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BETTING IN ENGLAND. Considerable commotion has been caused in English sporting circles recently by the attack of the bishop of Hereford on the turf, bookmaking, and the evils of horseracing in general. His eminence makes no secret of his intention when he says he hopes to agitato the introduction of a measure in parliament that will completely revolutionize the sport. There is little doubt that the efforts of the good Dr. Percival will have an effect some way, for he has a host of followers who voice his opinion. In his speech on betting Dr. Percival expounded his plan for first of all getting rid of the bookmakers. He would fine a "booky" 0 for the first offense, 00 for the second, and for the third he would.send him to prison for a lengthy term. The tipster, too, is to come in for a share of his attention and for even the seemingly harmless offense of a private "wiro" he would put the wily vendor in jail. While all this is pleasant enongh to tho minds of a section of the English people, those who love the sport and insist on their rights to bet when and where they please are simply infuriated by its pretensions. The millionaire or big stable owner will not brook the interference of any man to tell him that he is wrong when he bets and neither will the mechanic or costermonger. Old Blue, one of the keenest critics in England, devotes a lot of attention to the question, and in a lengthy article sails into the bishop right, left and center. Part of the criticism is as follows : "I am sure that the Bishop of Hereford is sincere enough in his convictions. May I submit, however, that it is only a Baron Munchausen who pulls down a steeple to get at the weeds at its basel That some evils still attach to the turf I readily admit, but is it the only national institution similarly afflicted? With great respect I boldly assert that the Anglican Church itself is not free from crying evils. Does Dr. Percival, therefore, BUggest the remedy in this case also of abolishing it altogether? To be quite consistent and logical, he ought to do bo. Here we are at the very close of another flat racing season, and what by common consent are the facts? In the long annals of the turf and it has grown with Englands growth for many centuriesnever has a nobler pastime been indulged in by any nation, ancient or modern. Never, moreover, has the turf in England been more heartily supported bj rich, powtrful and enthusiastic devotees than in 1902. "It has provided a pastime for all classes, 1 enacted in. the open air, 2 devoid of all cruelty, and 3 conducted as far as possible in accord- ance with tho rules of fair play. Against such a pursuit, thus supported, thorefore, it is idle for purists and scholars to lift up their parable. Equally idle is it to rave against concomitant batting, and to act and talk as if this can be stopped by act of Parliament. Betting does not belong to racing as a sport, and it is not fair to lay the blame wholly there if the last named are foolish enough to imagine thoy can stop any sort of betting by legislative action, moreover, they are sadly out of their reckoning. Man is unquestionably a gambling animal; indeed, the very energy which makes us strive to rise in life is twin brother to the spirit which makes men gamblers. But even if that were not so, why try to crib, cabin and confine the operations of bona fide bookmakers? "Really, one has no patience with people who talk of so doing. If the principles of betting, especially turf betting, were more clearly understood, they would cease to adopt such Shillibeerian tactics. On the contrary, they would co-operate with sportsmen in insisting a that betting should bo formally legalized, b that bookmakers should be licensed, and c that, as tho outcome, what has been called indiscriminate betting should bo placed ex curia. Dr. Welldon, one of Englands greatest headmasters and divines, has said: I cannot see that it is wrong in itself to bet, and the vast majority of people agree with him. In any case, it is ridiculous of the faddists to strain the laws of morality almost to snapping to pretend to the contrary. Besides, betting upon tho speed and endurance of a racehorse is unquestionably the noblest form of gambling in existence, said the late Lord George Bentinck. And who will gainsay?"
