The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1901-03-15
QUEEN CITY
Still Flourishes Like A Great
Green Bay Tree.
The Gamblers Defiant

The Gamblers Defiant
Do Not Propose To Obey The City
Ordinance, Which Says "They
Must Close Up Their Side Door
Entrances Police Seem To Be
In Collusion.
The attempt to bring Judge Aus
tin into disrepute by subpoenaing
him as a witness in the gambling
cases failed, as it should have done:
but he knew and every one else knew
who was on the inside that the gam
bling element simply thought to
throw mud, with the hope that some
Of it might stick. Austin incurred
the everlasting enmity Of the gam
bling fraternity because he believed
in constituting the law as he found it
without regard to his personal sym
pathies. He could at any time have
made peace with the sporting ele-
ment by simply doing as some others
have done, but he preferred an hon
est, upright course, which brought
upon him the wrath Of the class
spoken Of and also the men who gain
their shekels by grating.
Every known method has been re-
sorted to to save the boxes in saloons
and low dives called theaters. But
few of any of the fellows who have
them have had them put in shape to
comply with the ordinance. All Of
which goes to show that the profits
Of this addition to saloons must be
very remunerative. One Of the ele-
ments which creates such serious OPP
position to saloons is the activity Of
the men who control them. If a
law happens to suit them they will
obey it, if not they openly challenge
the authorities to make them. Peo-
pie who do obey the law want others
to do the same.
The direct primary was more than
the boss politicians would possibly
concede. Many Of them thought if
the bill became a law their occupa-
ton would be gone, hence their fran
tic appeals for votes to defeat it.
Ankeny, Piper and Fisk know that
if the bill became a law the fight
would be ended as far as Ankeny
was concerned. The present legisla-
ture has almost convinced some vio-
lent opponents Of direct legislation
that the measure would not be 50
bad after all.
The nickel in the slot machine
won the first round in the municipal
court. Through a slight technical
ity the cases went out of court, but
the result will only stimulate the
Anti-Saloon League to increase their
efforts to do away with the most OBJ
noxious gambling machine in exist
.ence.
1t would seem as though the time
has arrived when the citizens who
believe in the enforcement of the
law should assert themselves. The
seemingly friendly arrest Of a First
avenue saloon keeper was SO trans
parent that even the dullest conser-
vative saw through the whole trans
action. Meredith has never been
noted for his advocacy of law, and
his tutilage since his arrival in Seat
tie has not been Of such a character
as to enhance his respect for that
which at least once made him an
idler and lounger. But the power
behind the throne is possessed of q
certain cunning which Meredith
does not dare to resist. It was these
same qualities which got him into
the newspapers every time he hap
pened to turn around. It was thi;
same background actor that pro
claimed this same man the "sleuth'
Of the Pacific. But the point at is
sue is the enforcement of law, anC
when the time comes that tool of {
gambler and brothel keeper can say
what laws shall be enforced and what
not it comes very near being an
Iarchy.