The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-10-18
A RECENT CONVERT.

Editorally, on Sunday, our esteemed contempo
rary, the oregonian, gave the gamblers its very
straightforward opinion of Them Commenting on
the decision of the circuit court tnat the charter of
the city of Portland does not countenanee the crime
of gambling, the 0regonian says that the gambler
is lucky to be on earth that gambling is wrong,
doing of the most palpabe, unmitgated nature
without standing in any court" that lit has no
lodgment or refuge anywhere except in the dock,
where it belongs that gambler has "no more
right to hold up his head as a business man that a
prostitute has at mothers prayermeeting;" that
the city has been stirred to its depths against open
gambling by the ostentation shown by boss gamb-
lers in investment of their il-gotten gains and in
compacent swagger which indicated that they own
ed the town" Incidentally, the Oregonian predicts
a hard winter for the knight of the green cloth.
Well!
AS we look back over the events which have led
to this rather arragnment of the Oregonan s
erstwhie friends, we pause to marvel at the very
decided change of sentiment which has come over
our Portland contemporary 1t appears to us the
Oregonian has been rather slow in arriving at con-
illusions which have been source of constant irri-
tation to other people for many many years. We
naturally wonder what particular difference there
is between the presentday gambler and the gambler
who piled his vocation three or four years ago. As
far as our information goes, we are satisfied the
men engaged in the gambling business" are the
same who have operated for several years past
Surely, they are no worse now than then. Then the
Oregonan had no such arraignment for them, nor
did it put its black mark upon the outrageous saloon
box. Now it brands them criminals and says they
are lucky to be on earth
We have always given the Oregonian credit for
its ability to arrive within reasonable time at |
sensible conclusions, but it has exceeded the time
limit in the matter of gambling and gamblers For
once our Portland friend has been laboriously slow
It has been sure it is true but its readers will prob
ably consider it remarkable that the representative
journal had not long ago voiced this sentiment.
The saloon box fell before the onslaught of the
Portland Daily Journal, and that newspaper has
put the quetus on gambling. The Journal, acting
independently while still struggling for prestige has
accomplished more for true reform than the Ore
gonian has accomplished in the halfcentury of its
existence The journal has not been influenced,
and its success only to demonstrate the un-
wavering utility of an Independent publication.
After the death struggle and the triumph Of decency
the Oregonian steps to the front to damn the van
quished
The showing is not a fattering one for the morn
ing paper but it is gratifying to know the Oregonan
has at last acknowledged the evil of gambling To
the mercless it has been mercful in the past, when
it alone reflected public sentiment, but now it cries
'No quarter!" The cry is pitifuly late, for the e
period during which quarter might have been i'm t
plored has passed 1t is a bitter parting of old
friends Had it been anticipated perhaps the swag
ger indicating ownership of the town would never v
have been taken on. It
But Portland is to be congratulated 1t has taken e
a long step forward and will be better and more
for it.