, 1888-02-28
ALBANY AND CARBON.
Speaker Pease and Mr.. Blyden-
burgh Discuss Gambling.
Another Lively Session on Mr..
Holidays Moral Measure.
The Committee of the Whole Recon-
mend That the Bill Now Pass.

During a session of the committee of
the whole house, Mr.. Murray in the chair,
there was another exchange of compli-
ments when the gambling bill came up
for consideration.
Mr.. Blydenburgh moved that further
discussion of the measure be indefinitely
postponed.
Mr.. Duffey amended the motion so that
the committee would recommend the pass
age of the bill without the riders attached
Saturday afternoon.
An amendment to the amendment, by
Mr.. Weaver, requested the house to en-
dorse the bill in its present form.
Mr.. Murray had called for the ayes on
the amendment to the amendment, when
Speaker Pease took the floor and scored
Mr.. Hooper in his characteristic style.
At this juncture he desired to meet the
issue squarely. Saturday he had charged
that many of the suggestions made in the
shape of amendments were not offered in
good faith. Those who we're most active
in altering the measure denied the insinu-
alton, bat his assertions had been borne
out by subsequent occurrences.
The original bill was good enough for
him and its enactment was desired by the
better element. The gentleman from
Crook had acted tremendously with the
amenders and afterwards declared that he
was opposed to the bill IN toto. He could
not refrain from quoting a few passages
from the speech delivered by Mr.. Hooper,
an ~oratorical flight which would have
damned n man in the middle ages. He
was ashamed of the house when the
mouthpiece Of the opposition to this
measure would give utterance to such sem
timcnts. The gentleman from Crook had
confidently stated that if loving wives and
doting mothers could not prevent way
ward husbands and reckless boys from
gambling no law which could be placed on
the statute books could perform the office.
He had more regard for the law than
that. Good enactments would pro-
test all. He did not believe that
the bricks Of our churches were laid
with tears and that the religious people
gave sympathy and coincidence where
gamblers contributed cash. If they did
they simply returned to the unfortunate
that which rightly belonged to them. In
his town, however, it was different. Char
table ladies supported a number of fami-
lies reduced to penury by the indiscretions
Of the head of the house. Hc was sur
prised that a man whose course was usual
ly dictated by common sense should ven
turc to make such wild assertions. Mr..
Hooper had said that shame controlled
the actions OF many. Does the gentleman
from Crook stand up and oppose this bill
on account OF shame? | am a member
of neither church nor creed, but a firm
believer in good morals. | believe that |
have said enough to set you thinking,
gentlemen, and will cease, only calling
upon the members to act manly on this
question. Don't dodge the issue. The
records made here are for all time and
will be carried home by you"
Mr. Blydenburgh responded to the
gentleman from Albany. He was a
stickler in this matter OF a record. Mr..
Pease had said that the passage OF this
bill would be a step in the right direction
He was in favor Of Legislation in the right
direction, but would not be bull dozed or
inundated. In his opinion this was not
legislation in the right direction. He
did not believe that the law could be en-
forced. Gambling, or the spirit OF specu-
%lation, was inherent in every man. The
evil could not be eradicated, but might be
regulated and was now under control in
this territory. The divines preached origi-
nal sin and sought to regulate, not abolish
it. Gambling was in the same category.
He was in not favor of an anti-gambling
bill, never was and never intimated that a
measure of that sort would receive his sup
port, but if the vice could be wiped out let
the reformers up and at it. A mem
Der of the Albany county delegation
stated on the floor of the council that the
habitues of Laramie dives controlled the
elections there. Mr.. Peasc was the
avowed enemy of this class, but had man
aged to make a successful canvass. How
did he get here? He did not believe all
these bad stories about the people of Lar
annie and the officials Of the town and de-
sired to exonerate them. The church
people harpcd on moral courage. 1t re-
quired a great deal more of that commod-
ity TO ppo this bill than to support it.
! II say c~onscientiously that the people do