The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-19
THE SLOT MAoH1NE AGAIN.
A 'voter" Has Some obssrvatiOns'i in
Line with "solon."

Line With "Solon."
To the Editor of the IntellIEencer.
sIR:-The article which appeared in
YOUR esteemed paper yesterday, writ
ten by "solon." appeals very strongly
to me as a citizen and a taxpayer.
and 1t surely finds responsive senti-
ment in every loyal citizen in our city.
What a burning shame 1t IS to have It
90 abroad that our city virtually en-
courages the violation of city law
through the statements published over
the signatures of our mayor and chief
of police, and this for a money consld-
GRAFTON, (revenue for the city treasury
And to make matters worse,
the city council, by Its recent action,
sanctioned this shameful course. oh,
the disgrace of it! The shame Of i'll
what course the Federation OF
Churches, together with the hundreds
Of citizens who are backing them, may
take in this matter from this time on
we do not know, but II our council has
any pride in the good name OF our city,
It viii, of its own accord, redeem itself
by taking the waterhouse resolution
from the table and passing 1t by a
large majority. One of our papers a
few days ago, stated that this might be
done. Possibly this was simply an
other wild guess. 1.fully agree with
"solon" that this matter cannot and
must not rest where it is. Our city
cannot AFFORD to have 1t rest here. We
are in a serious crisis. The law break
ers Of this community never had
greater encouragement in their nefar-
ious work than the arguments held
forth in the ''reply' of the mayor and
chief Of police to that most reasonable
and respectful petition of the ministers
and the LOO other citizens. That 1t
was necessary for this matter to come
before council at all, was disgraceful to
begin with; for IL our mayor and chief
were inclined at all to do their sworn
duty and II they had shown due re-
spect to the 100 leading. law-abiding.
respectable citizens, who in the most
respectful language, asked them to
Danish the gambling with slot ma
chimes from this city, this question
would never have appeared in council
at all. But when they fatty refused to
grant the prayer OF that petition and
do that for which they were elected,
there was little left to do but to ask
council to demand of the chief and his
deputies. to do their sworn duty.
But the most disgraceful part now
appears. The council. as 1t now appears
in the eyes OF the citizens OF this city,
and other cities, whose eyes are upon
us, appears to sanction the neglect Of
duty on the part of the city officials,
and, worst OF all, its action virtually
encourages the violation Of city law on
the part of habltual law-breakers with
no fear Of punishment, except the little
seml-annual pull" for revenue only.
These remarks do not apply to the
faithful eouncilmen Of both branches,
who, through sense of duty and in 10y
atty to the best interests OF our city,
voted in favor OF the Warehouse reso-
luton. We have nothing but words Of
praise and commentator for them, and
1t Is reported that some who voted
against the resolution, would vote dIf-
ferently II they had the opportunity to
do so. The slot machine question is
by no means settled yet. I believe It
was Abraham Lincoln who said, mo
question is ever settled until It is set
tied right" The slot machine question
is not settled, but 1t must be settled,
and It must be settled right. The good
name of our city demands It. Justice
demands It. The business interests Of
the city demands 1t. Our present city
administration cannot afford to leave
its record stand as It now is, and the
city cannot afford to have the odium re-
main which now rests upon 1t.
VOTER.
wheeling, January IS.