Race Gambling Legalized Again in California by J. E. Squires, Secretary International Reform Bureau

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Sep 24, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 37.

Race Gambling Legalized Again in California

By J. E. Squires, Secretary International Reform Bureau

Shall It Be?

HAT such a question should be put at this time seems almost startling, and unless it were warranted by the facts, would demand an apology from me. But some facts need to be noted.

After years of work by reform forces in California, the Walker-Young bill came into the law in our state in February, 1911, and race gambling left the state—“never to return,” some of us hoped. But in May, 1912, the horsemen of the state met and determined to use the “initiative” to put upon the ballot, at the coming November election, “Race gambling—yes or no?” At this meeting, about sixty men were present, representing probably millions of money. It was proposed, we understand, to raise a fund of $100,000 to secure a place on the ballot. And while they needed only 31,000 names on the petition, they secured 59,000, having had well-paid canvassers to secure the signatures. Thus we see that almost twice as many signatures as were needed to put this question on the ballot, were secured, while petitions for Sunday rest bill and anti-prize-fight law fell far behind in the number of signatures needed.

Now it is not for a moment thought probable that a majority of the voters of California want the return of the race gambling; but it is known certainly that all the gambling fraternity know exactly what is on, and are working with might and main to secure votes for it, and that multitudes of the best people are absolutely indifferent to these matters—some through ignorance of the movements of the enemy, and many who do not think that religion or goodness has any part in secular or political matters.

Upon such indifference as this, I have no doubt, the gamblers counted when they considered the matter of securing the ballot on this thing. Now when we consider that all they need to do, is to get a majority of votes cast upon that particular amendment, and that on national elections we are not in the habit of giving much attention to “small matters,” they no doubt argued that only those concerned would vote at all, on this number; hence their confidence and hope of success.

To allow this propaganda to succeed would put us back a decade in moral reform in California, and it must not be. With this conviction of the importance of the matter, and the assurance that all the good people need, is to see the real danger to be aroused to action, the following steps are being taken:

1. A large committee, of twenty-five or thirty, is being formed to lead in “a propaganda against return of race gambling in California”—these persons chosen without reference to political or church affiliations.

2. A publicity expert is secured who, for the coming eight weeks, will keep this matter before the people of California through two hundred and fifty of the leading daily and weekly papers of the state.

3. Matter will be sent to two thousand pastors, from time to time, and they are asked to make weekly mention of some phase of the case, in pulpit and church bulletins; and finally—

4. A campaign, state-wide, in all towns and cities, by men and women who, before great mass-meetings, can arouse public sentiment against this great evil that is outlawed by so many of our states.

Of course we expect the editors of church papers to take a strong and leading part in this campaign, quoting from the “expert matter” mentioned in papers of the state, announcing mass-meetings, and writing editorials on same.

A long, strong pull, and a pull all together, will save the day, but nothing less than this is worthy of us, and of such a cause.