The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-05-19
80 Moral Eustitu;ions't--~S' Ennocen At
Amusem ents.''

:
Ann eunenfssF
7 One objection amor gst many that we urged
against Billiard Saloons and Bowling Alley
establishments, was that they served as
BLINDS and AIDS To the gambling and dram
drinking business. That position has not
curing one day last week, will serve to il
/ lustrate the fact.
Two or three strangers called upon an ofIi-
Ger Of the City government, and represented
that they had been diddled out of the snug
little sum of three hundred dollars at one of
these establishments. And an ARRAY occurred
at tho other between persons at the bar
room Of The establishment, which attracted
the attention of an officer, and led to the ar
rest Of one of the parties to the row who
was found in state Of intoxication.
Such instances as these Of the moral ef
fects Of these establishments, have been fire.
Guent common and notorious.
What has the Times to say upon this
point win it still insist TINT Ben Franklin,
John Quincy Adams aud other distinguished
men played Billiards, anu therefore these
establishments ought 10 be licensed and pat
roni4ed AMI sustained by the moral aud res
peota3le portion Of our community?
Upon this general topic, we ask of the
respectable and moral portion of this com
munity local and personal application Of
the remarks Of Judge Wilson in recent
charge to the Grand Jury of Chicago;
We often hear it asked why the criminal
court does not punish persons for the com
mission Of certain offences. and Why the
Grand Jury do not indct, &c, &c. The
reason il that the Court and the Grand Jury
are powerless and can do nothing unless the
police officers. whose duty i, is to ferret out
crime. perform their duty faithfully, and fur
nish 10 the Court and Jury the evidence nee
essary to euable them to punish offenders,
ana IL officers are seldom efficient in bring
iny to Justice those who break the law. ex-
eept ID cases where they know the respecta-
be portion Of the community expect and re-
qure it at their hands, il must be evident TO
all that the ministers of the law can do moth
Ing unaided by the moral power OF the peo-
pie, whom they would be glad 10 protect
from the suicidal consequences OF certain
crimes which are becoming blight upon our
/ fair fame, and which if continued viii soon
turn Chicago into what Nlcksburg once was.
Nv object in making these remarks is 10
bring ii home 10 the understanding of every
good man in our city, that ii any particular
crime is allowed to be continued it is because
they oountenance it, or allow it to go unpun-
ished by countenancing such officers as re-
fuse or neglect to give il proper attention.
yi,.4t ait In ht.r shAntd n
tax upon our tax payers of only one hundred
thousand dollars per annum, for the purpose
] OF furnishing one hundred fancy men com
monty called gamblers, with diamond pin ,
rinpa. roid headed canes, gold watches, anu
other Ike articles, ''too numerous TO men
7 ton. y would not all ut once rebel, and re-
fuse to pay, and forcbly if necessary All
viii resnond. most certainly, yet can any
man of ordinary observation, who is about
our streets, and who judges correctly OF IA
ees and character, fol moment doubt that
the tax PAYERS of Chicago, directly or indl-
rectIy. nav double the above named sum an
nualy, towards the support and equlpage 81
n class Of men who have no visible means OF
support. One man will say, suppose all this
II true. how can it be prevented, there have
ALWAYS been gamblers and gambling IN every
city. and gentlemen will have their ainuse-
mems, &c.
Let Us now look for moment at the 9TH
err eide of the picture. presume that there
IL not one among us who cannot LOOK back
and remember some kind husband, father,
/ friend. who was cnce al ornament to socle-
". beloved By many and respected by all.
who has fallen victim 10 thus Harmless
amusement and has been reduced from
wealth to poverty, happiness TO misery, nnl
when he has found that even those who have
robbed him shuu him in his degradation, he
looks about, realizes his true situation. finds
his children deduced 70 want, beholds cold
world frownng upon them, he cannot look
them in the face; for let it be remembered
that il IS often the kindest hearted man that
becomes the victim Of the professional gam
bier; be applies the self destroying liquid
and tho seence is closed for this world so far
a. tie poor victim Is concerned. Some KIND
friend, perhaps the very pimp VIII first de-
coyed him from the path of reetitude, Tor