Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-07-02
GAMBLING AND GAMBLING PLACES.

Following up the interest awakened on
the subject of gambling in the. city of
Columbia, tho ministers of that city, by
mutual agreement, preached sermons
last Sunday denouncing this form of
vice. The trial and acquital of Smith,
Of Birmingham, Ala for the murder of
Allen, of Columbia, a helper in one of
the numerous gambling dens of that
city, gavo special prominence to the sub
ject, and the sermons preached Sunday
are said to have stimulated the workers
against all forms of vice in no small
degree, and there promises to be q
wholesome anti-gambling sentiment in
our capital city. We quote few points
taken from the published sermon of Rev.
S. Ii. Zimmerman at tho Main Street
Methodist church. His subject was
"Gambling and Gambling Places--Thoir
Supporters and their Victims" and his
text tho first verse of tho first Psalm:
'Blessed is the man that walketh not
in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standcth in the way of sinners, nor sit
tcth in the seat of tho scOrnful" Among
other things he said:
Gambling is almost universal. 1t is not
confined to the civilized nations, but is
also practiced among semi-civilized races
and barbarians. In fact, / think | could
prove it relict of barbarism. Gambling
is as old as the ages. In tho Roman
Rcpubli ic strict and strenuous laws were
enacted against it; not on account of the
habit itself, but because of its effect. 1t
made then, as it does now, race of
eifeminate and unmanly men. Cicero,
Tacitus and other historians of the day
said that Rome should have strict laws
against it if they wished to preserve a
sttong race of men. The first laws in
England against gambling were made
for the same purpose. The one
fixed conception of all civilized people
Is that to preserve n race manly and
strong gambling must be stranglcd out.
The Grccian influence, which is worth
most, is that transmitted from tho two
centuries when she cndeavorcd to make
the physical ideal god.
Hannibal, the conqucror led his armies
to the top of the Alps. The soldiers,
worn-out and almost freezing, said: "We
can go no further" but Hannibal, point
ing to the vallcys-Italy-said "Victory
lies yondcr." The armies pushed on,
and conquered city after city, until
came on and they encamped almost
under the walls of the imperial city
Being idle they fell to gambling and
into other vices, and when the spring
came again they were defeated by the
hosts of Scipio.
1t is thus with America. l view her
with pridc-a great country in her
might. Her future is great, if only she
does not allow the manhood of her sons
to bc sappcd by vice.
Whatever encourages an individual to
depend upon something else than the
sweat of the brow is Il banc to society
country to be great must be industri-
Gus. And yet there are many men in
this city who get their living without
work. lie who acquires anything of
value from another without repaying
nm Is thicf--yct in Columbia there
are men who are included in this charge.
One OF the brightest acts in the history
of this city was the request of the police
commission that the slot machines be
suppressed. 1t is for you as citizens to
express in some way your appreciation of
this request. More money goes into the
slot machines in one week than comes
into this church in a whole year. These
machines are the beginnings of greater
vices. Everyone is enticcd by them.
Church members and little boys contrib.
ute To them | would not be surprised
II some children stole from their parents
to gamble. You may tell me to break
up the greater vice Of gambling, but |
say to you that if wanted to drain the
mississippi River | would start at the
mead waters. No man learns to gamble
in gambling den. If there were ON one
side OF me gambling den and on the
other side luxurious home with wine
on the table and progressive cucher
game gong on, | would send my son to
the gambling den in preference to the
other. The banc of society arc the things
that lead to pernicious sin. The two
most prevalent in Columbia society are
the slot machines and high life gamb-
Is Columbia able to wipe out this evil
Shc Is the best governed city ever saw.
Inc police force is organized better than
L ever saw. Every policeman is required
TO report to headquarters any gambling
den OF whose existence he may be aware
Every thirty minutes he sends in his re-
port by telephone. and the matter is re-
ported until the chief is notified of it.
IhuS the policeman is relieved of respon-
sibility
You say, then, why do not the police
90 Their duty? will tell you: If there
were forty gambling dcns reported last
niGht to the chief of police he could have
done practically nothing to suppress
thcm. There is no law in this city that
will stranglc gambling.
II man is found in q den with cards
IN MS hands he may be arrested, but the
keeper of the dive goes free. Suppose
tnesc places are reported a hundred
times, they cannot be eradicated. The
policemen are not to blame; for if there
was a sentiment in this city against
gambling, then council would pass laws
against It. The demand would create
the supply.
III IS to be hoped this sentiment will
be created and kept alive Columbia
may be ''tho best governed city, ever
seen oy the Rev. Mr.. Zimmerman, but
thcTc IS abundant room for improvement
III many ways. Unless there has been
wrought great change in the late years
thcrc are one or two places in the city
where, several nights in each weeks, a
par, trio or half dozen men promi-
nently connected with State affairs could
DO found getting money by means other
than the Sweat of the brow"