The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-03-30

frame Of mind. and while disinclIned tc
express himself freely one way or the
other admitted upon being pressed
that If the evil could be abated, the
means would justify the end.
Mr.. e. c. Holden, secretary Of the
| Chamber of Commerce l regard the
experiment as a, risky one, and one
that could not approve of.
Mr.. w. L. Uhlenhart, who was quoted
in the Budget as saying he didn't
think the city would make such blum
der as licensing gambling" said; 81
believe in the suppression of gambling,
If possible, but If 1t cannot be stopped,
let the city derive some benefit from
| it."
DR.. ]. A. Fulton--I have long held a
strong opinion on the subject. Like
saloons, gambling should, think, be IL
censed. The saloon is an evil which is
not prohibited by law because the SEN
timent of the people is averse to such a
course. The law. however, regulates
what Is considered a necessary evil,
and gambling should be placed upon
the same plane. The existence of
saloons compels the support Of po-
lice force, and why, therefore, should
not the gamblers be also compelled
| to bear their share of the ex-
penses of supporting this force.
Gambling is undoubtedly an evil.
but IL the ordinance licensing II
were passed. it would be to a great
extent stopped. Many men who have
no desire to gamble are led into 1t in
places not recognized as gambling
houses, but If those men were compelled
to go to house branded as a gambling
den in order to indulge in gambling,
they would never cross the threshold
of such place.
Mr.. E. r. Hawes: 1 do not think
in the light of past experience, that
the gambling ordinance could be en-
forced; but if it could, its effect would,
Of course, be for good.
Mr.. ]. Ferguson-It does not seem
just that a law should be passed which
would prevent all but a few from run
ming gambling houses; but on the other
hand, admitting that gambling is an
evil, it is undoubtedly better to abate
it, than to allow it to be run in full
blast under such abortive laws as have
been on the statutes for years past
]. w. Conn-The city council Is there
| to make our municipal laws and the ci-
tizens will endorse their acts. Let these
officers do what in their judgment
seems best under the circumstances.
Rev. P. Carlson, pastor of the
Swedish Lutheran church: believe
that your way out of the difficulty is
the best In any case your bold stand
will cause such feeling in the COM
munity that all right-minded people
ought to thank you for your efforts. We
ought to abhor gambling, rightly and
properly, but in order to make that abb
horrence effective we must provide
a properly regulated pest house for the
disease. There is no chance of total
| abolition.
Mr.. ]. B. Wyatt-If the state laws
cannot be enforced, and If high IL
cense will have the effect of abating an
undoubted evil, by all means let us
have the latter. The question is not as
some suppose, that of placing the seal
of municipal approval upon a vice,
but of abating If not wiping out en-
tirely, an evil which the state laws have
| failed to suppress. Crush it out of ex-
istence if possible, but if not do the
next best thing.
Mr.. James Laws-I want to congrat-
ulate The Astorian. on its stand on this
gambling question. 1t is advocating
the right thing. One of the strongest
arguments in favor of the position it
takes is that the class of men who are
making the principal fight against 1t
admit that If the ordinance is passed
their occupation will be gone, I am
in favor of licensing gambling. 1t is
the only thing to do.
Mr.. H. G. Van Dusen declared him
self in favor of licensing gambling as
the best way out of the present difficult
ty. -rsai
Dr.. A. L. Fulton: The passage by
the council Of the gambling ordinance
cannot but largely suppress gambling.
am, therefore, in favor of'its passage.
1t is a wise move to make, and one
which, on moral grounds. must be ap-
proved of by all reasoning people.
| Swope & Slater will be pleased to
| furnish estimates on interior decora-
tion to all who call or address 45S
Fourth street.
If Julian wilberg will call at Herman