The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-18
Remarkable Unanimity as to
Evil Effects of Book Making
on Turf Exchanges.
MANY STATES WILL NOT
TOLERATE SUCH THINGS
Pennsylvania Is Pioneer State
in Legislation Against
Betting.

A number Of the representative busii
ness men of Salt Lake and others In
torcsted in the discussion as to wheth-
er or not the gambling feature of book
making with horse racing is detrimental
to community interests, recently asked
The Tribune TO get an expression from
a number of enterprising American cit
les.
This has been done, and, of the num-
Der of mayors who have been addressed,
replies have been received from forty.
1t is somewhat surprising that out
of this number only one, the mayor or
Nashville, has good opinion of horse
racing with bookmaking.
1T seems that IN number Of cities
no objection is made to horse racing
except when there is the attending
bookmaking and gambling. In num-
Der of cities, however, even the game
itself is forbidden.
Excerpts from the letters in the pos
session of The Tribune, which are in"
teresting, follow:
Mayor james r. Hanna, Des Moines, Ia:
Horse Horse racing, with the attendant
l
good many years ago: 1t certainly
was a demoralizing influence for the
brief time that it was In existence
| here, and had no countenance from
the better part OF our public"
Mayor NJ B. Cullum, Duluth. Mimi:
| we are on no racing circuit, and
have very little racing. aside from
| the ordinary local matinee racing by
MAKING allowed. and where pre-
! ventable, no betting OF any kind.
Having no dealings with this ques-
| ton, can not give you an opinion
that would be at all valuable"
Mayor George =; Ellis. Grand Rapids,
| Mich: Nothing like that CrURt
EXCHANGEs; horse racing. and
Secretary TO Mayor, Cambridge. Mass. ;
| bridge, desires me to say that IN his
opinion derby rnces. wherein BOOK
| MAKING Is permitted. nre demoraliz-
his opinion, the mayor. of course,
| voices the sentiment Of most OF the
| people Of the commonwealth OF Mas
saehusetts: sac where strict laws LAWS are ,sno en-.
BOOK-MAkING Is permitted"
Mayor Emil Seidel. Milwaukee: 'I.et me
state that while We allow horse rae
ing, we do not allow any BOOK
County. BooK-MAkING is looked
upon as gambling. Even at the
church picnics no devices of any kind
ape aTG 10F IN Y yews on
ing: The vice of gambling is only
which we i've. Gambling is an at
tempt 10 get some other persons
money with the least possible ex-
penditure of effort. 1t is the same as
specializing in stocks or markets. II
is disease that will only then dis
appear when labor applied to natures
source OF wealth. Business for profit,
specializing and gambling are very
closely related to each other Neither
oil these are productive OF wealth.
All OF them spring from the desire to
get something for nothing, Taking
more than you give is immoral
Mayor ], Barry. Mahool Baltimore Nd:
You ask for my opinion as TO
there is BooK-MAuNG has a de-
and in reply desire to say that II
moralizing effect both in regard to
gambling as we'll the persons who
follow the horses. Both TURF EN-
CHANGES and horse racing for any
prize or sum OF money. or anything
of value. is prohibited In Baltimore
under II penalty OF $500 for each and
every offense.'
Secretary, to Mayor Robert F Maddox;
betting on races is against tho law
I'm Georgia"
Mayor James G. Riddlck OF Norfolk, Va:
Horse racing with BOOK MAKING
is not allowed In the state OF Fir-
Ginia. In my opinion 1t has q de-
lncralizing effect on any community
Mayor John M Woods. Somerville.
Mass: Horse racing with BOOK
MAKING is not permitted by our city
or county authorities. Massachusetts
laws are. very strict relative 10 such
matters.
Mayor James Logan. Worcester. Mass, |
Turf exchanges and horse racing |
with BOoK-MAKING is forbidden by |
law in this city and throughout the
state. In my opinion, II allowed, IL |
would have Il demoralizing effect"
M"yTc Tenn Hilary My viems Mo%Se cn the SAshwS raana
problem possibly differ with the views
S a0rg 5o OF the Of pfSpe tSe sa S sa
every every city IN Tennessee So far as
cHhSGEs in the the city iS OF I Nashville,
but speaking from personal stand
point, ] could never see any special
harm In horse racing. with BOOK
MAKING. ETC.
Cal; Our ordinance makes il un
lawful for any person to conduct or
assist In conducting the business OF
MAKING BOOKS or SELLING
POOLS on races or other contests. II
seems TO mo TO be unquestonable
that any sport that is conducted for
the purpose of gambling Is detrl-
mental to the community. While 1t
Is possible. 1t is improbable that u
sport conducted for that purpose VII
be honestly conducted. But. under
any circumstances, anything thai
tends To develop the love OF gambling
or 10 increase the desire 20 receive
something for nothing. is bad,
deem It Impossible 10 show any good
that can come from gambling"
Secretary to Mayor Fred A. Busse OF
Chicago TURF EXCHANGES and
horse racing are not permitted by our
city or county authorities"
Secretary to Mayor OF San Francisco
Cal; "BOOK-MAKING on the races
II