The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-21
POLICY SHOPS AN ISSUE.
Corner Crocers Want to Hear From
the Candidates.

the Candidates.
Before the state primary on My IS,
there may be injected into the campaign
for solicitor general an issue that prom
ised some time ago to become a prominent
one but which has lately been lost sight
of almost completely This time. however,
it comes in a new guise, and those who
are urging it from different quarter than
was the case when it was last a subject
of public notoriety
The question is the suppression of the
policy shops, with their various branches,
the latter being located thickly in every
section of the city in which live the poor
eP classes 1t has been estimated that
the main ana branch policy shops in Sa-
Nvannah aggregate nearly a hundred; accur-
ate Information on the subject is not easy
10 obtain, however, and this estimate may
do the city an injustice. The opposition
that now comes to their continuance 8
from the proprietors of the corner grocery
stores. who claim that their business is
seriously interfered with by these gam
bling rooms, where any one who has
nickel can WOO the tickle goddess
The corner groceryman place their OBJ
jectons 10 the policy shops on no ground
III PubAAC VI ptlNdtt lllOi AMY " ll4I my
do not say SO they intimate that they
viii attend to their own private morality
and let the morality of the remainder OF
their fellow citizens and of the public
look out for itself. Their objections 10
the policy shops rest in their regard for
their business interests.
one of these corner grocerymen, in
speaking the other day of this matter,
said he intended to vote for that one OF
the candidates for solicitor general who
would agree to break up the policy shops.
The groceryman cared not a rap for tue
poker rooms, keno and faro outfits or rou-
lette Wheels-these and other of the more
aristocratic forms of gambling could ex-
list forever and day for all that he
cared or all that he would do to stop
them. He didn't play them himself, aud
50 far IS he was aware, neither did the
mass of his customers.
With policy it was different, and there
was where the shoe pinched. The store
run by the groceryman is located in one
of the sections of the city largely inhab-
tied by the poorer class of whites and the
negroes. Half of the population living
around his place of business, he said, were
patrons of the policy shops. playing the
game regularly to an extent proportion
ate 10 their respective incomes, but with
out regard to their respective abilities
and responsibilities. Every player was
possessed of an abiding faith that he
would some day, some hour, strike the
lucky domination and become suddenly
rich enough to stop playing forever. In
the lengthy meanwhile they all contin-
ued to put their nickels, their dimes and
their dollars in the slot
This hurt his business, the groceryman
said. Not only were his cash sales de-
creased in amount, but his collections on
the monthly or weekly accounts granted
many of his customers were materially
Tba zh a
been used in buying groceries and in pay
ing for groceries already bought was ex-
pended in the purchase of tickets repre-
senting gigs" and other mysteries of the
game of policy; he was the sufferer and
the men who ran the games the winners.
The groceryman, who was speaking, said
there were others in the same line of bus-
ness and depending for their commercial
existence upon the same class of custom
ers, who looked at the matter just as
he did and We're determined to decide
how and for whom to vote by the same
test. If the speaker correctly expressed
the convictions of his fellows in the bust
ness, and forecasted their political ac
ton, there is a factor in the campaign
to which the entries, it would seem, would
do well to look. In various ways the
corner groeeryman exerts potent pOlid-
cal influence, and as he is numerous here,
il might i'll betide the political candidate,
against his enmity.
1t is noticeable that there has been no
expression of opinion or of intention on
this subject from either candidate for the
office or solicitor general. since the cam
paign began Other subjects, apparently
impossible TO connect With the issues IN
volved have been dragged in by the spell
binders on both sides, but not a word
has been uttered as to the policy shops.
If it had not been for the fact that they
were temporarily closed by direction of
the Health Officer of the city during the
prevalence of the recent smallpox scare,
there are very many citizens of Savannah,
who would have forgotten their eXiste nee.
| The corner grOcerymen, on the other
hand. say that they have the presence
and the evil effects Of the policy shops
impressed upon them continually and I'M
pleasantly. Hence their anxiety TO find
out if the elecSion of either of the candi-
dates for solicitor general is likely to re-
suit in a diminuton of the evil.