The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-23

Ani-Betting Decision of the Courts.
Tenants Along Route of the Queens
Jubilee Parade Given Notice to Quit.
Fabulous Charges by Landlords.
Copyright by New York Sum-
London, March 2O-Why should not the
government of the United States refuse
to recognize the blockade Of Crete? The
terms OF the official notice of the blockade
which was issued by the British govern
ment in London today, are a direct viola
directs: THE ships Of the six powers Of
neutral powers may enter into the ports
occupied by the powers and land their
merchandis but only If it is not for the
Greek troops on the island. These ships
may be visited by other ships of the inter-
national fleets" If any ship or offcer OF
the blOckading fleet undertakes to enforce
these regulations against vessel carry
ing the American flag it will be an act Of
war against the United States. There can
be little doubt about the correctness or
this view.
Sir Walter Phillimore, who is a strong
authority upon international law, thus
puts the case of the rights, even of Brit
ish citizens: "One should know whether
the government has consulted its legal
advisers as to certain eventualities, which
are not unlikely to follow upon this So
called blockade of Crete. Supposing that
a British ship, seeing a chance of doing
a good trade in provisions, sails for a port
In Crete, she will be perfectly legal in her
rights and it will be illegal to stop her.
We are not at war with Greece or Crete,
d
an enemy, and nothing short of an act OF
parliament can take away the right of
any British subject to go to or trade with
Crete. Suppose this ship stopped and
turned back. There. will be an Irresistible
claim for damages at the suit of the suf-
ferers against the captain of the British
man-of-war. Suppose it had sunk her.
The damage will be greater. Suppose one
of her crew is drowned see no defense
to an Indictment for murder.
The rights of an American vessel
would, of course, be stronger. Secre-
tary Sherman will receive today from Mr..
Paunceforte or through the American
embassy here a formal notice of the
blockade from Lord Salisbury. Every
American in London is anxious to know
what his answer will be. 1t is not only a
splendid opportunity to- make use of the
tremendous influence which q declaration
of this American view of the eastern pol.
icy of the great powers will carry, but it
is of genuine practical Importance as well.
1t is the aVOWed purpose of the six powers
to StarVe out the Greek troops in Crete.
No account is made of the incidental
starvation Of the native population. There
is food enough now in the interior of the
island to last several weeks. 1t is entirely
within the right OF the people or New
York, for instance, to send cargo of
supplies to tne beleagured inhabitants. Is
the admin tration at Washington ready
to enforce hat right?'
A subjecl which has disturbed large
class of Englishmen this week much more
than the crisis in the east is a decision of
the full court of queens bench, to the ef-
feet that a betting ring at a race track
anti-gamblng law of 1858. This is really
serious matter, compared with which
such trifes the blockade cf Crete or
the impending war between Greece and
Turkey are not to be considered. Nearly
all the newspapers of England condemn
the mOnStrOuS decision of the court, or,
rather the law under which it is made.
1t means a death blow to turf betting in
England, and as this is one of the most
sacred institutions of the country, the
great popular uprising of the past few
days is by no means surprising. 1t must
be admitted that the court had no choice
in the matter. It's decision pronounc-
ed by Sir Henry Hawkins, who is one of
the leading spirits of the Jockey Club and
who is often described the sporting
judge" 1t would have been absurd, as
ne himself reluctantly declared from the
bench, to rule that betting enclosure
at a race track was not "a place., but
England is speaking almost as with one
voice in the matter, The Pail Mall Ga
zette, in a patriotic, soul-strring leader
on the subject, points out the dreadful
consequences of the courts action
"Bookmakers and their clients it says,
''are to be deprived of the guarantees i'm
piled by deposits and acknowledgements
and are to be reduced to betting ON the
nod, with all the temptation to repudia-
old story of legislation attempting, and
signally failing, to regulate morality. The
law, as declared by the decision, Is down
right nonsense. 1t must, of course, be
amended
There is no doubt of the public's re-
Sponse to this appeal. England may be
indifferent to the slaughter of a few
thousand Armenians or to the Smelling of
Christian nuns by British ships, but a
be wiped out. The storm Of public pro-
test is so great that it has frightened the
anti-gambling league, which was the
plaintiff in the case which caused the de-
cison. Its secretary has hastened to
avert the threatened doom OF himself and
his associates by writing to The Pail
Mall Gazette that "the editor is quite mis-
taken in supposing that any legal or leg
iative aim of ours have ever been to
sweep away betting altogether; "A An I'VE we
preston Of betting as a trade, 10 whlch
nine-tenths of the evils of betting are
traceatle'' There is little doubt that
some amendment of the act of 1858 which
will enable Englishmen once more to bet
on the Derby without running the rlSk
of the loser repudiating his losses, will be
speedily introduced in parliament. Per
haps it will be allowed to pass by unani-
nous consent.
Some very mean men have got to work
in connection with Queen Victoria's forth
coming so-called diamond jubilee and they
are having a very good time, despite the
8 denunCiation of people who think they
q have a monopoly of all the virtues The
q sinners on this occasion are the owners
4 of house property in the poorer quarters
: along the route of the royal procession OF
8 June End. This class of property is al
# most invariably let on weekly or monthly
q tenancies. but the common people, OBJ
. livious of their frail tenure. have beer
8 letting their windows at prices which II
81 every case would pay their rent for q
q whole year. This has exceedingly grieveC
g the owners who, fearing the poor tenants
will be permanently harmed by such
transient prosperity and perhaps take tc
drink and thus bring discredit on the jul
y bilee, to the shame of all loyal subjects
q have proceeded sorrowfully, but firmly
81 to give all their tenants notice to quit, anC
81 out they will have to go long before the
ii jubilee day, in order to make room fol
81 their betters. The people who have hiret
"a windows from the poor tenants have nc
"a remedy. but have to grin and bear it OF
s@ to make terms with the mean men a
H about 500 per cent. advance upon the ten
ia ants prices. 1t is claimed for the owners
81 however, that they cannot be wholly vile
81 for in many cases they have graciouslJ
& permitted their tenants to remain on con
@ dition that they abandon their SordiC
& money making schemes and give up pos
"a session of the premises for a week before
81 and week after jubilee day. What al
4S this means to the owners may be judged
~ from a single instance. where a house lei
81 to a monthly tenant at an annual renta
af2 - H. faxaa o.