Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-02-22
The Felony Penalty snasm.

The San Antonio Express INDUCES
such practical discussion Of the felony
craze IN the Nineteenth legislature
that THE GAZETTE gives the article
space entire. The Examiner nays;
There are good many members OF our
present legislature who seem 10 have an
abiding iaith in the felony penalty. They
favor making II a felony to carry a pistol.
which, however, would not be such a bad
Idea, II they would also promise protection
to The people by making II a felony for one
man to mako an unprovokCd assault upon
another OF asSsuiting with abusive Ian
guagc, ana thus deter men OF brutal In
siinct from gratifying them, or be-
sotied wretcEes. every time they
nh themselves wish barrel.bouse
whisky rom assauting or black
guarding peacesble gentlemen who decline
TO indulge In street bIswls or wrnnples
Th're is another bin pending making gnmb-
ling penalty. IL Ia ss much gambling 10
take chance IN aIOttery OF church fair, or
throw dice or play cards or domiuoes for
drinks, as IL is to play at faro, roulette or
poSerio money, and ia line OF dcmarhatIon
Il TO DO drawn between the gamblers. where
shall II be lOcatede What men shall be held
10 be ielous, ana who hold blameless for the
same ouense-gambl'n Would not this he
class legislation: Would II not BIO saving
u man, You can bet as mucn money AZ
one thing as you want to, and be held blame
loss under the law, but n you stake "A penny
on something else felon's stripe shar no
your DOOM Its not proposed TO make ash
OF one ana nesh OF another. II ali gamblers are
,obe placed on an equal foo,lng as felons mn.
der the law, would Il not be the heirhtof ah.
surdity TO expect the people OF this stats 20
approve or Walt aught but contunelv upnn
any officer who IN light attempt an enforce
ment such ~ all laws should be enforcsde
Foker dice for drnks costs the people more
money, Is responsible Tor more drupkenneAs
anu produces more domestic misery than All
me regular gambling hells OF The state. hut
the law against IL was considered an unwar.
ranted Interference with a man. libertv M
heiicns and never Affected the prastice for a
single day. Tho effect, not tho gane. was
"hat me lawmakers were Legislative
Asainst, and u tits desired to make A further
.uorl IN this respect BY making poker dice a
lelony' why not 20 the full length al once
aud make 1t felony for a man 10 take a
ahnkf Tho people are about az
ready for the enc as tha
other but We do not believe they are ready
ior hnatosl legislation OF any kind, Thera
arc certain evils all good citizens condemn
and gambling is one OF them, and ara An ~ :
Nor OF repressive measures, but they oon't
want laws so alrlngent that they cannot he
enforced.
Tho real motive in the present movement
IN the legislature is eireo,ed against prsfes.
sional gamblers and gambling houses. ana
the blu TO regulate them would accomnlish
more thsnsll the lAws looking TO the pey.
emPtoTy suppression OF gambling that could
De enacted, no matter what tho penalty. n
would close more than half the eambuns
houses 10 the state at once. and stop mo "a.
neS'lon 81 gamblers by excluding minors
nom the gambling houses. II could be en-.
forced without any trouble, and the peonls
would be gradually educated In sentimen,
TO q point that would soon, in smaller ei,iss
ana towns make gambling 40 unproatahle
lnA' u would cease 20 exist 10 any yery ds,n.
aging extent At least. Hut public sentiment
only, not Anatleal laws. can be relied mon
70 eradicate the evil while We are oontipn.
lne our hopeless experiments vim he lattsr.
we are losing aiuabls time