The Washington herald., 1908-04-01

Forty-eight hours more will see the bill
to widen the Benning road. carrying the
Sims amendment TO kin gambling at the
Benning race track. ready for the Senate,
and the hnal bout in the fight to eliminate
the race-track gambler from the National
Capital begun-to be ended by the afirma-
tive vote of that body.
The subcommittee on streets and ave-
nues Of the Senate District Committee
viii have meeting tomorrow. according
to the plans Of its chairman. Senator
Carter, Of Montana, and the bin will be
ordered reported to the District Commit
tee with the recommendation that It be
reported TO the Senate for passage.
Senator Carter had a brief conversation
with Senator Martin. OF Virginia. yester-
day. and the former said last night that
he would call meeting Of the subcom-
mittee tomorrow. The meeting would be
called to-day IL an important meeting OF
the Committee on Foreign Relations had
not been set 70 consider the Venezuelan
situation. Senator Carter is a member
Of that committee. and he viii be occu-
pied at its session all the morning. so that
be could not attend a meeting Of the sub
committee.
Three VIII Make Report.
Besides Senator Garter. those who viii
be present at the meeting tomorrow viii
be Senator Burkett Of Nebraska. and
Senator Martin. Ii will be found that the
last-named Senator viii, at that meeting.
give abundant evidence that the inslnua-
tons spread by the gambling element
that he would prove their friend in the
subcommittee and the District Committee
are baseless. The Old Dominion is among
the States which have abolished race
track gambling which fact. were his
wn attitude not opposed 10 this demoral-
ing trade, would be sufficient to deter
7mine his stand upon the question OF
eliminating the bookmaker and his trail
Of Generalization from the District OF
Columbia. where NE holds daily sway
within few miles of the Capitol itself.
Senator Burkett has been doing yeo-
man service for the Sims amendment for
several days When the bill is reported
TO the Senate from the District Com
mittee. either on Friday or Monday. there
will be little ceremony about passing il.
once it reaches the floor il will 20
| through ike creased lightning.
Little Discussion Expected.
That Senator GaIlinger does not expect
the bin to be discussed TO any extent
after it reaches the District Committee
at the meeting on Friday is sufficiently
certified by the fact that the chairman
Of the District Committee has called a
meeting OF the conferees on the Union
Station trackage bill for that afternoon.
The District Committee will meet in the
morning. and as other District matters
are pending. if there were much chance
Of extended conference over giving the
knockout blow TO the race-track gamblers
the day would not be made burdensome
by a conference on the track bill. which
is likely TO consume the entire afternoon.
On the contrary, Senator Gallinger is
satisfied that the anti-gambling measure
will 20 through the committee as rapidly
as it will go through the Senate Every
member Of the committee has fully made
UP his mind on it. and all that remains to
be done at the meeting on Friday will
simply be to cast the votes. There will be
none in the negative.
Quorum VIII BE Present.
The boOkmakers are doubtless hoping
that the condition which prevailed in the
committee last Friday. when It was i'm
possible to secure a quorum, Will be re-
peated this week. There is no danger on
that score.
There are eleven members OF the COM
mittee in Washington. and ten of them
are able and willing 10 attend the meet
ing Senator Hansbrough, the remaining
member. is still confined to his apartment
by illness. None of the Senators on the
committee has any present intention Of
leaving the city before Friday. and-it
takes only seven TO make a quorum OF
the committee.
Hope springs eternal in the breast even
of a race-track gambler, but any hope
based on the belief that the present week
will not be the last in the history Of
legalized gambling in the District of Co
lumbia is built on the sand of miscOn-
ception, not on the rock of good judg-
ment and ability to read the signs Of the