The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-21


The presentment Of the Grand Inquest for
the city and county of New York, delivered
yesterday, is further step toward reforms
which are eminently needed. No one will be
surprised to learn that the Mayor lent the
jurors the valuable aid Of his counsel and ad-
vice throughout their labors, and that if,
through their medium anything is accomplished
towards the suppression of gambling and other
vices in New York, large share Of the credit
will be due to him. Mr.. Wood is certainly
bent on proving to us what an energetic
Mayor can do.
The suppression of gambling houses is a
work whose difficulty cannot well be exagge-
ments number among their supporters many in
fuential members of society, and that if money
can purchase impunity tor them they are sure
to go scot free. Moreover though some of
them do business openly, and can be detected
without trouble, others, and these are by no
means the least dangerous, disguise their real
character by assuming the title Of club house
or restaurant, and here great tact, dexterity,
and experience would be required to bring the
law to bear with effect. These and similar
difficulties have always awaited hitherto in i'm
peding the execution of the statutes and ordi-
nances against gambling; and though the au
th0rities have on several occasions got as tar as
the Grand Inquest which broke up yesterday,
they have never been able to go further. On
these occasions, furry would be caused by the
presentments or the indictments; for several
days, virtuous zeal would fire the leading
public functionaries but after q while,
the matter would be allowed to die out
share in the abandonment Of the prosecution to
the wealth and standing Of the parties accused.
Now, it seems, another attempt is to be made;
we shall see shortly with what success A word
Of encouragement may not be out of place
When it was resolved to put down Frascati's
and the other gambling saloons in Paris the
task appeared far more formidable than the one
now undertaken by the Mayor: for years these
establishments had been established and icens-
ed they counted among their friends the FIRST
men in France; the best legal advice was at
their service; they had allies in the govern
ment; and above all, their funds for defence
were> inexhaustible. Yet the law was carried
out The gambling houses were closed, and
the roulette tables broken up. At that time
Paris contained probably ten times as many
gambling houses as New York does.
The reforms which the Mayor has taken in
hand in connection with the observance Of the
Sabbath, are in fairer way of being carried
out. At the outset they too appeared impos-
sible. Grocers and grog-shop keepers laughed
at the idea of the police forcing them to shut
their doors on Sunday-the best day OF the
week. They are laughing now on the wrong
side Of their mouth Two Sundays have we
seen already this year without disgraceful
riots without drunkenness, without noise,
without crime, and we have every reason
to hope that to-day will witness o
still more marked contrast with the
past. In this matter of Sabbath observ-
ance, it is only the first step which is difficult
or irkseme. Let the people Of New York once
taste the sweets Of quiet Sunday without
brawls or noise--let the people who 60 to
way--and Mr. Wood may rely on them to main
tain the new regime he is establishing No fear
of any one sy mpatbizing with the "injuredn
grog sellers need be apprehended. The "cor-
ner grocery" has been literally loathed for
years; let it 60. Nor will the spectacle be
witnessed of the poor submitting to the law
while the rich transgress it. The rich hotels
must follow the example Of the corner grocery.
and close their bars on Sunday. Hotel keepers
who are wise will do so cheerfully and without
hesitation; some popularity may be gained by
a frank adhesion to the new regime, and cor
dial cooperation with the Mayor in his schemes
OF reform.
The great work--we mean city reforms--is
never ending. Suppose Mr.. Wood succeeds in
suppressing gambling and Sunday rioting-im-
proves the police, and has the streets cleaned
the gigantic task that would still remain would
alone be enough to gain for the officer who
should accomplish it a never dying reputation.
Take the single item Of false weights and
measures. 1t is notorious that vast number
of retailers in this city CONT upon giving
short weight TO their customers as part
Of their regular profits. Others--coal deal
ers for instance--do the same thing on
q large scale. Let any man who is curious
in such matters weigh his groceries when his
servant returns from the grocer's, and measure
his coal; he will soon find that his pounds con-
tain several ounces less than is stated in books
of arithmetic and that q ton in one street is by
no means the same thing as q ton in another.
Here is chance for the Mayor Then again,
look at the adulteration of colds and liquids
How much coffee is there in Tie substance sold
at the grocers as the ground Mochai How
much pepper in the Cayenne! How much sand
in the sugar? How much vitriol or alcohol in
the vhskey? How many nameless poisons in
the brandy, wine and ales Here is an oppor
tunity for some rising chemist 10 make a name
and fortune. 1t would be easy enough one