The reason why this scandal has continued for so long
is of course that the Government and Parliament are afraid of the Press. The Bishop's Bill, besides penalizing the publication of betting advertisements, also penalized tips, the announce- ment of odds or starting prices, and other devices or in- ducements to bet. It also sought to put down competitions unless the competition took the harmless form of prizes for essays or so forth. The Bill further gave power to the Postmaster-General to prevent the delivery of postal articles which are reasonably suspected of being connected with betting or lottery transactions. In certain particulars the Bill, no doubt, went too far, and required revision and amend- ment in detail to make it just and reasonable, but, subject to such a proviso, we hold that it was a useful measure. Properly amended it would have cleared our newspapers of the taint of the gaming table, and that would be as good for the Press as for the public. It is greatly to be hoped that the Home Office will promptly introduce a Bill of its own, seeking to restrain the incitements to gambling now offered by the Press.
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