The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-06-03
STATE SENATE REPR0NED.
RIGOROUS Words BY REV. j. II.
MASON.

At the First Baptist church last even
ing fine service of Christian praise
was rendered and Rev. John III. Mason
spoke upon "Connecticut's Latest In
fanny" substantially as follows:
Once more the Christian sentiment of
Connecticut must hang its head in
shame. 1t seems that there are depths
of degradation which we have not yet
reached. But unless all signs fail, we
shall speedily find them. The Connec-
ticut senate has shown us that behind
smiling face it carries a black heart.
When the present legislature was elect
ed there were throughout the state
loud shouts Of victory and high hopes
of reform. The victory has been util-
lied by the politicians and the petition
ers for reform will be granted leave
to withdraw.
Once more the senate of Connecticut
has degraded the name of a once nobel
state. While our sister commonwealth
far and near are moving ON toward
higher ideals Connecticut is wallowing
in the mire. The revelations of the
past few days must convince the world
that the descent to Avernus is espe-
cially easy in the city of Hartford.
Surely the days are long past when
the magnificent building in which the
present villainy is being consummated
could be built within the limits of an
appropriation and with handsome
surplus to be turned back into the treas
ury.
1 presume I need hardly tell you
what is the matter; but lest some one
remain in ignorance, let me enlighten
you. The senate has just passed an
amendment to the pool bill by which
towns are authorizing to legalize pool
selling at the race tracks for twelve
days in each year. Our only remaining
hope is that we may find in the house
of representatives some shred of moral
sentiment such as we have missed in
the senate.
Let us see what the amendment is
and what it means. In one word, it is
the verdict of the state that gambling
shall be encouraged. This means not
simply that we shall let gambling go
ON without much protest and with very
infrequent disturbance, but it means
IiAol luS SdllrDllHS SHdl NC lGStllHCu,
or in other words that the state shall
protect the gambler in his infamous
business There are thinking men who
do not hesitate to say that there is no
evil of our time, even the saloon or
the brothel, so deadly as this. Mr.
Beecher said: eve have in gambling
a crime-dark, malignant, uncompound-
ed wickedness. 1t seems in it's full
rr,.r H.,
mercy"
The frightful increase i'm gambling
in this country is most ominous. But
it is bold state that dares to step
forward and place the seal of its APP
prevail upon the vice in one of its most |
and most destructive forms. |
Henceforth Off the amended bill be- |
comes law the youth of Connecticut |
are to be legally, publicly systemati- |
cally, scientifically and Internally de- |
bauched for twelve days in every year.
Beyond the twelve days gambling must |
go on under cover as at the present |
time. The Connecticut senate aims to |
establish gambling centers throughout |
the state. Heretofore these centers |
have been mostly confined to the larger |
cities where the vicious classes most |
abound and where the police force is |
generally affected by strabismus. Here |
after we are to have public gambling |
centers in every town in the state which |
so elects. And if the town fails to take |
action, the selectmen may decide for |
the town. Can you conceive of any |
thing which would promise, (why not |
say, guarantee), a more speedy and a |
more thorough-going degradation than |
this. When the legislator is for sale |
what hope Of incorruptibility in a Sc
lectman? Even the bill to legaMze pool
selling, Of which this is an amendment, |
would be preferable because then at |
least we should have the advantage
Of uniformity Of criminal law through
out the state, an advantage by no
means small. Let us see what the pass
age Of the proposed amendment will
mean.
l. 1t will commit US as state in the
eyes of the world, to an endorsement
and an approval of one of the most
subtle and one of the most vicious forms
Of sin by which the weakness of man is
assailed.
q 1t will mean that gambling in the
state of Connecticut is, under certain
to be removed from the cata-
ogue Of crime.
8. 1t will mean that other vices which
are still counted crimes must tremend-
1usly increase in Connecticut within
the next few years. There is no vice
which so undermines business integrity
rs gambling. In the appalling confess
sions which have been made during the
past few months by men who had been
.rusted in responsible positions but
who had fallen, there is a sad monot-
my, for in almost every case the worm
which had eaten out the heart of integ- 4
'ity was the vice of gambling. The
growth of crime is already most alarm. u
ng. Between 1880 and 1890 our popuIa- Fl
ion increased less than 20 per cent. and n
he number of commitments for crime tf
o per cent. What blackness of dark I
less may we not expect in the record
which is now being written for the last t
|ecade Of the nineteenth century? '
T. When it is remembered that our t
tate has stood well up at the front as J
egards industry. intelligence, literary s
Ind scientific achievement, invention 1T
hid patriotism, it seems unspeakably *
|eplorable that Connecticut men should
sasire to blot out the glory of the past Nv
thrusting us forward to pre-emi- q