The sun., 1908-03-24
TO STOP BENNINGS BETTING
HOISE PASSES AMENDMENT TO
ENTEND GAMBLING LAW.

II the senate COncurs BOOkmakIng and
Betting at the Bennlngs Racetrack
VIII He PrOhibIted-It Extends Pres
ent Law to All Parts OF the District.
WASHINGTON, March 2s.-Should the
Senate concur in the action Of the House
to-day, betting on the Bennings racecourse
in this District will be prohibited. A bill
was before the committee OF the whole
authorizing the widening OF Bennlngs road
leading from the city limits TO the racetrack,
an improvement which the residents OF
that section have been urging, irrespective
OF the benefit it would be to attendants
Of the spring and fall race meetings.
Mr. Sims Of Tennessee, who Is keenly alive
to the moral interests Of the District,
moved 10 sdA Hncticn extending :" eN
parts OF the District the anti-betting and
anti-Rambling law which has applied for
some years to the cities Of Georgetown and
Washington and the territory within one
mile OF their limits The courts have con-
strued that law to be an auth orization oil
betting and bookmaking at the Bennings
track. rendering nugatory all the efforts oi
District officials to prevent IT,
Some facetious sparring took place on
the proposition, MIR. lands OF INDIANA,
who has "all kinds OF work for all kinds OF
! men," asked II the bet OF $1,000 that M
Sulzer had offered to Mr.. Mann 70 deter
mine which was entitled to be called father
OF the Bureau Of Corporations, President
Roosevelt 70 decide, would have been
violation Of the anu-gambling act.
Mr.. Sims did not reply categoricaly, out
went into q defence Of his proposition as a
measure really intended to protect the
| bookmakers. @They say he insisted,
that they are robbed down here by the
department clerks and Statesmen VINO lnleet
the race grounds. Only last iall mere was
a panic in New York and the secretary oi
! the Treasury was compelled 70 deposit
] large sums OF public moneys In the banks
! there 10 keep business going. certainly
| think il Ia our duty to protect these book
makers from being despolled by thelr
Asserfing thai he had never laid a wager
on a horserace in his life. Mr.. Kahn OF Cali.
fornla felt compelled TO raise point OF
order against the amendment onered oy
| Mr.. Sims. II was matter OF such serious @
imnortance. he said, that II should hrst
be fully considered by the committee on
the District Of Columbia
Mr. Sims conceded the validity OF the
noint but exposed committee secrets TO
he eItent of saving that the District COM
mittee had considered the proposition to
prohibit betting at Bennings as an inde-
PENDENT measure and had voted to lay y
on the table. As the bill TO widen the road
stood he had no objection to II and urged
M, Madden Of Illinois inquired II the
hill 10 widen the road would not be benefit
10 the Jockey Club, and ought It not there
fore to be defeatedf
Mr.. Sims thought not.
Mr. Niadden-Ah. then, the gentleman
recalls the objection TO the bedbug: Not
10 itself but TO It's internal methodof getting
a living. Laughter
The success Of the attempt 10 sidestep
the ti-gambling amendment on the point
of order proved TO be short lived. AZ the
proper stage Of parliamentary procee dings
| Mr.. Sims moved TO recommit the bill 10
the committee on the District, with in
! strIctions TO report 1t forthwith with the
prohibition against betting included In its
provisions. Against this only four votes
were counted and the original bill, with the
knock out to Bennings added, was accepted
by the House and passed.
Mr.. Bennett OF New York, who takes
much interest In this class Of legislation,
Immediately telegraphed Gov. Hughes that
righteousness had prevailed in the House.
He expects further that the Senate will
promptly agree TO the measure, thus shut
ting ont the book at the present
meeting. q