The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-17
WHEELS RUNNING AGAIN
GAMBLING As BAD As 1T EVER WAS.
SAYS REV. BASCOM ANTHONY.


SAYS REV. BAsCOM ANTHONY.
The Preachers VIII Take Up the Bat
tie Anew With the New Year and
Fight 1t Out to the Bitter End.
City Authorities VIII Not Do Any
shing, and MIR. Anthony Thinks
Them Either Indifferent or In Need
of the Attention of an OccuIist.
Mayor Promised That when Com
plants Were Made, the Gambling
Houses should Be Moved-This, Mr..
Anthony Says, Was Not Done.
Rev. Bascom Anthony said yesterday
that the clergy of the city will take a hand
in the suppression of gambling, and their
work to this end will begin with the be-
ginning of the new year. No programme
has been formulated as yet.
Something must be done" said Mr.
Anthony. THE policy shops are running
and their wheels are turning at full speed;
every form of gambling that hourished
before the moral crusade was begun is
as fiagrantly practiced now as it has ever
been in the past; the doors Of the hells
are wide open and the moral atmosphere
of the city is unconscionably bad. Public
sentiment seems TO be acquiescent in the
continuation of this vice. and the city au-
thorities, though asked, urged and even
besought to do something about the mat
ter and though they have made a SOL
emn promise so to do, permit the illegal
and immoral to continue practices under
that gambling should flourish or so blind
that they ought to consult an oeculist."
q confess that am at a loss for 90
luton of the problem, and have no idea
what we shall do said Mr. Anthony. The
Mayor promised me that gambling should
be stopped if complaints specific COM
plants as to the existence of a particular
gaming house, were made. l made one
such complaint myself and the gambling
house was asked to move. 1t did move
about 300 yards or less, where il seems to
have taken permanent root, and to have
hourished like the green bay tree. AT my
instance one of my friends made COM
plant to the Mayor of the existence of
other gambling houses. AS regards these
nothing whatever has been done, or at
least no result has followed what has been
done, for the places have not moved nor
ceased to attract the idle and the vicious
within their DOORS"
Something must be DONE" Mr.. Anthony
repeated. The public conscience must
be awakened to demand the enfo, cement
Of law and to visit with its condemnation
every public official by whom the laws of
the land are not enforced. If it is not so
at present, the preachers must educate it
up to a higher standard, for that is part
of their mission 1t is insufferable that
the present condition of affairs should be
permitted to continRe a single day longer"
What plans hay = you made for the
prosecution of the work you think the
preachers should undertaken" Mr.. An
thony was asked.
None at all. We shall fight the evil,
BE- assured of that, nd l trust we shall be
able to fight ii wit success. At the first
meeting of the MimJterial Association aft
er the holidays 1 shall bring the matter to
the attention of that body and we can
then devise ways and means and outline
the policy we shall pursue. The city is
back in the old rut For a time, after
the issuance of the Mayors order, am
informed that while the majority of the
gambling rooms did not close their bust
ness. they at least closed their doors, and
only the initiated were permitted to enter.
This condition was an Improvement upon
the old, for at least the young and the
inexperienced were not enticed TO enter
and the gambling was confined principally
10 those hardened ones, who are, posi-
bly,, beyond the reach of reformation. Now
We have come back to the old practices,
the doors of the gambling dens are open
to the street and the business is carried
on with frank advertisement of its ma
tlre that he who runs may read The
stranger in the city, who walks about the
streets at night, may pick out the gam
bling houses at a glance"
Mr. Anthony said he is personally I'M
wiling to take again a prominent part in
the agitation, IS the publicity hat neces-
sarily foll,ws is dis.asteful and disagree
able 10 him. However he cannot counten-
ence the vice as it is now carried on, nor
can he remain quiescent or fail 10 visit it
with his condemnation, both in the pulpit
and wherever else he thought such a word
may have gocd effect.
The preachers have not retreated from
their original position nor do they intend
to retreat" Mr.. Anthony said. Il am con-
hdent that I voice their sentiment when I
say the fight win lie waged 10 the bitter
end and that if thsy have influence among
The tizcns sufficient to arouse them, or
any large proportion of them, to a reaiz-
Ing sense Of their civic duty and moral
Responsibility, gambling or public gam
Ing az least, will find a speedy conclu-
Son