The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-07
FROM THE VETO BOX
Mayor Wood Disapproves the
Slot Machine Ordinance.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
me COMMITTEES - Sanitation 1hfnks
Owyusy HaA Bsen Ent1cea Int
IyfI and sinned AgsiDGe-

sanwor wood has placed his veto On me
ordinances passed b. tie city eotnc1A saSi
wsrk licensing slot machines, The Veto
which In quite lengthy. wss read pefSEs
the council 81 las naastsng last night, occz-
sGoning but little surprise. I'Arifss rs
reading by Assistant Clerk Corysi. Act
frx President H1rd and Councilman flAS-
uopd, both Of whom fought against ttie
massage OF the ordinance last week. could
hardly suppress q smile % satassac1soii-
No action was taken O. tbs veto, a. the
charter provides that II shall be paoiIshea
IA caiiy paper for fys days 1he e0rs-
ncnt ia fun is rs follows.
The slot Machine Veto
81 believe II to be my duty % ritnnoad
approval from council bsil Nc. -. eEfSisiszS
An ordinance licensing ne sale OF COCOA.
wares and merchandise hy means 81 au-
tomato devices, apparasus or mschiSess
and providing for thu violation thereof
ain stating nay objections 30 sad DiIi
vllI. for convenience. distinguish the sif-
ferent classes Of slot machines IS auto
matte machines and 'ehance machines.
By the former term refer 70 th,ss
machines which are strictly automatic.
by means OF which . customer IL enabled
20 wait upon himself N the purchase OF
certain lines Of goods. placing the Prise
IN the machine ard receiving for each ais1
eyery payment a definite quantity OF nc
commodity being sold. by the term
chance machine I refer 20 the ainerent
varieties Of slot machines whose action
ss not uniform. and which DO not. as nn-
dsrs<aud dsliyer the goods 70 the csAs~
toner Among others the following rea-
eeus appear TO ne to Justify dssapprcVal
OF said bgil. and I respectfully submit
them as my objections thereto:
FIRST obseetion-SaI bsli by its farms
provides sos the license Of automatic slot
machines and devices. while ] am advised
and fully satisfied that The persons who
are asking for this legislation expect 10
operate chance slot machines Under II.
IL the provisions of the ordinance are
open 70 such construction they should be
modified before the ordinances goes into
effect.
fscand ob1ecfion--S license OF SIS per
year upon automatic machines for the Eiie
OF goods Is excessive Tor most automatic
devices. and viii be prohlbigiVe as to most.
II not all. the automatic machines which
are simply legitimate aids TO business and
are free from the objections which are
applicable 70 the chance machines. As
running that the business men who expect
10 apply for the licenses provided for in
said ordinance intend 10 operate chance
machines Hereunder. whisn assumption
r.. IN my Judgment. fully justified bv In
formation received from those advocating
this ordinance. the following additional CHI
Jections shoald be specified.
Third objection From a revenue stand
point = license fee OF SIS per year for
chance slot machines Is tn my Judgment
entirely Inadequate The lowest license
fee suggested to me by business men IN
ferested iu the subject. prior 20 the pas
esEe az the ordinance. was SIS per month.
or $50 per year. one case being cited
..t.l -
diminished receipts to tho extent OF 80 per
day.
Fourth otieesion-The ordinances con-
faina no restrictions whatever nor any
provisions TO prevent hoys and minors
from playing 81 IN. chance machines. All
advocates Of such license with whom I
have conversef have agreed that there
should be- strict regulations against tho
playing OF the chance machines by boys
or minors. oua OF the arguments aa-
van~ed In favor OF a moderately high Il
cense being That such license would Keep
the chance machines out OF small cigar
and candy Stands. where boys arc apt TO
sne them.
.Fqfth obteetion--Chanee sio, machines
are In the nature OF lottery devices. the
purchaser taking chances a. 20 how much
be VIII secure or as 10 whether no will
secure anything for The money paid
sixth ohiertion~These chance slot ma
chimes operating IA public places. even
though boys and minors should be pro-
hihltcA from playing at them. will oper-
ate as examples and incentives 10 hoys
ana minors 60 nafronize these or other Ike
chance schemes
Seventh obieetlon-The uze of chance
machines. even IL they are fair IN Their
AVERAGE results and 10 no. give percent
sge OF advantage 20 the house using them
tof which fact We should be assured be-
-
GREASE the purchases ~ a given number
OF customers IN cigar stores ard saloons
where these machines are most generally
usei over the purchases which such pur-
chasers would make IL The machines we're
not in uxe, II could not be considered
good public nailey to encourage rnechan-
tcal coniffvafeas Tor Increasing the spend-
tssg Of money IA an abnormal extent for
commodities which are not necessafies.
S1ch course must operate aEainst other
lines OF trade deal nE IN nserqaafisS aaa
against the families az thc sae faiess. many
OF whom may be in need Of necessarses
which world otherwise ~ purchased NssA
the money wanesei az machines
Eighth objection Public gambling, puh-
lie lotteries and al Schemes ard devices
Ter publicly sissgosinr ~ anything ~ val
ne hy chance. are against the policy OF
our national laws. directly Ia eouTirt With
OR state law. ard against The p'ihlfc well
and youuE men. OF All legitimate business
and business methods. and eegr hope far
honesty comfort economy and Industry on
she part q ear people. sgEvcsi 20 a. that
neither official ner legislative sanction
should BE given % the cultivation OF ne
gambling spirit. which = the hope - gvt-
tire something fer ncehinx. am eon-
xfnsed thar more important Interests zrN
Involved fn t1se passage % the pFcroaea
ordinance ghan fhe securing % e small
revenue 70 The city.
IL beg 70 submit ihcSe oAfectians feel
ing assured that ire questions cr pshaa
welfare involved IN the Proposed er4i-
nance Will neccsee yclw conscientious ean-
alteration
Swyney Confirmed.
J. VI Suvnsv was confirmed as sanitary
Inspector. hut not until he was Subjected
20 a severe questioning as 70 hss autiss
~ James. who, anrtnE The entire session.
was pot in the best Ct spirits The met
ter came NJ On the report ~ The commit
tee On health and sanitation. compose
OF Chapman. Hermann and Raymond.
Witch report Vas as follows.
.'Nour ccIarnittre osa sanitation. 70 whorl
was referred the notification * the an-
ralniment or J. u. Ssyuey as p,unatns
Inspector. ard against whom there wsrs
preferred serious cn4rgps % vile nature,
would report that. while those charles
were pot sustained. ySi we feel thar tne
said ins1-ecser WAS ret sfsokasher wtthnas
hlauae fer allowing hfnsscli 10 be entss-esi
srte evis thus giving hifnsalf evrr 90 ht-
enemies. Ne feel that he hsz hesn sfnnaa
AGAINST Ssfher than guilty 81 she charles
made against hirs. and that Tire story a
snia fsex Trav.' Who suffered from cefrs
81 had company. VAS repeated 81 n!s case.
IL viii Pay