The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-09
PUT THEM IN CAGES
REV. A. VI. WILLIAMS SAYS GAM
BLERS SHOULD BE SO PUNISHED.
OFFICIALS ARE MESMERIzED.
THE JEFFRIEs-CORBETT FIGHT
MOVEMENT DENOUNCED.

Put a Black Eye on PuS1I1sm-HeV.
Mr.. williams said People should
Rise in Arms Against PROPOSE
tiOn to Bring the Big Fight Here.
Words of Praise for Superficial,
DEVELOPMENT of Savannah-Chari-
table and Benevolent Sentiment
in the Ascendency.
Savannah After Five Years." as
portrayed by Rev. A. M. Williams to q
congregation which filled every pew In
Trinity Methodist Church last night,
served as a subject for some caustIc
and forceful remarks. in the course of
which the city government was round
ly roasted, the alleged understanding
between the courts and the gamblers"
was fairly fiayed, and the proposition
to pull off the big prize fight in Sa-
vannah was handled without gloves.
His observations on "O1d King Alco-
hoI," the "glittering three balls" and
the increase in crimes Of violence form
ed food for more than passing refiec-
ton among those who sympathized
with the preachers position.
After five years 1 return to Savan-
nah. Here 1 find gambling going on
in all it's wonted power and unparel-
leled audacity; 1 am constrained to
paraphrase the words of Tennyson in
his illusions to the little brook which
went on and on forever. Gambling has
a solemn mesmeric influence over the
courts The courts seem to be infat-
uated with the gamblers, and the gamb-
lers with the courts. When the au-
thorities go out to make raid, there
is an understanding; the gamblers get
their money ready, and when the au-
thorities come around they pay up.
When they pay $1,000 as fine, they
are being licensed to continue their
business. Then one of these men gets
in a few raw recruits with bullying
purses and in less than week, may
hap, he has enough money to pay
six months license"
Cages for Gamblers.
Mr.. Williams then told of an old Ash
attic ruler who issued an edict that all
robbers should be incarcerated in
cage, where they would be exposed to
the public gaze, and said that he was
the exponent of a similar form of pun
ishment for the gamblers, whom he
Eyes, instead of going through the
farce of fining and liberating, take
these fellows and put them in cages
one to a cage. Let all the public
see who they are Wouldn't it be
picture-one of these parasites peep
ing through the bars of a cage on
the public thoroughfare. l think Con-
gress and Bull streets would be a good
place for such a cage. We might put
one on State and Bull street, or at the
entrance of the park, When the COM
munity awakens, and drastic means
are employed, then, and not until then
will this destroying influence be- made
to cease"
Tackled the Prize Fight.
In no uncertain terms the speaker
made known his position in regard to
the live proposition OF bringing the
Corbett- Jeffries fight to Savannah. He
said that it would be a stain on the
fair name of Savannah. He pictured
the ingress of the sporting element,
and their devastating influence, and
said that it was for the people to Use
up in their might and answer en-
phatically NO. we do not want it,
Fifteen thousand dollars! Think Of
it. With that we could build the new
Barnard Street School that we need so
badly. 1t would pay the salary OF
seven judges. What good could not tie
accomplished"
But has the government OF our city
improved in the last five years." asked
Mr.. Williams, after simplifying on the
almost incomprehensible power Tor
wrong which would be wreaked If the
people of Savannah put the finger CT
their approval of the present prize-hght
agitation, and the unhealthy influence
which the fistic encounters are dis
seminating in the city. Il must an
swer in the negative, as much as l
would like to say there had been inn
proYement in matters municipal
The power OF money in securing city
ofncers is such as TO silence opposi-
tion suppress independence and stay
the ambition of those who do not hap
pen to control the money II is de-
pauchery on citizenship"
Against Victor and spOiIs system.
Mr.. Williams paid his respects to
the to- the-victor- belong s-th -spoils
system which, he said, exists here. A
mans competency. he said, should be
me criterion by which he IL chosen for
pubic ONCE. He referred IN commen-
1atory terms 10 the civil service re-
lofn and said that II had been the
means Of purifying the civic system Of
government. When the twin evils 81
eots buying and whacking up the
'p0'h nave been weeded out the city