The Washington herald., 1908-03-23
MENACE TO COMMUNITY.
hace-traek Gambling a Blight Upon
the National Capital.

the NATIONAL tapisat.
From the Washington EEening sssr.
II the advocates Of race-track gambling
in this District sincerely believe that there
Is no strong public sentiment against that
evil they are sadly In error The Capt.
tai eommTnity has had enough az this
demor>;Tzing form OF money-wasting. and
IS az present only in doubt-where doubt
exisrs-as 10 what steps are required un-
der the law 10 put an end to it quickly
and surely.
washingtonians are in the main op-
posed TO the Benning gambling for two
reasons. They deplore the demoralizing
effect Of the sem:-annual opportunity for
unlimited betting offered 70 the youth Of
the District. and they have abundant evil
dence that this twice-yearly indulgence
costs the local merchants heavily. The
records OF the courts bear dlstres~jngly
convincing witness 10 the former fact.
while the books Of the business men
shoE heavy losses resulting from the
March and November betting OF their
customers
It Is claimed that the race-track people
who thrive on the betting almost ex-
clusivcly. bring large sums Of money 70
Washington and spend most Of il here.
AMI that. therefore. it is to Washington s
interest TO allow the game 70 be played
al Benning without stint. This is a
shameful argument. If sound. But il is
neither sound nor worthy. II is untrue
that tie race-track fraternity spend here
more than they take away. In the au-
tumn they carry Of 10 New Orleans the
greater part OF the money that has been
dropped by the local victims Of their
carefully devised system Of odds. ard in
the spring they take to New York the
bulk OF the betting funds Of the District.
What they spend here in hotel bills and
high living during the six weeks Of their
stay IS only small percentage Of what
they take from the patrons OF their books
at Benn.ag.
But whatever the fact may be in this
regard. the demoralizing influence Of the
betting ring remains. a vicious thing. 20
be attacked by every Washingtonian who
believes IN right living and who deplores
the evil tendencies OF a certain class Of
tie younger citizens. How many times
have the news columns Of the local pa
pers tcld this distressing tale Robbed
his employer; trusted clerk-cashier. man
ager. secretary. messenger. through a
wide range OF subordinate relationships
owes his downfall 20 the bookmakers:
started 10 bet in small way and plunged
deeply when the luck broke against him,
II is an old. old story Of small begin
nings and bad endings. When the com
munity turned against the handbook evil
last summer. after the fall Of an employee
OF the police department traceabie direct
ly 10 this evil. and the gratifying result
was scored Of the practical elimination
Of that system OF betting. il was esti-
mated that not only had a large sum OF
money been saved for expenditure in
legitimate trade, but scores Of young meg
had been rescued from a grave potentia,
peril Yet as the law now stands inter
/ preted. the real root Of the evil remains
and until the statute Is amended. &c
carry the prohibition against gambling q
the boundaries OF the District. il vii
/ continue as a menace 10 the moral and
the commercial health OF the community