Evening journal., 1916-02-18
Betting attacked As
we'll AS PROHIBITION
BaltimoreanS Ask for Passage
of Anti Gambling Bill and
Defeat of "Dry" Measure
STATE FEARS
BIG FINANCIAL LOSS

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Feb. 1S.-Msny
of Batlimore's biggest business and
professional men, capitalists. trust
company presidents, bankers. doctors
and lawyers appeared before legis-
lative committee advocating the pas
sage of the anti-race track gambling
bill and opposing the Statewide pro-
hibition bills. They arfued that race
track gambling was the ruinatiop of
young men and tempted employees of
financial institutions to steal. On the
other hand, it was insisted that pro-
hibition would be a death blow to
both the State and city.
1t was pointed out that the State
now faced a deficit of 81 200, 600, that
the net State debit exceeded Sl3.00O,-
600, that 100000 annually was re-
ceived from liquor licenses i'm Balti-
more, and that the State credit would
be seriously impaired if that revenue
were lost. On top of all these argu-
ments and facts and figures. a petit
ton signed by hundreds of Balti.
mOTe's business men, controlling and
operating millions of capital was
hurled at the Temperance Committee,
Then, to further clinch the conven-
tion of the vets came the news
from Baltimore this afternoon that
the Chamber of Commerce, by a vote
Of 122 to %. had declared against
Statewide prohibition This action
followed the similar overwhelming
vote of the Merchants and Manufac-
turers Association.
In the race trcak fight delegations
representing most of tho sections
where betting now is allowed appear
ed before the committees and argued
on the evils of pool selling. bOOkmak-
ing and all other forms of gambling
on horse races. The hearings were
based on the Williams Senate and
Hall House anti-gambling bills. intro
duced several days ago. The delega-
tion pointed out that the Williams
bill proposed the repeal and re-enact-
ment with amendments of an anti-bet-
ting section which already has been
tried and declared constitutional. and
argument was made that it would be
snnwise to tamper with thispar fothet
unwise to tamper with this part Of
, 'he law under any conditions. Dele
gate Hall drew his bill with the view
3 of preventing even Philadelphia news
papers carrying returns from the
track being brought into Maryland.
May Try Less Drastic Bill.
The delegation here indicated that
it was not in favor of so drastic a
measure. and as a substitute for the
Williams bill it offered a bill drawn
by former States Attorney Daniel r.
Randall, of Anne Arundel county,
which merely prohibits any official or
officials from issuing a license per-
mitting betting. pool-selling. or book
making anywhere in Maryland. and
provides a penalty of $1,000 or one
years Imprisonment. or both. The
indications are that Senator Williams
and the Senate Judiciary Committee
will accept this substitute bill for the
Cecil county Senator's measure. The
House judicial body. however. has not
yet indicated its attitude towards the
substitute.
Among those who addressed the
committee on the evil of race track
gambling was the Rev. DR.. Johu Nc
Doweil, pastor of Brown Memorial
Presbyterian Church, Baltimore. who
declared that one of the wisest moves
ever made by the State of New Ter
sey was the abortion of race track