The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-03-21
The Horse Racing Bogey

Now that the Connecticut Legislature has seen fit to ignore the bogey man and finally pass the long fought for racing bill it is not surprising that the so-called righteous minded individuals in our midst should dispense of no little verbal castiga- tion of those who dared oppose their admonitions. However, it is doubtful ii that will weigh heavily on the legislative brow. There are conscientious objectors to almost everything, and why not racing?
 What the result of legalized racing will be, we are not in a position to say, other than that there are several states doing nicely in the country and enjoy ing racing as we'll. That Rhode Island may have fizzled its opening season last year, at least according to Golfers Weekly, is no given premise upon which to base arguments in general. The Con- necticut Legislature did well to ignore such exceptions and determine to solve the matter for itself. The question of racing, as our various legislators have pointed out, resolves itself not so much in respect to the morality of horse racing and of course it's boon companion, betting, as the legality of it. And this phase the Legis- lature proposes to try to control.
 For the most part the conscientious ob- jectors have overlooked the fact that there are these two sides to the question, the moral and legal sides. The state Leg islature is chiefly concerned with the legal end of the matter, namely, legalizing horse racing under certain stipulated regulations. It's only interest in the moral side will be when that interferes with the legal. Then there should be ways and means to attend to that. ..
 As for the churches who attempted to bulldoZe the legislators at the last minute, their duty lies in telling their parishioners the right or wrong of the so-called evils connected with horse racing. Gambling in itself is no sin, never has nor never will be, the only sin connected with it being de- termined by the individual himself, how he acquires means to do it and whether 1t proves harmful to himself or others being the determining factors. In any event the state Legislature has finally come to the conclusion that horse racing. whether it be good or bad, is better legalized, out in the open, than the way it has been con- ducted heretofore. We at least know whom to look to for abuses and can possi- bly, make them conduct it above board. The other way it is an impossibility.
 It's the same with every other source of gambling. Right here in Waterbury the people are treated with their spring and fall house cleaning every year to an annual barrage from our own good old day and night blooming conscientious objectors, the Waterbury American and Republican, on every sort of gambling. A whole lot of ink is spilled but is anyone, or anything, ever specifically labelled, booked and ticketed?
 No, it's the same old story, so-and-so had better look out, or such-and-such thing will be closed up. A shot in the dark. It gets nowhere. Why? Because those sort of things are illegal and there are no definite rules and regulations for coping successfully with them. If people must gamble, and history eonvinces us that they do, let us have It as near legal as we can make it. That, we think, is mostly responsible for Legislature that has repeatedly heretofore turned down racing bills deciding this year to place it out in the open where it belongs. Mar row-back days have gone apparently for ever and that Connecticut has recognized the fact is to it's late, but better than never, sense of perspicacity.
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