The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-24
AID. WILLIAMS ON GAMBLING.
HIGH TIME THE CITY SHOULD TAKE
A HAND, HE SAYS.

Present state OF Anairs-If the City |
Has Any Power to suppress Gam |
bling He Proposes to see That IL
Is Used or Know the Reason Why. |
No More Henson Why the Police |
should Not he Used to Suppress
Gambling Than 10 Suppress Any
other Crime.
There is one member of Council who
proposes TO ind out whether it has any
authority 10 put a stopper on the gambling
business. and If So, why this authority Is
not used alderman j. P. Williams is i'll
earnest when he says that the gambling
business has reached the limit in Sayan-
nah, and that II is high time the city au-
thoritles and everyone else vested by law
with any power should proceed 10 take
hold and demoiIsh the evil.
Alderman Williams believes that wheth-
er Council is vested with direct authority
in these matters or MOI its influence
should be exerted on the side Of right and
il should not remain quescent while the
laws are being violated. He is now look
ing into the city ordinances bearing on
the subject If the ordinances are not suf-
A|let4AAJ tAIA+N4l iN SCt9 tC AEe1oh wig
they should not be made so, and new oTdi-
rances provided entirely covering the sit
nation. If necessary, additional powers
can be obtained from the legislature at its
session this fall. He does not think, how
ever, it will be necessary 10 wait for the
legislature.
THE gambling evil has progressed to the
extent that 1t is a stencil in the nostFiis
of all right-thinking people" said Alder
man Williams yesterday. The condition
OF affairs is such that l do not feel that
In Justice to myself as a member of this
administration, 1 can afford to remain ST.
lent on the matter If the city has the
power 20 suppress the evil, and | believe
il has, that power should be exercised.
have the highest respect for Mayor N.Y.
eTs, but l do not agree with him in the
opinions which he has expressed that this
is not a matter for the city authorities.
The statement of the Mayor. however
that If sufficient public sentiment be arous-
ed against gambling there Will be no diff
Guilty in putting a stop 10 the evil, has
considerable meaning. Public sentiment is
already aroused on this subject, ar1 Il
is time for the city authorities, the
representatives, Of the citizens, to respond
to this sentiment"
The city exercises its authority," said
Alderman Williams ito protect the lives
and property of its citizens and in so doing
ii enforoes both state and local laws. No
question of enforcing state laws is made
when life and property is at stake. The
city cares fer the health of its citizens and
enfOrces regulations to this end Why
should it be so difident when the moral
as wen as the material welfare of its
people is involved. When affairs have
reached such a condition that business
men are compelled to complain to the
Mayor of the crowds which congregate
in the neighborhood of their places and
interfere with their business, il is time
that some action should be taken"
You believe then, that the police should
be used to suppress gamblng?" Mr. Will
| Jams was asked.
Certainly l do" he replied. There is
| just as much reason why they should be
used to suppress gambling as to run down
! petty thieves and enforce other state laws
| A policeman is not expected to know all
! the statutes of the state, but the police
! man who does not know enough to know
! that gambling is unlawful is unfit to be
on the force 1t is needless TO say that
| the police do not know that gambling is
carried on, With policy shops in every
| lane, the police would have to walk blind
/ folded not TO know what is going on. With
! half dozen or more lotteries in the city
and offices scattered all throughout the
city, with people congregating to buy tick
| cts and TO get the results of the semi
daily drawings, it is simply impossible for
the police not to see what is going on
II do not believe il VIII be by any
| means a difficult matter to put a stop
to gambling, not only policy playing, but
| the other more costly forms. The moment
| 1t is understood that the police are to do
their duty in the matter the bottom will
| drop out of the policy business 1t VIII
only be necessary to know that the police
are on the lookout, and the wheels will
80 n aft hoe lot4.a
| lives in its employ. Their duties are not
| specifically defined, but / understand that
| they are expected to ferret out and run
down violators of the law. As the gam
bling business is now conducted, it will
be q very easy matter for them to OBJ
tain all the evidence necessary for fire.
quent convictions. If the patrons of these
places knew they were in danger of being
arrested and hauled up in Police Court the
patronage would soon cease and the pro-
fessional gamblers would soon be without
means to pay their fines"
Alderman Williams intends to take the
matter up personally with Mayor Myers
ana Superintendent of Police Screw
en-. He believes that the state
OF affairs is such that the
administration cannot afford to let mat
ters rest as they are. aud that it must vim
dictate Itself by taking action.
The present state of affairs has conthl-
ued long enough" said Alderman Williams
In conclusion, and if there IL any power
IN the hands OF the city to put a stop to It,
l intend 10 see that it is used or know the
reason why"
Just how Mayor Myers and the rest OF
the board will take Alderman Williams
declaration, remains to be seen, but from
the positive manner in which the alder
man has expressed himself, it is evident
that the icy Indifference to the question
which has been apparent hitherto in mu-
ncipal circles, must give way to some
thing else or there will be some lively
times in the Council chamber.