Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-10-28
AND SALOONS

At the present time there is an undeniable move
ment all over the country in favor of drawing. in every
department of life, stricter lines of demarcation between
right and wrong doing. This can be seen in the efforts
for overthrowing of bossism in politics, of graft in office,
of embezzlement in positions of trust of adulteration in
foods, of determinations by common carriers, Of re-
straints of trade for corporation or personal aggrandize-
ment, of easy annullng of marriage ties, of uncontrolled
selling of liquors. and of open gambling, whether 1t be In
futures, in horse racing. or on the wheel or the green
cloth.
AL these things are being attacked with a vigor
which is alike intelligent and determined. and of which
the ultimate triumph cannot be doubted. In New Mexico
1t is the Sunday saloon and licensed gambling which are
receiving at the present the largest measure OF atten-
tion, and there seems 70 be little If any doubt that the
warfare waged against both will be completely success
full and that, too. in the very near future.
j. J. Hagerman, in the Pecos valley, has written a
very strong letter on the subject of gambling. in which
he states that New Mexico and Arizona are the only
parts of the United States where gambling is authorized
by law. and in which he points out clearly and unanswer-
ably the evils resulting from such condition. The daily
press of the territory has taken up the subject, and The
Citizen believes without a dissenting voice has declared
against licensed gambling. Several of the churches have
taken advanced ground in the matter, and will petition
congress to put in the enabling act, whether granting
separate or joint statehood, a provision declaring gam
bling to be a crime against the commonwealth. The
fact is pointed to that bank deposits have doubled in HI
Paso since the closing out of gambling in that city, over
what they were during a similar period before the clos
ing; and those who are in position to feel the pub ic pulse
are well assured that in case of statehood the constitu-
tional convention, or without statehood the next territor-
ial legislature, win undoubtedly place gambling under the
ban of outlawry; while even before the meeting of either
convention or legislature, it is more than probable the
leading cities of New Mexico will have banished open
gambling by prohibitive license. Nothing whatever can
be said in favor of gambling, and everything can be said
against it.
When it comes to the open saloon on Sunday. it is
well known that the laws of the territory are now amply
sufficient to close them all, and it is believed tnat the dis
trict court judges all favor the enforcement of these
laws. In fact, it was recently said that Albuquerque was
the only town in New Mexico where the law was openly
defied. Since then many. and it may be all, saloons in
Albuquerque voluntarily closed their doors on Sunday;
but the charge has been made by a paper published in
this city that only the front doors have been closed
while the rear doors are kept only on the latch. This
charge has been taken up by the press of the territory,
where absolute closing is claimed, and much has been
made of it to the discredit of the Duke city. Whether
the closing inaugurated by the saloon men themselves,
be actual or merely of the front door. The Citizen has
no knowledge; but it is willing to %candidly confess that
1t does not believe such partial closing will meet the de-
mands of the people or satisfy the purpose of the auth
critics.