Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-12-14
WiDe-OPsN POKER PLAYING PER.
MT1EO.

MT1ED.
Wide open gambling Of the kind most |
injurious to public and private morals |
Is among the most grievous reproaches
now laid ut the door of our present
corrupt city administration.
The kind of gambling which Is the |
most dangerous and Is the source Of
most crime IL the cheap saloon gam.
bling.
This Is the kind that Is run without
let or hindrance in Chicago to-day. and
Of this fact Mayor Harrison makes no
attempt ut cOiccalment.
Indeed. the Mayor talks Of his toll.
grafton Of saloon gambling as II II was
some species Of admirable statecraft.
| and unctuOusly discusses the right Of
| saloon habltues to debauch and ruin
Themselves In these low gambling hells
because rich men do the same thing In
their clubs and cannot very well be
reached by the law.
Poker games for more or less heavy
wagers. with "the drinks" intersperset.
are allowed In the favored saloons.
and these favored" saloons are dis
tributed around by the dozen within u
stones throw of the City Hall.
The only respectable or decent gam.
bling or we may be partloned for the
paradox are the games Of faro ana rOu.
lette.
These are games that never were and
never can he patrOnized by poor men
who cannot afford To lose In heavy
wagers. They are tho games Of the
rich. and are played by men who have
plenty Of money and who can well
afford to lose some OF II.
But these games are barred by the
Mayor and his Police Chief. They nre
:. not allowed to be played in the saloons.
Small poker games are allowed In
Y favored saloons. however. and the
: Mayor brazenly defends his non.en.
D forcement Of the law by saying he can.
: not very wellstop the saloon g'mes he.
: cause poker Is played In heightened
i clulprOnls.
This II simply asinine.
Because men who can really afford ia
lose money In the pursuit Of pleasure
can do so In the protection of their club
!. rooms. the Mayor contends he Il justi
:. fled In permitting saloon poker games
!. to flourish under the very shadow OF
the City Hall. rs traps to wage.enrn
|. ers and wOrklngmen.
These poker games. while they wrlnl
k | lar,t.carnett money from the pockets
n of the poor. yield u heavy profit to thu
schemeis who dcspOll the homes Hnt
= bring want aud hunger to the wives
Il lnnd families of the wage-earners O
II Chicago.
This IL the same Mayor who refuse,
~ to permit harmless summer beer CUR
10 ,lens to exist In the vicinity Of publ,
n lparks.
n. Just look ut this little Pharisee, cit
X. xens OF Chicago: observe how he turn
ID his eyes UP with holy horror ut tn
~ much decrled wine rooms: how Il
nj tlescants upon the IMPROPERLY Of les
NJ. than four persons going into any {
~ these cosy retreats. and view the III
u. haste IN which he II to send for III
no measure forbdding the existence {
Ia. such institutions. that he may ut Ont
IN sign Il and thus make II law.
Observe all this, we say. and the
m. look ut the attitude OF this dOuble-dyt
'or gOslIng IN relation to that real aH
ri. deadly danger to public and priva
m. morals. that real hatchery Of crime
cb avery kind. from murder to suicide. Il
al barroom poker game.
nv See how 1t Is permitted to flourish
Favored saloons rs prolific "feede
nv to the receipts Of the bar. Observe no
nv the men who "travel from the chief
,st office" drop In on some who have Il
FOR teinerlty to run Il game without Offici
privilege" and close down the gan
nv with the warning that the wagon W
nv. be "backed up the next time the pi
Ia. ent rights Of the favored" ones are
mt frlnged Then take u glance ut II
liz. same officer Of the law as he laxl
swings by the protected" Joints al
,rd looks toward the opposite side Of I
raj. street. or perchance calls In for
tho friendly chat and laugh with the p'
mn prletOr. with II cigar or q NIP" II
mo-. day liz cold, thrown In ION the SIDE
,en See how these protected gan
,ec. cater to the young and thOughtless
mi. what fruitful source Of rulnatiOn tn
are to young and old.