The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-24
TO CHECK GAMBLING
GEN. LUDLOW DETERMINED To
BRING ABOUT A REFORM
AT HAVANA
THE PRESENT LAW Is AMPLE

Cuban Commission Decides That the
Police If They Desire Can Pre-
vent Public Play Without New
Legislation - Mayor Promises to-
See That the Law Is RigidIy En-
fOrced-CannOt Reach the Clubs.
HAVANA, July 2S.-The commission of
Cuban lawyers appointed by Gen. Ludlow
to decide upon and report as to the best
methods to be adopted for checking pub
lie gambling recently made a complete
report, which was referred to Mayor La
Costo. 1t seems that the old Spanish law
was perfectly able to cope with the entire
matter, but that it was rarely enforced,
owing to the large revenues received by
the government for hospitals and other
charitable institutions from the proprie-
tors Of the gambling establishments Oc-
casionally the governors would enforce
the law and all gambling would stop for
a few months, only to break out again
and be carried on with more freedom
than before.
The committee recognizes the fact that
gambling has not assumed proportions
which it is desirable to check, and sets
forth in its report that the Spanish law
only requires the cooperation of the po-
lice to bring obout the desired reform.
Gen. Ludlow, military governor, insists
that the fault is not with the police,
who on several occasions have made ar
rests and seized gambling outfits, only to
have the judges quash the charges and
return the outfits to their owners. The
government cannot interfere with clubs,
so-called, which are really gambling hels
and are frequented by many persons.
He does not consider, however, that it
would be advisable to interfere with the
legitimate clubs. where whist and other
games are played merely as a pastime,
but only with those which are run as
gambling bells and for the profit of pro-
fessional gamblers.
MAYOR WILL ACT.
Gen. Ludlow referred the report to
Senior Lacosta, who is enthusiastic in his
desire to suppress the evil, believing tkRt
it has a bad effect upon the morals of
the citizens. The mayor declares he will
exercise to the full the few powers vested
in him. Consequently it is expected that
many arrests will shortly be made, not
only of the gamblers, but Of others who
are in the field with the sole object of
fleeing Americans.
Many gamblers with unsavory records
are in the city, among them being Amer
leans, MeXicans and men of other nation
alities. If the judges do their duty it is
expected that the city will shortly be
purified.
William Willard Howard, general man
ager of the Cuban industrial relief fund,
speaks hopefully of the work being done
at the two relief farms at Cebia Mocha,
twelve miles west of Matanzas.
Mr.. Howard says that crowds of desti-
tute people come to the farm at daylight
and beg for days work None of them
beg for food, and never ask for it with
out expressing desire to pay for it BY
working. Mr.. Howard says that nu-
merouS small farmers in the neighbour
hood are anxious to obtain loans for the
purchase Of animals and implements with
which to resume the cultivation of their
fields, offering to pay for such loans at
the rate of u per cent.
WOULD BE CITIZENS.
An organization is being formed by
some of the Spanish residents here with
a view of securing American citizenship.
The originators of the movement claim
that in this way their property and in
terests will secure protection. Many
Spaniards are willing to pay $500 each to
become citizens of the United States.
American banking methods are becom-
ing extremely popular with the mer-
chants of Havana, there now being on
deposit with the North American Trust
company, fiscal agents of the United
States in Cuba. over 100000 exclusive
of the government funds.
Several alleged counterfeiters have been
arrested on the charge of issuing spu-
rious silver dollars. The coins which it
is asserted were made by the prisoners
were produced by primitive methods, be-
ing cast in plaster Of Paris mOulds
The local papers unanimously COM
plain Of Mayor LaCOsto's order directing
the closing of the stores at o'clock in
the evening. Owing to the intense heat
which prevails in the afternoons ladies,
the papers assert, find it impossible to
do their shopping before the hour named
for closing in the order. They advise that
the hour be changed to 10 o'clock for the
summer months
There was an extremely heavy rain
fall this afternoon, and the lower pOr-
ton of the city was practically flooded.
The Havana chamber of commerce has
voted to send a special commissioner to
the Philadelphia exposition.