The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-18
SPORTS AND GAMBLING.

St'thIS AND taNBIfNG
With the opening OF the horse-racng season
throughout the United States serious discussion
Of bookmakng and the bookmaker has come up
again In all the States except one, where the
bookmaker has been banished the laws have
oeen approved and in several instances strength
ened SO as TO make it impossible for these moral
lepers TO reattach themselves to society. That
one is Virginia.
In New York the cry for the repeal of the anti
gambling laws has been directed toward deaf
ears. The legislators and the people know how
much better the Empire State is without the
bookmaker aud the laws viii stand. despite the
protest OF the racing associations to the effect
that the sport of kings has been ruined. Cover
nor shafroth, of Colorado, has just vetoed bill
permitting boxing and racing in that state. In
doing he said: Il regard this bin as in viola
ton Of the Constitution and moral law and
want TO say that if you pass it over my veto
will never appoint Racing Commission such
as It provides for, until am compelled to do so
or a writ of nGudanlmS issued by the highest
court of the land. Ii has been recognized for
years that the effort by gamblers to get some
thing for nothing is the greatest destroyer OF
the moral sense known TO man"
There are on the statute books Of Virginia laws
which absolutely prohibit bookmaking on horse
races in this State. yet that law like the law
which protects the primary in the Old Domin-
ion, has been totally ignored In Norfolk county.
Governor Mann has taken as firm stand against
racetrack gambling as Governor shatfroth. but
he law is not enforced IN Virginia, Governor
Shafroth is combating a Legislature which IA
sors boxing and racing, and the latter is almost
invariably followed BY beokmaking In Virgin
IA. however. the people agree with Governor
Mann, except a Iawless element In Norfolk and
Norfolk county. Neither Governor Mann nor
Governor shsffroth is opposed to the testing Of
the proves and speed OF thoroughbred horses
an courses. Both of them probably enjoy
horse race far more than the bookmakers. be
cause their interest Is in the horse and not In
the cash ventured on the result. Bookmaking Ia
not essential to racing. Any sport that ia de-
pendent upon gambling for it's life should be
abolished.
Speaking Of the comment by the press OF vir
ynia on the non-enforeement of the anti.book.
making law In Norfolk, the Vtrgintan-PiGot has
this to say:
incidentally, IT may be added that the very
practices which. when INDUCED in at the
jamestown track are characterized by the Rich
mond papers as 'debauchery Of the state were
reported to be pursued considerable scale
at the Richmond State Fair last fall. We do re-
all, however. that one OF them intmated that
effort would be made to revoke the charter
Of that corporation. as eTectual means Of
stopping the gambling or that any of the news
papers Of the capital city were particularly for
ward in protesting against the practice. What's
the answer
While 1t ia true that bookmaking did exist at
the last State Fair. and prevailed at previous
ones. II was not Sanctioned known of, oounte-
nanced or licensed by the State Fair of1cals,
and we quote their exact language. The Richmond
Vtrgan1an called the attention OF the State Fair
officials to the fact that bookmaking was being
done on the Fair Grounds. and vas assured by
them that the bookmakers had no agreement
whatsoever with them and that the officials did
not know of their existence. The officials de
clared their purpose to do everything in their
power to elevate the tone of the State Fair and
eliminate all Objectionable features. The book
makers at the State Fair were secretive outlaws
They operated in semi-darkness under the grand
stand, while those In Norfolk have operated In
the open. The not parallel by any
means. and even II they were, this would be nc
excuse for licensing violations OF the law in Nor
folk
Let have clean sport. but without gambling
DIFFERENCES IN THE STRIPPING CASE
News the effect that Governor Brown, O
Georgia. may refuse to pardon Edgar Stripping
erstwhffe chief or police OF Danviile under th'
name of r. F.. Morris. comes as a complete sur
prise In view Of the unanimous recommendation