The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-11-20
ABOUT GAMBLING HOUSES.

Some months ago the Mayor Issued az
order TO the eject tina: the law prohibiting
gambling houses within the city should be
strictly enforced, and 70 far as the public
Is aware, this order has been obsyed in
letter snd spirit-the houses were closed
up, and ii the gaming gentlemen still ply
their vocation, they do il Gu. Of sight and
hearing OF the public.
Now, We sre informed, a petition is being
circulated for sjgnstures, praying the
Mayor TO rescind his order, and permit the
gambling houses 10 be opened again, and
We learn further that The proprietors
OF the establishments referred to have ex-
pressed willingness 20 pay the city a
license of three hundred dollars a month
FOR the privilege of being permitted to
carry on their business unmolested. II
our Information upon The latter point is
oorrect-aud We &c; it so straight that there
is no reason to doubt tit shows that the
business is enormously profitable; there are
very few manufacturing or mercantile
establishments in Lesvenworth that could
afford to pay a city license OF three thou
ssnd and six hundred dollars year, and
the fact that tas proprietor of keno
room will consent to pay such a sum shows
that he expec:s to take in good deal Of
money, and since nothing Is given
in return for it, the more they
m axe The greater and stronger is the rea-
son why their business should no. be L. al
lied
We are told that these establishments
run jet the same as they did before" and
that TO license them would not make any
more gambling, while it would b-ing s
very large revenue 10 the city. This is eli
in your eye. There may be few persona
who think 30, but they are mistaken. The
erf1rcement OF the Mayors order evil
IDENTIFY curtsil4 the business TO a consider
able extent, or else those who are interested
in it would not circulate petitions 10 have
the order revoked; neither would they
Offer to pay an enormous tax in the form Of
license, if they could carry on their bust
ness Just az well without. But even
admitting that tie order accompanies
nothing in the way of suppressing the vice
that it il aimed at, il ia still good and
should stand. 1t is the duty of the Mayor
TO do all he can to suppress this evil, and
when he has done this much he can leave
the conss lences 10 the future. But the
statement that it "accomPlishes nothing" il
all Nonsense. 1t has at least had the effect
Of preventing the business from being coz
Quoted openly, and the people can now go
10 church Sunday evenings without having
their ears regsled on the public streets with
the mopotonous cries Cf keno callers
We DO not wish these sporting gentlemen
any harm, and We do not believe
that the city authorities wish to do
them any harm; there is no disposition on
the part Of any body, so far as We know, to
persecute them, but they ought 70 under
stand thst the busiress they propose 10 en-
gage in Is sgainst public morals, and is
one of those evils against which society has
the right to protect itself, and hence public
sentiment is with the Mayer in the course
he has chosen 10 pursue. The moral senti-
ment of the community demands rot only
that the order closing the gambling houses
shall stand, but that it shall be rigidly en-.
forced.