Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-04

they well know where gambling is being
carried on. He expressed the hope that
before long Kansas City would have con-
troll of its own police affairs. The senti-
ments seemed to meet with general ap-
proval. for they were heartily applauded
at the close of the prelude. DR.. Mitchell
said:
I'VE have recently had a reign of terror
in our city. There seemed to be no safety
for the citizen on the street or in the Sc
clusion Of his home. Property and person
were alike open TO assault. From early
nightfall till break of day the footpad and
burglar piled his nefarious business with
out let or hindrance. Every morning the
press gave numerous accounts of 'holdLps'
and burglaries. All thoughtful citizens
have been wondering why this peaceful
community should be visited by such an
epidemic of outlawry. The news of such
depredations on our streets and of hold
ups on the electric and steam cars in our
immediate vicinity sent out from here by
the Associated Press dispatches will not
Gdd TO our reputation a law-abiding
community. I think that any thoughtful
person must have been forced to inquire
why We have been so afflicted of late. Sew
eral causes contribute to this presence of
so many criminals in our city.
why Crime Is Rampant
In the first place, we possess mild win
ter climate, which attracts the homeless
and wandering classes. Tramps, out of
which so many criminals are bred. avoid
cold climates in the winter. We have the
best all-the-year-round climate in the
world. The lazy and worthless tramp and
criminal likes mild winter climate. Those
who are familiar with the migrations of
the genus hobo know how the warmer
cities are infested by worthless class of
people soon Is cold weather sets in. This
IS one cause Of the presence of our unwel-
come guests.
Another cause is our locality. We are
here on the border line between two states
This is condition always favorable for
crime. We have the two great prisons at
Leavenworth which are daily discharging
convicts which naturally drift to our city
This is the gate city to the great South
west. and naturally the Venturesome and
irresponsible classes, which drift toward
the frontiers, touch here. stopping long
enough to add their quota to the crime
and outlawry of the community.
Another apparent cause of crime in this
city is the presence OF so many saloons
hrothels and gambling houses. Each of
that trinity of hells Is a breeding place for
crime. Any city which fosters the pres
ence of-slich institutions Will always be the
home of the criminal. Crime is as natural
q
swamp. Every saloon. bTothel and gam
bling house is Il menace to the public peace
and safety.
"If we license and legalize the factory of
criminals, we should not be surprised to
discover in our community numerous
Hrti1iN of manufacture peculiar to such
concerns. As a city, We get license money
for the manufacture of criminals, and if we
are cursed 10y "a vile crop of outlaws We
should not be surprised.
Laws Not Enforced.
Il am not so much surprised at the reign
of the foutPad and burglar when 1 re-
member what an example for outlawry is
continually placed before the cvilly dis
posed in our community. for lack of the
enforcement OF law leads criminals of an
other type to think that the executive Of
fCers of the law are not inclined to en-
force the laws. When men sec the open
saloon on Sunday and no attempt made 10
enforce the law against the yiolators; when
they know the police commissioners. juu.-
ing 10y the results, do not want the laws
enforced against the Sunday saloon. they
conclude that there is not much sacredncss
attached 10 the law, anyway. II the police
authorities allow one set of laws violated.
why not others
THE police know where gambling is 60
ing Oh. They could close every gambling
place In the city If they wanted 10. There
is not saloon in the city to-day which
eannot be entered by the front door unless
there r. death in the saloonkeeper's fam
fly. All this Is I'm direct violation of law.
II the Sunday saloon, the Sunday theater
and tho every Gay and night gambling
rooms run on without Interference by the
police. why need they fear that the law
will be enforced against them? The truth
f.. fellow citizens. We are permitting a sys-
temEtlc course Of crime on the part of
those who are uumolested by the police
and then wondering why there has sprung
up such n spirit Of outlswry that person
and property are not safe on our streets.
Why should there be spasm Of virtuous