The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-28
MONTE CARLO PROFITS.
Much Money Won by the Casino Is
Needed to Pncify the Victims.

NCNNNH w th<
Curtis Brown describes for the Pitts
burg Gazette some of the curious fea-
lures of the way the gambling casino
at Monaco is run.
None of the citizens of Monaco
"Bonagasques" they are called-has to
pay any taxes, says Mr.. Brown, simply
because the casino defrays all the ex-
penses of the government by an an
nual appropriation of 100000, out of
which sum the council of state, the
Mayor and municipal council and the
board of public works are paid. From
the bank" as it is known, the Gov
ernor of the principality and the conn
mander-in-c chief of the army also draw
their salaries, as do the members of the
army itself. This force, however, is not
as large as might be supposed, but
consists of a special staff and guard of
honor to the Prince of Monaco, arrayed
in a uniform of bright blue, resplendent
with gold braid, together with fifty car
bineers who watch over the peace of
the little principality.
Besides making large grants every
year to charity and to the schools. the
bank supports the clergy, the cathedral
and even two or three converts.
To think of cathedral, to say moth
ing of the holy retreat" being main
tained out of the takings of a gambling
den seems rather inconsistent, but
there was considerable method in the
madness of Prince Charles, the father
of the present Prince, who made this
one of the conditions of the company's
concession. Having bullied the casinos
management into paying the stipend of
the reigning bishop, he promptly asked
the venerable bishop for his resignation
and kept the office vacant for several
years, during which he pocketed the
revenue.
Takes Time to Build n Cathedral.
This crafty sovereign also insisted
that the building of the cathedral
should be paid for out of the profits
of the green cloth-a given sum to be
appropriated every year-and then ar
ranged with the contractor that the
job should be prolonged as much as
possible, with the result that he made a.
mighty good profit out Of the trans
action.
The bank pays the judges and all the
court functionaries OF the principality,
supports the police force. runs the state
baths and contributes also a special
appropriation for state and municipal
expenses" which IL raises by special
duty on luxuries used by visitors to the
casino, such as wines.
The profits from the roulette and
trente en-quarante tables stocked and
support the fine palace of fine arts
near the casino, not to mention the
luxurious theater attached to the gam
ing place, the performances in which
although the most famous artists Of
the day, such as Bernhard, Coquelin
and Paderewsk are engaged-are free
10 all patrons Of the casino.
Naturally the success Of Lord Ross
lyns schemes win mean that the mem
bers Of the large staff OF the casino
will find themselves out Of job. The
casino pays Si75.000 every year In the
shape OF salaries 10 its directors and
officials. and not less than s250.00O to
the croupiers, firemen and-spies. The
crOupiers, who number about 100. are
taught on the premises the art OF spin
ming the roulette ball and dealing the
cards In a school for orOupiers." not
the least Of the odd institutions whia
the casino supports; while the duties
OF the SPIES or secret service men,"
consist IN proving about watching
the play, "spottlng7 the winners fand