The Washington herald., 1909-01-16

Havana. Jan. 1s--Twenty years from
now Havana viii have Lao0.0e0 people. It
wiz be the Paris Of the Western world,
the Monte Carlo Of the United States, the
playground Of the Americas
So declared a wise American business
man. who made his millions in Pittsburg-
but who does not gamble, who has never
owned a race horse, and who hasn't any
property in Cuba. The enthusiasts who
do gamble and own race horses and Gu
ban property in6orse his statement, with
the exception Of the twenty-year limita-
ion Barring the million people, they say
Havana viii be all these things within
FIVE years
Encouragement Of gambling was one OF
the chief campaign assets Of the Liberal
party which elected Gen Gomez Presi-
dent When the new government comes
into power on January =. one Of its first
actions viii be 10 re-establish the gov
eminent lottery. Cock fighting viii be
restored TO the category OF legalized
sports. Bull fighting may be rehabiIitated
later on Racing is already here JJ
slai is a most exciting gambling game
me opening Of palatial casinos is
within the range OF immediate possibili-
ties. and baseball IN Cuba is already a
betting game.
The President Of Cuba wishes TO become
in America what the Prince OF Monaco IS
IN Europe. the official governmental guar
dian Of genteeI gambling The Latin has
no conception Of that Puritan conscience
which has permeated all the American
Union. and which looks with stern dis
approval upon the game Of chance The
Cuban has forgiven Spain for shooting
his patriots and starving his mother &c
death IN a reconcenUadO camp. but he
can never forgive the United States for
aboiishing the lottery and placing the
cock fight beyond the pale Of the law
Now that the United States Is again 10
withdraw from Cuba, and the new gov
eminent IS to be Liberal" Havana hopes
10 make The most OF its broad-minded
Iberality.
Open gambling is a thing Of the past
N the United States, with the exception
OF few cities Of the mountain section
Of the West and such millionaire resorts
IS Newport and Palm Beach. Racing.
the sport OF kings" has fallen under
the ban Of the Puritan conscience fl
The States. and every hOrseman VIII ad-
nit that the game is dead in America.
Immediately after the passage Of the
law which killed horse racing in New
York the great turf kings began 10 look
Tor foreign fields Many went 20 Europe
but Mexico Argentina, Cuba, ard even
venezuela. attracted attention. That
save the Havana promoters their cue
They would make Havana the great
racing town Of the United States. wheth-
ct the American flag foated over itq
forts OF not
Havana Is close 10 New York, not half
as far away as san Francisco. It's
climate IS ideal for winter racing. The
meeting held this winter was not great
success. as race meetings. 60. but there
vas a Saratoga atmosphere about the
hotels that bespoke the presence Of the
talent in gOOdly number Next winter
there viii be a government anxious 10
encourage racing. there probably viii be
-ational and municipal subsidies for the
encourageuent Of the breeding OF Thor
7ughbred horses and the city OF Hay.
m viii loom large on the sporting map.
II. IN addition 10 racing, Havana can
1rnisR the attraction Of clubs" where
re can take his chance at anything
ION craps 10 baccaraL the iai alai
functions" the government lottery. the
~3cking mains, and a good game Of
37sebaI. with a betting ring attached.
viz il not appeal 20 the heart OF him
who fees from the wrath Of the aroused
Puritan Conscience2 IF Gov. Hughes
and Gov. Folk, and the Others reforue-s
ave sewed things up so that q man
an not get his money down IN the
states, VIII not the Hon. A Mutt. esq
let sail for Havana?
Havana thinks he VIII. and Il is max
ing every preparation 10 receive hin,
>indly. absorb his loose change. give
lin some action for his money and
lle1 tender him the use Of the munici-
ral banana patch for subsistence The
2inana patch IS happy thought. for
i must be borne in mind that il * ali
solutely impossible 70 walk back home
rom Havana without getting ones feet
very, very damp.
The success OF the horse racing game
IN Havana VIII be measured By the
amount OF patronage from the United
states. The Cuban IS a born gambler
Ike all his Latin-American cousins. but
ne is a gambler on sentiment. He has
neither the patience nor the disposition.
10 figure out the dope sheets" He does
not care anything about form He
bets on his feelings. That variety Of
gambling does not prosper al the race
track The racing game lives on 1bs
people who apply arithmetic. algebra
spherical trigOnomeuy. and intregs1 cal
culus 20 the form sheet. They figure o,rr
exactly which horse VIII win +, the
fourth race They hack their Judgment
with their money II the horse does noe
WIN the dopester never finds fault vvftb
his system Il was the jockey or The CON
clifton OF the track, OF the presenca. ~ q
cross-eyed man in the betting ring
which put the plans agfee The to
dopester never questions his msfba-
mates
The Cuban bets on the horse Nth -.
pleasing name, on the Jockey vrirb tto
pleasing cOlOrs. or on the bo-ea y-bf-,,
the companions Of the moment consi5s-
sure loser At jai alai he bets ~, bis
iavorite team without regard 10 for-, or
condition. At that game he gets action
for his money, and If he loses he fs recon
ciled. The races are not Suf7cienfly ex-
citing. and he doesn't patronize them
regularly.
Inc lottery appeals 10 him because Il
affords q chance 70 get a great return for
a very small outlay. The odds are AGAINST
him in the drawing. but he thinks onIv
Of the difference between The grand cant
tai prize and the Price Of a ticket. The
~ lot 10