The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-22

"The Only Effective Remedy" as 1t
Appears to an Observer.


From the Moldrim Guidon.
! Since the sweeping order Of Mayor Ny
ers to close the gambling houses Of Sa-
yaunah recently, and the alleged resump-
ton Of the business in all Of its pleutitude
as soon as the preachers were temporarily
satisfied and hushed up against them
much speculation has been INDUCED in as
to the most effective means of abating
this growing evil in that fair city. The
only effective remedy, in our opinion, is
with the trial judge, and that is to impose
the penal portion Of the sentence, which
is in his discretion, and let this be abso-
Lutte, and not in lieu of any fine. Hereto
fore the custom has been TO impose fine,
and in default of this the offender went
to jail or to the changing, as the court
might fix the punishment. The result of
this has been that the offender hunts
around and gets money enough to pay the
fine-usually from $50 to $250-and is out
free man again, and pursuing his same
old avocation with greater zest than ever
to make this money back
Although II is an open secret that this
man is al his old business again, he is
not apt to be molested for some time to
come as there are plenty of others who
are at the same business and who can be
pulled" as he has been, without too
much pecuniary Inconvenience, and thus
the thing goes on, amounting to nothing
more nor less than a sort Of extortioned
license to carry on the business. We state
these facts as the logical sequence of the
fine system. The court, of course, is in
nocent Of all this. His duty is to deal
with the offender when brought before him
as the law directs, and he does this ac-
cording to his oath and conscience These
Hrnna urse INN cd hrrf he tn, r,f1
faith, and in the honest hope that this
course will prevent a recurrence of the
crime. Experience has shown that 1t does
not. The whole tendency of the fine sys-
tenn Is to increase rather than diminish the
crime. The money arising from these fines
is too tempting 10 the prosecuting officer.
Then when the fine is paid, as stated
above, the offender TOO often resumes his
old business to get even" Worse than
this. If the offender is fortunately engag-
ed in lucrative business in this line he
can afford to pay good heavy fine and
go right on whereas if he knew he had
to work on the chain-gang absolutely for
twelve months, or even lie in Jail for six
months, without the alternative Of a fine.
this great, demoralizing crime that is sap
ping the best moral vitals of our present
and rising manhood would be blotted out
like magic
No sweeping order of the Mayor would
be necessary No kindly word Of warning
from the minister in his pulpit would be
necessary. No hated SPIES would be ne
cessary. Let the courts try this exped!ent
Tampering with this great evil as It has
been handled by the courts viii not do
This matter Of inficting punishment for
the suppress on Of gambling, without the
alternative of fine, is entirely in the
sound discretion of the court Judge Falli-
gants eloquent charge 10 the grand jury
at the June term of Chatham SUPERIOR
Court against gambling, and especially
against the policy shops" so called, was
a masterpiece of pure love of manhood
honor and virtue. Few sincerer appeals
have been uttered from that bench for
many a day. Let us hope that the practi-
cal application of all this will follow. If
it does, then the gamblers days are num-
bered in Savannah.