The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-04-06
THE INDIGNATION
MASS MEETING
". T.. Church Filled to 0yerflOWing
With People Prom All Glasses.
NON. I. VI. LONG CHAIRMAN
kho Presided over the Meeting and Read
the Law on the Subject Of Gambling the
Speeches on the Subject,
non. I. NJ. LONG CHAIRMAN

Afur music on thr streets by braai
band. large audience gathered In
the Methodist church last night. at the
call FOR an Indignation mass meeting.
Thorc present were from every walk
IN ine. from the highest to the lowest.
and this m,--ing throughout was an In.
t'1Nsting one.
In opening the meeting. the Rev Mr.
Waiter said: we have met again to.
night AT a cail for which I disclaim
any responsibility. AZ the other meet
Ing In this cause. the ministers were
responsible. but since the objects OF
that meeting miScarried. We are all
iaw-ab.tlng citizens and will uphold
the law. II gambling Is the order Of
the day gambling II H. This meeting
has been called through sources out
side Of the ministerial aiaoC4atson"
The Hon. l. N. Long. the weil-known
attorney. was then introduced by Mr..
Walter as the presiding officer Of the
evening Mr. Long took the chrlr. and
stated In hiS opening remarks that
the object Of the ms--ting was 20 pro-
tct Against the passage Of the gambling
licanse, ordinance. and to take some
steps n possible. 10 prevent It's b,ing
signed by the mayor He then read
from the statutes of Oregon the laws
governing gambling IN the STATE. and
also Rad various sections OF the city
charter upon the same subject These
SECTIONS of law. calling upon the police
officers OF the CITY 10 onforce the os,ii-
nanccs and state laws. ar, too famnia-
ca bear repetition In detail supreme
court decisions were also rad. sustain
ms the principle that public morals
cannot be- legislatcd away. even by \
spocial charter amendment. such as
was made IN the case Of Astpr5a's char
ter, which the spraksr claimed con
rictvd with other sections Of the same
charter What Will the mayor do
with this ordinance? WIN he by silence
or action enforce it as u law?" Tn.
speaker then reolted the mayors oath
of Office. and the fact that h. was at
one time judge upon the bench,
Mr.. Thomas Dealy was called upon
FOR an expression Of opinion upon the
subject and said when the citizens
u Astoria elected "A city council. they
delegated TO them power to act for
them. Has this council done its duty?
No. but hope Mayor Taylor will place
his veto on this measure. This II the
opportunity of his life"
Or. Estes was then asked 10 make
speech. and replied that he had not
come prepared TO talk. but fedt that
81 far the laws as enacted put price
ON crime, and that the gamblers hnn-
selves were opposed to IT, 1T looks
like the present law was made for
the purpose OF forming Monte Carlo
out OF Astoria-a place where suicides
will be the rule, There viii be no stop
ping OF evil II We commence TO license
It. The saloon mon are against It, and
hope that the mayor win veto this
damnable bill"
Mr., Baker, a visitor in the city, was
then introduced. and said that right
IL right. and no kind OF license viii
ever change wrong into right. We
may talk about necessity, but Goa for
bid that we should license gamblins.
We may say the law cannot be en-
forced, Ten thousand murders were
committed last year--better put a tax
for revenue on It, Crime has increased.
Five thousand suicides were committed
last year-better make them pay H.
cense for the privilege. and get
little revenue out OF IT," After these
remarks on the license question. the
gentleman made a long and interesting
talk ON the question of temperance and
drunkenness, to which latter he ascribed
all the evils,
The Rev. Mr.. Walters then took the
stand and said: This meeting reminds
me very much of the two ministers
who We're to preach on the same day.
The one took for his text Il so afshlng,'
and after a two hours haramgue the
other one got up and said, He caught
nothing | am afraid that is the way
this meeting will turn out. l am not
10 afraid of this ordinance. The men
who advocated It did so honestly, and
were opposed TO the back-handed bust
ness believe the Astordan. the
Budget and the councilmen were all
honest In the positions they took /
doubt II the mayor Will be influenced
by your actions here tonight. He will
do what he thinks is right, Is there
u man here who in the past has, or
ls now willing TO go into the court
and inform against crime? What we
want is organization, entirely aloof
from politics. We want citizens
league that win stand at the back Of
honest officers, as did Marshal Field
and Lyman j. Gage In Chicago. They
did not stop gambling and vice alto
gether; but 1 had the pleasure Of