Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-09

i - ~ " W. 6tsdAtutiOu vi Ine DOIlpl
force; and the COMMITTEES Intends 1,
give proper encouragement TO officar,
toward performing their dnties with
out fear, and they have never had thai
encouragement.
w. N. Peck, recorder: But little Il
say, but believes the law to be as wei
enforced here as anywhere and goot
police force; don't know what tho
committee will accomplish.
w. Ii. Boss, ex-mayor: When we
can agree that the officers are falling
in their duty, then the least said about
1t the better; when the marshal fails
In his duty, then the council should
impeach him, but they will never dc
that, for 1t Is costly and our citizens
have holy horror Of going to Sher.
man to the neglect of their business
here.
Samuel Hanna, chairman of the late
public meeting: We are no worse off In
Denison than any other city in the
South. but we desire to be better the
committee Ia to aid In enforcing the
law what laws we have we want to
see enforced, but we don't intend any
such thing as taking the law i'm our
own hands, nor do believe In vigi.
lance co mmittees.
II. Tone, alderman: 1t is the belief
in some directions that certain officers
are interested in saloons in the city,
and hence possible laxity in the en-
forcement of the laws. The citizens
committee proposes to bring to bear a
moral force to back up the city council
and thereby assist in the enforcement
of the laws; there is no crisis In social
affairs. but only desire To weed out
and reform certain evils of recognized
harm. We only want those elements
of society which will gamble to go out
of sight and not intrude upon public
view.
ID. o. Hause, attorney: Owing to
the continued large immigration of all
kinds of people into this state, there
are many minor violations of the law
here, and the police force Is inadequate
in number to their requirement.; but
such as we have I think are worthy
men. consider the citizens commit
tee as an auxiliary to the officers, with
the design of assisting in the discharge
of their duty. Denison will stand
with any city of like age and size as to
churches, progress and as law abiding.
L. Fl. Lingo OF Hanna, Platter 4
Lingo: The moral status of Denison
is low from inactivity in the execution
of the laws; gambling cannot be wiped
out, but should be regulated and made
to pay for the privileges eDjoyed-not
as source of revenue, but to limit by
high license the number of houses, and
should be under the control of the city
council and officers.
G. q. Randell, attorney: Gambling
ought to be regulated. The state law
makes no provision toward 1t, but
only looks to the suppression or filming
of gambling. Such ordinances as we
have are not enforced; no officer of
the law in North Texas dare enforce
the law to the letter, else he would not
live two months. do not mean to
say that Texas is worse than other
states, but every one knows that the
officers do not and dare not enforce the
laws as they are.
]. Il. Streeper, capital st: If the
law is not enforced, then the local gov
eminent or the individual officer Is to
blame if the latter, then he should be
called up and dismissed or punished.
The forming of citizens committee
was wholly unnecessary, and unneces-
sarlly advertises our city In a bad light.
The very men of that indignation
meeting will always be found to be the
first to shirk the duties of jury work
when called upon. Gambling should
be under proper police control. LII the
regular authorities will come out and
say what Is to be done, ] will be there
to help, but will fight anything like
mob work it is wholly unnecessary
to seek for redress outside of the regu-
larry constituted authorities and laws.
Jones, alderman: The city council
has done all it could toward regulating
vice; the council is not responsible for
the marshal and police, and II may be
that the marshal is not very derelict In
his duties; when he comes into office,
all Jump on him and exact promises
hard to fulfill afterwards. l do not AT
all acknowledge that the council Is IN
any way weak, and If any official iails
in his duty and evidence Is furnished
US, the council will do its duty.
There were many others whom inns
reporter would like to have obtained
opinions from, but they were not IN
reach. The whole tenor of the matter
shows that the short cut to solving TINS
evil rests only in the state making
such provision as will enable cities 10
regulate an evil like gambling as best
such cities can; and it is not apparent
that Denison officials are in the least
less vigilant than are others In the
state, but probably with a healthy pub
lie opinion to back them they can
purify the moral atmosphere OF DEM
son. and citizens committees VIII lose
their occupation.
Certain it is that visitor, after re.
marking upon the large number Oh
saloons here, more noticeable because %, :
so closely grouped together, Will ma
the Denison people themselves a law
loving, refined, courteous and pushing
people; and it Is from desire TO nam
tain their good reputation and en-
courage newcomers that the citizens
| are looking to the enforcement Of the
laws, rather than from any recognizeu
thoroughly unhealthy condition OF Lhe
morals of the town at large. But ina!
gambling shall hide its obtrusive heau
from the public gaze, these citizens are
determined.