, 1888-02-12
JNo. F. CARROLL. Editor.
MAKE 1T

MAKE 1T SPECIFIC, NoTGENERAL
THE LEADER believes in giving both
sides to every controversy so that the pub
lie may be in a position to i~ntelligently
form an opinion on the subject. 1t is for
this reason that we to-day give up n lib.
eral amount of space in reproducing the
speech made by Mr.. Holiday in support
OF his very stringent gambling bill. While
re have done this willingly we reserve the
right to make our own comments on the
same.
In the first place we cordially agree
with Mr.. Holiday that gambling is a very
bad practice. There is no room for argu-
ment on this proposition. How is it to be
remedied? Wipe it out with more strin-
gent laws, suggests Mr.. Holiday. How
can stringent laws affect the case if,
as Mr.. Holiday states, the pres
ent comparatively mild laws are
not enforced? If the extraordinary
state of affaifs pictured by Mr.. Holiday
exists in Laramie it is due to either lax
administration or maladministration of
the city government. We do not set up
our own city government as a model for
the universe, but fragrant debauchery is
not Haunted in the faces of the people
here. Minors are not permitted to play
Mt any of the public gambling games.
The tuneful sounds OF the hurdy gurdy
or the melodious wheeling of the asth-
matte piano are never heard in the lairs
where the tiger turks. As to the terpsi-
chorean revels in the gambling houses, so
feelingly referred to by Mr.. Holiday,
such a thing is unheard of here and we
frankly confess our belief hat il would be
an impossible occurrence in Cheyenne.
Public sentiment here would raise
the roof il our city marshal
were ever found in the delight
full predicament of the Laramie marshal
alluded to by the gentleman from Albany.
The fact that gambling can be regulated is
best proven by the fact hat is regulated
here.
We cannot understand why the whole
territory should groan simply because
Laramie sees fit to howl. The sentiment
in Laramie is strongly against gambling.
The location of the university there is
sufficient reason why the community
should be enveloped id q rigidly moral at
mosphere. A desperate effort will pro
hahlu hn nnaAn 20 nprnnN tho n,,l thnrn
All decent people will hope for the fullest
measure of success whenever the effort is
made. 1t has not been made hitherto.
The local authorities arc either disinclincd
or too feeble I o cope with the situation.
They want legislative help
Now nobody objects to Laramie under
taking the task Of wiping out gambling
and getting whatever territorial aid it can,
but there is objection to making the law
apply generally to the territory, when
practical people in every other town think
that such i law would entail worse evils
on them. II Laramie wants n strict
gambling law-and there are many very
good reasons why it does-it should have
it. but its enforcement should either be
left optional with the various municipal
authorities or the law should apply specif
ically to university towns.
So far as Cheyenne is concerned the
condition of affairs in this respect could
not be greatly improved at present. The
consequences of Mr.. Holidays bill would
be productive of infinite evil here and in
other territorial owns. We are unaltera-
bly, opposed to it in It's present shape,
while We would cheerfully favor such a
modification as would give Laramie the
chance to test its utility.