The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-05-14

machine ls doing In this city.
II believe wh N the gambling In the
nlckel-In-the-slot machine ls stopped the
greater part Of gambliag. thar IL car
ried on In this city TO an extent that Ia
simply monstr0us for 80 small a city.
Will be stopped. The friends Of law.
order and morality should put an end
10 this evil. No argument IA needed
10 prove that II has already reached
magnitude hardly conceivable TO
those who have not investigated the
subject. The recent failure IN convict
an admitted vlOlatsr Of the law shows
how II may defeat the ends Of JUS
flce. Manipulated by the hands OF
shrew1 and INSCRIPTIONS persons, II
has Invaded our local politics. names
rs own candidates for Office and con-
trola the results Of municipal elections.
II has degraded the whole moral zone
~ mr. cltv until tonight we occupy the
nnenvlable position in the eyes Of the
world Of licensing that which must be
forever condemned by the law OF God.
and Is tonight prohibited by ;he laws
NJ every civilized government on earth.
AS crime breeder we unhssltating-
~ affirm that II excels any other
agency Of evil with the possible ex-
ceptIon ~ the saloon. The suDerintsn-
dent NJ police of New York City said
More young men have stood here
at this iesk confrssIng their first Of
tense against law and ascrbing their
downfall 20 gambling than would crre
~ estimate Chauncey VI. Depew says:
"A considerable proportion Of failures in
business and 30 per cent Of rhe defaica-
tions. thefts and ruin of youth among
people who are employed In places OF
trust are due directly to gambling.
have seen 80 many promising young
men led astray in a small way and fin
ally becoming fugltives or landing in the
criminal dock that have come 20 be-
lieve that the community which H.
censes and tOlerates public gambling
cannot have prosperity IN business, re-
ligion In It's churches. or morality
among the people
THE gambling situation Of this city
suggests the picture Of a strong swim
mer successfully buffeiting the waves
when a pulpy, slimy. looking
something winds Itself around his body
ana he suddenly disappears into the
deep. II Is the arm Of the dreaded
sea monsler-the octopus. Now II you
scan the water closely you VIII see 9TH
er Shiny arms floating about. You are
concerned for your children. your
friends. Little good will II do for you
4" attack that On- arm that has
wrought the recent destruction and
leave the others undestroyed. Your
combat must be with the beast Itself
with the demon Of gambling. Of which
the -the-slOt machine is one
OF the strongest and most active ten
iacles This Is one Of the evils that has
been. and Is tonight carried on In de-
fiance OF law, and upon which our citv
council proposes 10 set its stamp Of ap-
proval by trying to legalize II with a
license.
1T has been stated that the minis
ten would be- satisfied II the council
would pass 4 license. / -sant to say
that the ministers never authorized any
one 10 make such statement. We do
no: believe In evil either licensed or
unlicensed. We have said that II this
city can and will make It legal for
these dealers TO carry on their busi-
ness we shall have nothing TO say
against the dealers-for there Is moth
ing Of personal character about this
agitation-but that Is not saying we
legalizes the business. In fact we said
in connection with that statement that
we would certainly have something 70
say against such a law. We do not ia
vOr the llcense-whatever may be our
opinion as 10 the relative merits Of
high license or a low liceuse or the
present policy. But we do not think
this city can afford 10 license crime.
even TO .eplenlsh an empty treasury.
Besides we are not satisfied that this
city has the legal right TO do II. |
know that some Of our leading attorneys
say ii has, But you will pardon me for |
10 take them seriously.
II have read OF an individual. the /
leader Of a religious movement. The !
church that he organized was founded |
on a supposed revelation received by |
himself. Among other laws OF this !
church that We're made by this prophet, |
was one which made 1t illegal for a man |
to take INTO himself more than one |
wife Nov it happened one day that the |
eve of the prophet lighted on a beauri- |
ful woman and he very much desired. |
In fact. determined to take her to wife. |
But then he already had wife and !
there was the law that he himself had |
given forbdding plural marriages. The |
'hurch would never consent for him 10 /
violate that law. He was troubled un-
III happy thought came 10 him and |
his Is what he did He retired to his !
'rivate chamber. The next day It was
publicly announced that the prophet
lad a new revelation. And this was
he substance of the revelation: Every |
member of the church shall have one
wife save the prophet, who shall have
wo, Now when I see leading attorneys
n the senate supporting a law In the
interests Of the growth of the state and
/ few weeks later In the lower courts
for and defeating the operation
VI the same law: and when I am told II
vas 4 popular thing in the senate 10
DasS the law but an unpopular thing
n the lower courts to enforce that law
md. knowing as I do and as YOU know.
90 that with the average aspiring pol
riclan there is nothing that will cause
lin "a have new revolution so quick
V as a few hundred dollars or
threatened loss of prestige at the polls.
'ou will pardon me for hesitating to
axe these gentlemen seriously and for
,eing inclined to think thar they NAV
lave received a new revelation. But
am not alone IN this belief
The leading papers of our state and
states have been liberal in
heir comments and unsparing in their
lanunc'a'ion Of the farce against jus
ice ana law that was recently enact
d in this citv. Verify this was one
asa where the defense would have
urrInnr, M UNTy