The sun., 1908-05-10
ANTI.BUTTING VAR IN JAPAN
GOVERNMENT TRYING TO STOP
WAGERS on HORSE RACES.

ImprOVing the Breed Of Horses In the Land
Of tho MikadO Not an Easy Proposition
- It STANDS The Proposal Now 20
Prevent Gambling In Clubs--The Rules,
Turning from the recent defeat Of the
Legislature OF the Hart-Agnew anti-raoe-
track gambling bills, Gov Hughes may
hnd consolation or preoept, as he chooses,
In the effort that Il now being made by
the Government Of Japan to prohibit the
particular form Of amusement which the
Senate Of New York State ha5 refused
to interfere with.
Horse racing is one Of the luxures OF
Western civilization which we're intro
duoed into Japan along with 10 inch krupps,
Scotch Whiskey and plug hats. The Jap
anese, ever amenable to Occidental teach
ings, learned 10 appreciate the pleasures OF
betting on horse races as quickly and as
thoroughly as they sohooled themselves
in the use Of the guns.
A raoecourBe was purchased outside OF
Yokohama by a mixed jockey club OF
foreigners and sporting Japanese, the
beggas' guild Of Negishi original owners
Of the property, proRting greatly by the
transaction. Another jockey club was
formed at the southern port OF Kobe, and
regularly each year Chinese ponies and
Australian griifins began to be imported
by the various stable owners
At first books were made on the Japanese
tracks as on any other but the Government,
which instituted severe anti-gambling. laws
with the reconstruction Of feudal Japan
at the beginning Of the present Meiji era,
ruled that raoetrack gambling came within
the prohibition Of the law and for a season
the Negish course languished.
The Yokohama Club found a way to
continue improving the breed Of horses,
however; the breed then as now being sadly
in need Of improvement No bookmakers
we're allowed, but the club itself, acting as
boo okmaker, opened a betting ring.
Bets we're received only upon winners,
place and show being ignored. Under the
law as IL stood then the clubs actions we're
as privileged as the right Of the Yokohama
United Club 10 allow bridge games for stakes
In lie card room.
The curious compromise with the law
initiated by the promoters OF the Negishi
course made betting a tame game, but
possessing enough excitement TO please the
tired colonials Of the foreign port, Ac-
cording to the Negshi scheme one placed
his bet after scanning the position OF the
favorites on the board.
After the race the club officials figured
the percentage Of payment on the winner
according 10 the amount placed against
him, then after deducting a bankers per-
centage for its own benefit paid those who
had picked the winner out OF the field. II
one bet yen on a strong favorte he might
get S yen 50 sen back. There was no
chance for a killing The club couldn't
afford 10 risk II.
A bill ia now up before the Japanese Diet
proposing that the charters and bylaws OF
all clubs and other social organizations
throughout the land shall be open to the
scrutiny OF the Department OF Justice and
that clubs charters may be revoked upon
evidence being discovered OF gambling by
members In club property.
The Japanese anti-racetrack gambling
measure Ia meeting some opposition, hut
az the piker class there is small the
! fight against the measure ia being WaRed
| almost exclusively by the high collar sports
among the Japanese. The japan Aduer-
iiser, an American newspaper published
| In Yokohama, makes this comment on the
repressive measure initiated in the Diet:
NOW the Government OF Japan having
| immensely complicated its functions by
! going into the grocery and other businesses
would do we'll TO let the amusements Of the
people alone. at least for a period, and allow
! them TO be corrected, where they need cor.
| rection, by the only efficient process knowr
| the slow but sure method OF education
Not far from being an excerpt from the
public speeches OF Sen. g. or Senator Pat
rick McCarren, this