The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-02-13
CONCERNING GAMBLING
AND OTHER THINGS.

transferred. temporarily at least,
from Columbia to Sumter. Some of
the professional gamblers who long
enjoyed the benevolent tolerance of
our city administration found that
Columbis. in consequence of the
States crusade, was getting too hot
to hold shem, and they departed to
our neighbor. Sumter. Since this
immigration the Sumter papers have
been making il warm for these gen
try, but as yet with no no other
apparent effect than to induce the
municipal authorities to follow the
delectable example of the Columbia
administration and "run in" negro
crap shooters and minor poker
players. The Sumter Daily Item
remarks
The crusade against gambling is pro-
oeeding apace. From the little negro
crap shooters. VINO ha1ns the back lots
and rattle she bones for peopy g
throw. ao advance has been made to
the white uea who indulge 10 social
game of poker With g ten, cent iult,
These are small fry, but 10 time the big
Gsb, who are knoeo TO follow gambling
ss profession, who have by current
report, an established business at veil
koowu stand aud who run faro bank
aad play poker for big money With ali
coners, will be captured aud called to
accsuas. This is the consum nation
devous!y TO be desired and we eotersaio
the hope of seeing the day when tie
big gamblers Will be arrested as fire.
oueus.7 aud fred as severely in pro-
portion to their means and offences as
the little oegro crap sho'eTs aod the ten
ceos limit poker players who have come
10 grief
If our Sumter contemporaries viii
take a leaf from the States book Of
experience they will turn their guns
on the mayor and police Pepper
the officials sufficiently and the gam
blers will feel the psng and depart
for it is curious but not unnatural
Circumstance that the best way to bit
gambling bell is through the per-
sons of the men whose duty it is to
suppress that inssitusion. Make it
plain that either the gamblers or the
administration must go. and the
gamblers will go. The administra-
lion may be willing to wink at gam
bling if the doing so involves nc
penalty but we know of no admin.
istration which would willingly make
itself sacrifice for its gambler pro-
teges
Continuing, the Item makes some
remarks which we reproduce be ecause
they have very general application
and express views of eminent sound
ness
Yesterday four white mso we're
before the Mayors court, having beeD
captured by the police while playing
cards for money, ADD they we're
required to pay 6oe of $50 each.
In response to aD appeal for cousidera-
ton for the families of these men rdeir
Games we're suppressed in the report Of
the proceedings of the Mayors court.
The editor of this paper does not
believe 10 saieldlDg any map WIN
Knowingly violates toe Law, and, 10
consequence. fuds himself before the
bar of justice as culpris It is DOT
the province of oewspaper TO show
more consideration for the feelings aod
sspsibilisies of those near aud dear to
men guilty Of an offeOse agsius, Law
aud the public conscience than .hose
persous bave themselves exhibited by
their conduct. The men themselves
are the ones 10 be regardful of
the feelings o! their families
and others whose respect they value
aud not newspaper. which is re.
corder Of news aud not being over.
flowing visb sympathy The time TO
show feeling apd consideration for
ones family and busioess sepsts
tion is before com ui,tiOg au ofFeose
against the law. not after one has
bees found ous aud brought to book.
Il is wonderful how grea. consideration
for bis family detected offender de.
veIopes vheO be has been found guilty
10 police oeurs, aud What great zeal
be displays 10 rauuiug arooud so che
newspsper Offices pleading to havs bis
pams kept out Of the paper.
There is not newspaper in the
country. We suppose, which has not
been called upon 70 suppress crimi-
nal news con account Of the family, "
and The State has had scores and
possibly hundreds OF snch appeals
made to it We have tried to essab
lish o rule agsiust yielding TO sach
solicitations bat we can hardly say
that we have been able TO make it
inaexible in observance Yet it