His colours,
chocolate and cream hoops spangled with pink stars, promised to
become as popular as any on the Turf. At the same time, in order
to give effect to his condemnation of the evils resulting from the
spread of the gambling habit among wage-earning classes, who lived
for the most part from hand to mouth, he suppressed all betting
news and tipsters' forecasts in the popular evening paper that was
under his control. His action received instant recognition and
support from the Angel-proprietor of the EVENING VIEWS, the
principal rival evening halfpenny paper, who forthwith issued an
ukase decreeing a similar ban on betting news, and in a short
while the regular evening Press was purged of all mention of
starting prices and probable winners. A considerable drop in the
circulation of all these papers was the immediate result,
accompanied, of course, by a falling-off in advertisement value,
while a crop of special betting broadsheets sprang up to supply
the newly-created want. Under their influence the betting habit
became if anything rather wore widely diffused than before. The
Duke had possibly overlooked the futility of koepenicking the
leaders of the nation with excellently intentioned angel under-
studies, while leaving the mass of the people in its original
condition.
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