The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-05-02
INSULTS THEIR INTELLIGENCE
To Bride People OF f1ohos
Into Legalirin& Race Track
Gambling

Tallahassee, May 2.-Senator sloan.
uthor Of the race track bill. says tnat
ne impression which seems 10 prevail
n the minds Of some. that the passage
( the anti-gambling measure known
: the race track bill. would prohibit
lorse. automobile. bicycle and otner
kinds of racing. is an entirely mistak-
N idea. The bill seeks TO prohibit
rambling only. Persons may run their
lorses. or race. in or on their machlnes
if they so desire
The proposition" said Mr.. Sloan.
TO buy the privilege Of operating a
great gambling mill in this state. by
running in connection with il state II
fair i ridiculous 1t is an insult TO II
the Intelligence and morality of the |
and the state. In the hrSt |
place il would advertise Us as an i'm !
moral community, an undesirable place
for good people 10 live and bring up
their children. The best people in our
stated most of them. for We have
population largely moraD even those
not Christians, would not support with
their products, influence, or presence
a fair run in connection with gamol-
ing institution. So, whatever advertlS-
ing we might receive from. such an en-
terprise would hurt rather than help
Attracts Undesirable Glass
"A large proportion of those who
would be attracted TO this state would
be Of the tough and undesirable ele-
ment, as il is an unquestloned ract thal
of those who frequent the race tracks
this class largely predominates, class
undesirable either as visitors or as cit
liens But those who are trying TO pur-
chase legislative influence in this way
are not concerned for the well being OF
our state. their only purpose being to
! secure legislative permission TO con-
tinue the gold mine which they nave
! in this racing proposition. II Is well
known fact that one of the chlef
causes for failure of the state fair at
Tampa was race track and other forms
of gambling. and 1 dare say that so
long as this is permitted in our state
no fair proposition can succeed. The
idea of contracting with a gambling
institution which tends TO corrupt ev-
erything and everyone with which II
comes in contact TO advertise our
state would be an everlasting disgrace
10 our people. nine-tenths, dare say. or
possibly a larger per cent of whom are
praying for relief. II was bad enough
| for our Legislature years ago wher
possibly few. if any, OF them fully
t realized what il meant. to make posi-
BILE by Legislative enactment, the set
ting up in our state of this racing evil
but for us now, in the light of all tn
: train of evils that we know go with II
/ to make its continuation possible
D would be a crime and an everlasting
: shame upon US. and our state. Som
f have said they are not here TO legis
o late morals into people but TO worl
n for the good of our state commercial
t ily Well. accepting this as the prope
d view of the matter, who under heaVe
d ever heard of its being hnanciall
= profitable to a people to teach and en-
p courage gambling by sanction Of Law
: and make the robbing of them not onl
: possible but certain? And this rae
o track evil is worse, for in addition I
/ swindling the people they are corrupt
d ed morally. While IL may be true W
g cannot legislate morals into people.
= is unquestionably our. duty to refrai
n from putting pitfalls along Sheir patti
IS way We can and should make
lie easier for them TO keep in proper patti
al by removing from them as far as po:
u sible all things which might tenn
W them TO go wrong. The wealth of ar
section is its men and women, and
TT my judgment the legislator who do
~ not regard as of first and most Wit
he Importance the moral welfare of Il
r people he represents, has mistake
oy idea of his duty. 1t was argued ~
c. Years ago when race track people We
$ begging for more time. that IL tn
he were not put out of business tn
n would be awfully good in future, b
to have they? Who will say that "a
Id meets in this state have not gone I
by limit in all that is evil. scatteri
or wreck and ruin from start to finish.
C. has been so bad that many leading m
er who favored racing two years ago a
S. bitterly opposing il now. Some OF I
nd leading papers which championed tn
a cause, then reasoning, no doubt,
lat some pretend 10 now, that it wol
ng help the state commercially, say n
ng that the business conducted as il
to been in such high handed way, i
we disgrace to the state, to say nothi
RS of the terrible drain on our fnanc
ere resources. and must go. Talk about
In paying the state to permit them TO CT
of tinue, provided they hold state IA
.er is an insult TO the intelligence of
cir citizenship. If we want agricultu
me fairs we can have them in a respec
we bic manner. IN a way that VIII
will creditable TO our state instead OF mi
ing US byword over the country,
m would be the result If we Joined hal
tn with a gambling institution; and
in only this. but we can have them
18th much less cost in money, TO say no
uld ing of morals, than to permit our p
elk
ds.