The Washington herald., 1908-03-24


BY an overwhelming majority the
House Of Representatives yesterday
afternoon passed a bill which VIII for
ever end betting on horse races in the
District Of Columbia. when concurred
in by the Senate and signed by the
President.
Thus on the first day or the spring
meeting at the Benning race track.
death blow is given to bOokmaking-
Not only VIII the ordinary, weli-known
kind Of bookmaking be affected, and
put out Of business. but the ''perambu-
lating- kind. the layers OF bets OF all
sorts. within or without the mile
limit wiz be forced TO seek other
haunts in their merry hunt for easy
money.
Representative Thetus w Sims. Of
Tennessee. With goodIy show CT gen
eraIshlp urged the passage. through q
reluctant and unresponsive District Com
mittee. but a willing House. an amend
ment TO a common street bin. which VIII
eneetua!ly blot out this gambling dis
grace.
To Mr. Sims belongs the credit He
won the tight alone, unaided, nay even
hindered by other members Of the House
District Committee. II was through his
grasping Of an opportunity which might
easily have been passed unnouced that
the amendment was inserted and that
Bennings fate is sealed.
Was ID as Bill.
The Sims amendment. attached 10 bin
providing for the widening OF Benning
road. is the same as that which was
introduced by Mr.. Sims as a bill. IN the
House last Friday. II provides that the
section Of the District code which per
mits gambling outside Of the mile limit
be amended 50 that booRmaking al any
place within the District be unlawful
The bin VIII now be taken 70 the Sen
ate, probably to-day, and VIII, as Is Gus
tOmary. be referred 10 the Committee on
the District Of Columbia As the bill is
Of urgent Importance. il is possible that
the Senate can take il up in a short
time. Senator GaHirger. chairman Of the
Senate Committee on the District hav-
ing expressed himself as in favor Of the
Sims amendment.
The bin san pass the Senate Just as
soon, broadly speaking. as the Senate
committee wishes il 10 pass, so that the
fate Of Benning may easily be placed in
the hands Of President Roosevelt in a
comparatively short time-lOng before
the present meet is over
Had No Easy Task.
Mr. Sims did not have an easy task
yesterday in forcing his amendment
through. Not that the House was op-
posed 10 IL. in fact. the vote Tor the
amendment brought out 20 ayes and only
Z noes-with scores not vOung-but the
District Committee. of which Mr.. Sims is
a member. and which is the natural place
from which good District legislation IS
expected. seemed to take but little inter
est in the amendment
Representative Kahn. of California put
the first obstacle in the way Of the pas
sage Of the amendment. The House. in
Committee Of the Whole. had. passed sew
erai unimportant District bills and had
come 10 the bill proposing TO widen Ben
nmg road The bill was read BY the
clerk and Mr.. Sims proposed the amend
ment give7 above.
Representative Kahn, a member Of the
District Committee on point Of order
defeated the amendment AIr- Kahn said
that personally he never bet on races. but
he believed. thai such an important meas
ure should be considered in the District
Committee for some time before presented
TO the House for passage
Mr.. Sims. IN reply. said that the Camp
bell bill. which aimed TO stop ali sorts OF
wagers. and which nobodyl ever believed
would pass. had been laid on the table by
the District Committee.
Said Il Is Needed.
Nr Sims said that his amendment IS
needed. and that through it the evil at
Benning can be eradicated. He said that
its object is not the elimination Of horse
racing, but the suppression OF gambling
on horse races.
Mr.. Kahn's point OF order. however, was
sustained No other member OF the House
District Committee spoke in advocacy OF
Mr. Sims amendment, not even Mr..
Continued on Page 2, Column 3.
American Beauties, the Finest Grown,
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