The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-04-12
THE GAMBLING COMPROMISE.
Reasons Advanced for the COmprO-
mise ritfcised-Justice to the Inno-
cent Demanded That the Guilty
be ExpOsed-PrOsecutiO Would
Have Finished the Job.

Editor of Messenger:
The report in this mornings Messen-
ger Of the compromise of the gambling
cases has caused much unfavorable
comment. The reasons given by the
prosecuting attorneys for the compro-
mise excite more surprise than the
mere fact Of the compromise itself 1t
IS far from my desire or purpose to
impugn the good motives of the prose-
cutting attorneys, but as citizen
have right to dissent from their judg-
ment, and this / do most empha teal
ly. l know nothing Of this matter 9TH
er than has been reported from time to
time in the papers, and as none of these
statements has been called in question
l am left to suppose that they are sub
stantialiy correct. This criticism is
therefore. based upon the premises as 1
understand them.
Gambling is injurious to the public
morals. and is, therefore, condemned
by law. 1t is made the duty of the
officers of the law to safeguard the
public by suppressing the evil through
the prosecution Of all offenders. The
law does not discriminate between per-
sons, but condemns equally all Offend
ers, and officers Of the law have no
right to set aside the plain intents of
the law. A case might arise wherein
the law would be more honored in the
breach than in the observance, but the
case under consideration is certainly
not entitled to this exception
The reasons given by the prosecuting
attorneys for compromising these cases
are:
1st. That the prosecution would bring
into court prominent men of family,
and many young men of supposedly
high standing, as we'll as others, whom
exposure would seriously damage.
oO6 III - ,1,--
| to the cases would have the desired
| effect.
If the reasoning under the first head
| be sound. then it follows that a prose-
| cutting officer is estopped in the dis
| charge of his duties merely because a
''DomiIent man Of IA mily." or a young
| man. would have to be summoned in
| court as witness. This is to lose
| sight entirely of the fact that all citi-
zens are alike amenable to the law, and
| that the ends of justice cannot be de-
| feated by the fear of exposing a crimi-
| nal whomSoever he may be. Gambling
| dens could not be maintained unless
! there were patrons, and if these patrons
| are sailing under false colors. then
| they are enjoying a reputation for
| problty which is a fraud on the COM
| munity, and no officer of the law has
! either moral or legal right to help
| keep up the deception. The exposure
| of persons implicated in unlawful prac-
| ticeS would no doubt work an injury
| to those so exposed. but the exposure
| would add nothing to their criminality
| even though it were otherwise injuri-
| Gus. On the other hand, the employer
is entitled to have in his employ the
| most trustworthy and responsible per-
! sons, and when the law defaults in n
case OF this kind, the employer is vic
| timized. The merchant is also entitled
to like protection. The gambler has
| no excuse to offer for his crime. while
| the. employer has the most valid rea-
| son for not employing a man whose
| habits are calculated to make him less
trustworthy. and the merchant should
1 be protected from extending credit TO
| has no right to protect the guilty per-
| son at the cost of an innocent one
| The fact that the defendants agreed
| to a compromise is strong presumption
| of their guilt, and as these men could
| not have conducted gambling rooms
unless they were adequately supported
by the men who it Is understood would
! have been summoned as witnesses. we
! see no moral reason why the defendants
1 should bear all the humiliation of ex-
posure. while the men who made their
1 unlawful practice profitable, go scot
free and continue to impose upon the
! community. Moreover, the statement
that a great many prominent men
| would be implicated had the prosecu-
| ton been continued is to lay every re-
] spectacle man in the community under
1 suspicion, thus making the good name
| or all suffer for the sins OF a few /
| do not for moment believe that many
| reputable citizens could have been
| smirched by the nvestiga ton. and jus
| tice to the innocent demanded that the
4 guilty be exposed AS the case now
| stands, an employer or merchant is
! In the dark as to whom to trust. while
this prosecution could have cleared
| the atmosphere and been a most whole
| some example to other would-be vio-
1 lators of the law.
4 In regard to the exposure being eff
| cacious in putting a stop to gambling,
! I am at loss to know how the immu-
nifty enjoyed by the patrons OF gamb-
! ling rooms will deter them from contfn-
uing their practice. AS respects expo