Morning journal and courier., 1893-03-17
gnmr,ra1 aud Courier.
The Oldest Daily Paper Pulp
 lished in Connecticut.
WHAT POOL ROOMS ARE AND DO.

WHAT POOL ROOMS ARE AND DO.
 It is hoped that when the Judiciary com mittee reports the new anti -pool-room bill, which it will probably do next week, it will be such till that all can heartily 3D. prove 1t. The pool rooms must go. If a law that will make them go can be got 1t will not be wise to split hairs in the dis cussion of fine points, which may bs honestly or dishonestly made. The main question should be kept steadily and con- spiouously in mind.
 The situation is plain one and 8 bad one. In New Haven, in Hartford and in Bridgeport, and possibly in two or three other cities in the State, there are pool rooms in open operation. Wherever they are they are demoralizing and disastrous pests. They spread the fever of foolish gambling, they incite to dishonesty, they destroy the promise and the hope of youth, they undermine legitimate business and they bring their patrons to shame and to bitter and Iemorseful poverty.
 What claim have the pool rooms to any leniency from those interested in preserv- ing the soundnes+ and the prosperity of the communities in which the pests are locatedi They are in operation for the sole purpose of taking all the money out of the State they can. They are run by New York sports who look upon their victims as farmers" and "jays." The game is not even @ square one as gambling games go. It is based on crooked and dishoneat races, and the crookedness and dishonesty of the races are faithfully and proftsbly initiated by those who base their game on them. It is known by many of those who "play the races" in the pool room in this city that everything is fixed to serve the purposes and the pockets of the packers of the game. They keep on playing because they are wild with the gambling spirit, and because they hope that it may be their luck to get the bait which is occasionally thrown out to what are very properly known as "suckers."
 So much for the character of the game. Now a word as to the damage 1t does. It takes, and dishonestly takes, a large amount of money out of the State-money which ought to stay here and benefit local and legitimate industry and business. It Is believed, by those we'll qualified to judge, that the pool room in New Haven takes in at least five thousand dollars a week. This is the very lowest intelligent estimate, and many do not hesitate to put the amount ss high as ten thousand. Our own opinion is that it is nearer ten than five. But suppose that all the pool rooms in the State take in only ten thousand dol lars week. They would drain the State of over half e million dollars year. We think 1t certain that they take @ much larger amount than this. What misfortune in every way the loss is. Those who con- tribute the money do so to their moral as we'll as their financial harm, and the harm of their communities. Those who take 1t take it by fraud and by playing on one of the most dangerous weaknesses of human nature. It would be cad for the people of Connecticut to lose such an amount by fire or other more or less natural means. It Ia both sad and disgusting to see a gang of New York plunderers craftily and dishonesty taking 1t away from legitimate business uses in this State. Many men who "play the races" do not pay their honest debts. All the money they can get goes to ''the horses," while the men go to the dogs, and those who have trusted them go into futile rage and mourning.
 But the money losses, bad as they are, are not the worst. The losses of reputa. tion, of character, of self respect, of honest ambition and industry, of the confidence of employers and business associates-these are the ssddeet and most serious losses Many young men in New Haven are to day out of employment, out of money and out of hope, because they have foolishly be. lieved they could ''piok the winners" 7" Some of our business men are in trouble because they thought they could make 6 dishonest dollar in the pool room by riskine money needed in their business. Some of ths students in Yale University are deeply ir debt and trembling with the fear that theil parents or the college authorities may dis cover that they are victims of the poo room. And we have been recently told by unquestionable authority, that even some of the Grammar and High School boy have yielded to the feverish fascination oi the fraudful game. Sad tales of the harm that has been done come into lawyers offices, newspaper offices, ministers' studie and the police office. And we regret t. say that in the latter place they do not re ceive the attention they ought to.
 This is the situation. Can any right
 minded man say that it does not need i'm
 mediate attention and all the remedy tha
 can be applieda Will any body weakly sn'
 wickedly argue that the passion for gam
 bling is inherent in human nature, ant
 that the pool rooms are justified in fraud
 ulently taking advantage of 1t and of thos
 who are foolish enough to fall into thei
 trspa Is 1t not rather the part of wisdor
 and of duty for the legislators and all ott
 CTS interested to decide that such @ power
 ful and conspicuous and deceitful tempts
 ton to folly and evil shall be removed
 The pool rooms are openly against law
 order. honesty and prosperity. Shoul
 not all the forces of law, order, honest
 and prosperity be openly and decisivel
 against them,
 THE HARRIS CASE.