The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-27

able from the sport, but the moran
wave has assaihed even that form of
betting.
Great Profits of the Game.
Among the reforms instituted by
Ex-Governor Folk, of Missouri when
he took office, none was more import
ant than his suppression of gambling
at the tracks When the horse racing
fraternity threatened to open up again,
and give the bookmakers their old
time chance to get the public's money,
Governor Folk satirically remarked
that when the plan was put into exc
cution, he would help to swell the at
tendance by a regiment of soldiers.
The militant young leader of the
western state even called a speclal
session of the legislature to deal with
the problem.
In half the states of the Union, pool
sellingi is forbidden. New York, Penn
sylvania and New Jersey, which form
erly had famous racing tracks, now
have no chance to bet on the races
unless by stealth in some pool room or
by doing business on the sidewalk
with a handbook man.
reputation of being a wide-open town
the pool room is being fought to its
death by District Attorney Jerome
Only recently he made raid on the
headquarters of a pool-selling synd1-
cate, supported by men of standing IN
social and financial circles, and operat-.
ed by noted spOrtsmen. All the ma
terial and papers found in the house
were taken to the district attorneys
office, and among the documents were
slips which showed in one month
there was paid out of those who bet
a total of $1,O9S, 900. Other figures
showed that enough in excess of this
sum had been taken in to enable
syndicate to come out more than
| million ahead per month.
Naturally such enormous profits as
these are worth risking much for, and
that is why it will be a fight before
the business is finally suppressed. But
the aggressive prosecutor of the me-
tropolis, profiting by his experience
| in the Garfield gambling, has had laws
passed which enable him to bring
stringent punishment, not only on
proprietors. but those who play as
we'll, and it can be set down for fact
that pOol-selling on a large scale is
doomed in New York.
The experience on the Grand Cir
cult last fall when betting was so COM
pletely stopped in many cities as TO
make the trotting races scarcely worth
conducting, is another evidence of the
direction in which the tide is utrning.
Even poker, the great American ma
tional gambling game seems totter-
ing to its destruction, as does bridge
whist and euchre. Many states are
legislating them out of existence, and
none more sternly than some of those
in the west where once the game
f1ourished it's best.
Only recently gambling of any kind
was made a felony in the state Of
| Texas So strict are their laws in the
Lone Star state that it is even a mis-
| demeanor to play the most harmless
| game of cards in public.
Nor can the tourist, who is only
passing through the state on a rail-
road car, play little game to pass the
time away. Just as soon as the border
| line is passed, and the train is speed
ing over Texas soil, the conductor
makes an announcement that any one
who plays in Texas is likely to be
taken off at the first station and car
ried to prison.
Slot machines and policy, which
! formerly levied their tribute on the
pitifully thin purses of the poor, are
being sternly repressed in all the big
cities Frequent descents on saloons
and cigar stores are made and all the
. slot machines confiscated and burned
on a public lot What money is found
in them is: turned over to charity.
| Perhaps the first national movement
against gambling began when the
! Louisiana Lottery was suppressed,
and the house cleaning seems des-
| tined to continue until the game of
chance has been completely Wipedout