Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-15
WARNING ON VICE
Citizens Protest Against the Vir-
ginia Infamy.
LAST NIGHTS BOARD OF TRADE MEETING
Earnest Speeches Made Against
the Existing Evils.
RES OLUTIONS ADOPTED

What can be done with the existing evils
at jackson City and st. Asaph's and with
the menace to the welfare of the national
capital that Is found in the gambling hells
across the river?
This was the question which was asked
and for which an answer was sought at a
general mass meeting which was held last
evening at the Builders Exchange. The
meeting was held at the call of the board
of trade. and in the crowd that gathered
in response to it's call were many of the
best-known men of Washington. All ranks
of life were represented. There were pros
porous business men and employees of the
government, school authorities and minis
ters newspaper men and many others. all
animated with the desire to cope in some
way with the great octopus of sin and
crime which has its breeding ground across
the Long bridge and which stretches its
Shiny arms across many an otherwise hap
py horne in this city.
For years past jackson City has been a
resort for gamblers and other evil doors.
Here the lowest and most abandoned of
men have made their headquarters, safe
from all intrusions of the guardians of the
peace Many a young man has found his
downward path leading to the doors of the
gambling dens whose existence has been
such a foul blot on the fair name and fame
of the old dominion. Many a mother has
had cause to shed bitter tears over the
wanderings of a son whose footsteps would
have led him straight to an honored and
self-respecting manhood had 1t not been
for the doors of temptation held SO invit-
ingly open to him in a neighborhood so
near to his home.
1t was bad enough in the years gone by.
It Is worse today. With the establishment
of the Alexander Island race track and,
later, of the track at st. Asaph's the evil
has been increased many times.
The Board of Trades Answer.
Upon what doth this octopus feed that 1t
hath grown so great? The answer was
given last evening 1t is on the life blood
of the community. 1t would eat out the
heart of honesty and uprightness. That 1t
must be fought, and to the death, was the
unanimous opinion of that gathering of
reputable and earnest men of Washington.
How? That was the question which found
an answer on many tongues.
Monday several members Of the board CT
trade, accompanied by a number OF minis
tiers of different denominations, 5ourneyed
to St. ASaph'S on visit OF personal IN
spection of the existing condition OF at
fairs. Yesterday one of them visita Jack
son City and, fresh as they all were from
these unpleasant scenes. they outlined their
experiences and voiced their sentiments at
the meeting last evening. Rarely does any
body of men show such perfect unannnity
of opinion. They were as one man in say
ing that these pest holes throw up vile
and noxious stencil into the nostrils of the
decent people of the District of Columbia
and that the safety of the community de-
mands that they shall be cleansed from off
the face of the earth.
The mass meeting quite filled the Gig nall
of the Builders Exchange. President b. II.
Warner acted as chairman Of the meeting
and Mr.. John B. Wight officiated as sec
Charles w. Baldwin, Rev. DR.. Muir Mr..
w. D. Cabell, Mr.. H B. F. Mcfarland,
Rev. DR.. Hugh Johnston. Rev: DR..
George o. Little. Rev. Dr. Maekay
DIR. Corey. Rev. Alexander Kent. Rev. Dr..
Alexander, Judge Kimball. Mr. A. T.
Stuart, w. b. Powell. superintendent of
public schools; Rev. ]. L. French, Rev.
L. Biscoe. Mr.. B. T. Janney, Mr.. F. L.
Chapel, Mr.. Lewis Clephane, Mr.. w Riley
Decide, Mr.. A. P: Pardon. Mr. Robert N.
Harper, Mr.. ]. v. N. Huyck, Mr.. w. ].
Wallace Mr.. Samuel ]. Meeks. Mr.. Robert
A. Phillips, Mr.. ]. H. Ralsten. Mr.. VIM. F.
Roberts, Mr.. Harry NJ. Schneider, Mr.. l..
w. Richie, Mr.. G. w. +. SWartzel and
Mr.. w. H. Tenney.
Earnest Speeches.
During the course Of the evening a num-
Der of earnest speeches were made, which
the evil had been allowed to run along for SO
long a time. The failure of the Virginia
authorities to root it out was denounced in
no measured terms.
Various suggestions were made as to how
this desired end might be accomplished.
The general consensus of opinion seemed
to be that the best and wsest course lay
in the arousing Of public sentiment in the
matter. AS DIR. Baldwin expressed It,
What good men ought to do good men
can do
Among the suggestions that were made
was one to the effect that the portion of
Virginia which once constituted a part of
the District Of Columbia should be receded
to the United States. A motion was put
expressing the sentiment of the meeting as
in favor of that step, but 1t was voted
down. The opinion seemed to be that such
an act would simply result in moving the
dens and tracks one degree farther from
Washington instead OF tearing the evil Gut
by the roots
Rev Mr. Allen. copastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, argued in favor of
the board of trade and the good people of
the city generally using their influence to
bring about the election of better officials
in Alexandria county. He said that man
is out for election as attorney for the
county on a reform platform, who is
pledged to weed out the existing abuses,
and he said that as money is always need
ed in elections he thought that the board
of trade could not do better than to lend
financial aid to such man.
The Railroads. Responsibility.
Rev DR.. Mackay Smith, rector of st.
Johns, gave expression to rather novel
idea, but one that seemed to meet with
general approval, when he said that in his
opinion the Pennsylvania railroad is one of
the chief culprits in the wrong that is be-
ing perpetrated upon the community here.
The result of the evenings meeting was
the adoption of resolutions which expressed
the sentiments of the gathering, which
called upon all the ministers in the Dis
trict Maryland and Virginia to unite in
delivering sermons on the evils of gamb-
ling and IN using their influence in every
possible way to arouse public feeling
against the octopus of crime across the
river, and which provided for sending an
earnest protest to the governor of Virginia
against the evils existing in Alexandria
county.
President Warmers Opening.
At o'clock President Warner called the
meeting to order, and briefly announced
that they were ready for business. He said
that it was probably unnecessary to read
the call for the meeting, as its objects were
by that time well known. 1t was held under
the auspices of the board of trade because
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