The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-02-06
SENATORS PASS
RACE TRACK BILL
Evils Of Gambling Are Denounced
BY Speakers


of young men and women were pre-
ludes in the senate yesterday to pas
sage of Senator j. w. Thornley's
anti-betting bill.
The vote, taken after lengthy
discussion of the measure showed
that fifteen senators voted for the
bill as reported and amended by the
committee on public institutions, and
three voted against it.
As the bill was passed by the sen
ate, persons who operate pool rooms
or aid and abet betting transactions
are held guilty of felonies, punish.
able by terms not to exceed two
years in the state penitentiary or a
fine of $4,000 or both. Original text
of the bill provided only the prison
term. The committee amended It to
provide the alternative of the $4,000
fine or both. The amendment was
adopted.
Two Amendments Are Lost
The amendments proposed on the
floor of the senate failed of adoption
Senator ]. Il. Edgehill proposed an
amendment carrying out all the pro
visions Of the bill except when bett-
ing was done within the confines Of
the race course or fair ground upon
the day of the contest. Senator w.
Mont. Ferry proposed an amend
ment giving regulation Of the pool
rooms and prohibition Of betting to
the counties. This amendment also
was voted down.
Senator Thornley, made an eloquent
address in behalf Of the measure
and Senator l.. NJ. Olson elected ap-
plause from well filled gallery
when he painted a pathetic picture
OF the evils of race track gambling
Several other senators took part in
the general discussion. There was
no amendment proposed permitting
the pari mutuel system of betting.
When the vote was finally taken
the roll call disclosed the following
senators as voting for the bill:
Booth, Cottrell. Eckersley, Ferry,
Funk, Hansen, Iverson, Lunt, Olson,
Rdeout, Smith. Thornley,, Wight
Williams and President Gardner.
The three senators who voted
against the bill were Craig, Edge
hill and Kelly.
Race track gamblers take away
more money than they bring into
the community and they teach our
young people gambling said Sena
tor Thornley,. He remarked that Salt
Lake City had driven out the race
tracks and poolrooms and settled
them upon Davis county.
Smith Takes Exception
Senator Benner X. Smith took eX
ception to this, declaring that while
this city had driven out the race
tracks and pool rooms 1t had not
forced them upon Davis county. Ser
ator Thornley, admitted the point
but continued that, in a broad man
ner of speaking, there had beer
thrust upon the county what the city
would not permit.
1T is to be expected that there
must be some vice in the great pop
ulation centers of the country" sai(
Senator Thornley,, 80 we must TOOL
to it that the country is kept virtu
Gus. Why corrupt the country will
what the city will not permit"
Senator Thornley, declared thai /
was not the intent of the bill to pro
hibit horse races, but to prohibi
the gambling feature of them. liz
said he liked to see good horses ant
liked to see the ponies rum" bu
was vehemently opposed to the gam
bling feature.
Senator George j. Kelly asked 4
passage of the bill would not put tn,
race tracks out of business and elm
nation of the races would also eli
inmate red blood from horses an'
humans, too. Senator Thornley, sai'
he did not think SO. The Webe
county senator observed that il tn,
solons did not take care they woul'
legislate red corpuscles out of tn
race (human. not horse).
Amendments Are Proposed
Senator Ferry wanted to know
Salt Lake City could eliminate poo
rooms why Davis could not II 1
chose. Senator G. A. Iverson inform
ed the Salt Lake senator that coun
ties had no such right under tn,
law. Senator Ferry subsequent!
proposed the amendment giving cour
ties this right, as already outlined
and 1t met defeat,
Then Senator Edgehill proposed
his amendment. He said he did not
favor the Thornley, bill because II
was too drastic in its provisions. He