The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-02-22

Tho Philadelphia Press notes that
"the last FIVE years have seen sur
prising advance in the law and practice
OF this nation in regard to gambling
which ought greatly to encourage every
man and woman devoted to moral re.
form"
Take the country as whole, and re-
viewing what has been accomplished,
both nationally and in the great cities.
this statement is well founded. It 10
undoubtedly true that the passage Of
tho law forbidding the use OF the mails
by the lottery companies, was the be-
ginning OF this advance. At that time
the sale Of lottery tickets was thriving
industry throughout the land, and all
forms OF gambling wore rampant, the
lo!tery's twin evil, policy, being sold
openly everywhere. Gambling eatab.
liahmens and pool rooms In all the
larger cities were conducted without in
terie.ence, except such as spa.modic
raids by the police. which were not de-
signed to suppress the places, but
merely to assess fine, which, in effect,
was only license tee.
The last five years. however, have
witnessed 4 great reform in the larger
cities. The Louisiana lottery has been
driven from the country. and in such
cities rs New York, Boston, Philadel-
phia and Washington, the policy dens
have becn practically wiped out. In a
number OF cities public pool rooms have
been closed, and private gambling
places no longer flourish as they once
did, though they still exist to some e1.
tent. Tho Press thus sums up some OF
the results that have been accomplished
by the general movement:
The Gloucester and Guttenburg rings are
broken, the leaders OF the latter nrc under heavy
sentence aud New Jersey freed from the corrupt
rule Of these ScOrndrels. New York state has
put in its constitution n prohibition Of lcglslR-
lion licensing race.tnIck gambling. Open samb.
ling bells have been closed both here and In
New York. This city has scattered over II In
alleys and by.ways good many back rooms
where various forms OF gambling arc prncticed
In secret by dngy light; bu: tho big places are
rooted out. there are no gambling places gcncr.
ally known and the city Is moro free Of these
hclls than would have seemed possible or crcd-
BILE ten years ago. In New York there has been
similar i'm proycment. though one less complete.
Boston hns felt thu same reformation Tho law
all over the country has been set In motion
against disguised lotteries In watch cubs
get rich quick" societies aud bogus "lnyest.
Inent companies"
A remarkable fact, in connection
with this reform wave, aud ono which
tho Press does not refer 10, is that it
seems to have struck tho larger cities
Grsl-thosc cities about which there has
been the greatest complaint concerning
municipal corruption, while the smaller
towns and cities havo not rs rule
shared in tho movement to crush out
gambling. However, viewing tho en-.
tire field over, the Pross statea a fact
which ia apparent to everybody whom it
Gays that, while ton years ago it looked
Us II gambling were in fair way 10 rot
tho national character, to-day there is
q strong prospect tina. this great nation
will be tho first to crush tho vice, rs
already therc is loss gambling hero than
in any othor land in tho world.
When the wave COTS through sweep.
80. .