, 1881-04-03

THE Mayors policy with reference to the
gamblers is not hasty or insufficiently con
sidcred. It was announced as soolr as LIT
was elected, and has been stuck to eyel
since It consists of three principles: III
that gambling cannot be stopped; ~ TINT
1t is lawful for the Mayor to regulate and Ii.
cense his pets and favorits; (3) that small
mbling-houses and all West Side or Twen-
ty-second street gamblers, or those
whom the Mayor. naively describes as
"outside," must be driven out Of business.
May 10. 1879, having been only two weeks
in office, Mayor Harrison called be-
fore him various police officers and suited to
them his policy, and gave them an idea of
the course they should pursue. He said, rs
officially reported In the daily press by one
Of his assistants, that sit was impossible to
stop gambling, but 1T should not be carried
on openly" This declaration printed in tile
Chicago papers was carried to oil parts OF the
country. Every gambler who was III the
city cut it out and sent 1t to his chums; and
in 4 short time 4 swarm Of the brethren Of
the green cloth was rushing to the city. The
old houses began running openly and new
ones were started every day. T11E CI11-
cAco TRIBUNE of July 90, 1870, printed Il
list Of twenty-tlree gainbling:houses in the
city, and directed the Mayors attention to
them, but lie has not fnterfcred with them
from that day to this. THE TRIBUNE of
Jan. 6, 1880, printed the following interview
with the Mayor, which has not been denied
or contradicte0:
II directed the police to break UP all .ort-
MIR 10 -1ei1 rr7h
bling can't be stopped entirely. It you break up
the gambliu24houses they will go into the hotels,
as ey dd ,e B pys to TIE
side are merely places to rope in mechanics and
poorer persons; and that they should be broken
to gamble they will find the opportunity
These are almost the exact words used by
him In the Pa1mer-House speech yesterday
week. It will be seen that his views have
been deliberately formed and tenacious]y ad
hered to. May, Is, 1880, the Mayor, being
again interviewed, said:
II cnme to the conclusion that no more gam
bling establishments should be started in the
city If could help 1t. gave notice to this eff
feet two or three months nuO,-and I also Enye
eoee @ t9 one Or two 3 paces the West
not let them rum
"You propose to countenance square gambling,
when was elected Mayor didn't under
stand that the people expected me to be mis-
sionary or a preacher. supposed It was my
business to protect the city, and leave reforma-
tion to the pulpit, the lyceum. the tireside: II
men are fools enough to 20 into gambling
houses aud play cannot protect them. I would
advise the newspapers to publish editorials for
their edtticatton+ Probably that would reform
them. don't know how to do it,
See what an opportunity this gives the May
or to reward his friends and punish his enc
mics! He can let man like Mike McDon-
aid, who swears lie Is worth $780, 600, and is
the most influential ward politician in the
party, run wide open, while he can shut
down any Democratic gambler who opposes
him, on the plea that he is too "small," and
is 'soutside,' whatever that may mean. He
virtually gives his fayorit gamblers a mo-
nopoly of the business, and grants them ex-
elusive licenses, contrary to law.