers
say in defense of their nefarious calling
is that it brings big sums of money into
town" That was plain yesterday evening,
when the bookmakers' clerks stuffed away
huge bundles of Uncle Sans currency
! into their pockets and climbed into auto
nSabiles, on their way back to the city.
This is the money they bring into town;
but it is theirs now, when. as a matter
Of fact, most of it, toiled for by
heads Of families, should have been spent
with local merchants for household neces-
stiles
The money that is brought to town by
, the boOkmakers Is what a few of the
: hotels get for necessary accommodations.
and ii is a grave question whether even
Z this sum is sufficient to repay the hotels
. which accept 1t for the annoyance OF
these loud-talking and loudly dressed men
VIM 4iiOHe uAC Holcl iODDleS ana Tor uRe
u presence OF the strange females who
S gather wherever the races are held.
n But the bookmakers were jubilant last
@ night. They had had a good day. The
\ yellow mud through which the scrawny
: horses had to stagger for their behooi
? had affected them not at all. The public
the Washington public-had proved q
: bad guesser, and the District Of Columbia
. police. ignoring the fact that more police
are wanted in the city, were out there III
, force 20 see that no obstreperous victim
= created a disturbance. Also, the band
: had played and Uncle Sans marine had
{ given the signal for the revels to begin
" Well might the bookmakers have believed
" that they were favorites of fortune, back
. ed by the Washington Jockey Club anC
= above and beyond the law,