The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-04-13

la building where it is constantly under
the eye of the police department. and
upon public street where many pass
the stairway; close the back doors, put
a door part way up the stairs, which at all
times must be locked to prevent any in
nocent person entering, then place a
light at the foot of the stairs, so that
the passers by can see everyone who en-
tiers. Should one sneak in, he is detained
upon the stairway while the door is be-
ing unlocked, and is thus exposed to the
view of the passerby. Allow no pass
keys to this door. | cut out all skin
games limit them to straight percent
age games, control being the chief OBJ
Iject until | can prohibit. / never at
tempt to conceal crime in any form. |
misdemeanor as often as necessary to
maintain order and full control, bring
ing them before the police Judge every
time. | allow no one to secretly collect
fines. They must be paid to the police
court, thus throwing light and publicity
on one of our greatest evils.
| No young man who has any respect
for himself, or regard for his good name
or who holds his position in esteem, will
enter these hell-holes under this glare
of publicity Only the hard shell gamb-
lers, who, if no place is assigned them,
will seclude themselves and send out
what are known as cappers to bring
what is called fresh blood, which means
the kindling of fire in the heart of
some heretofore good man or boy, who
has been duped into playing his first
game of chance in some secluded place,
thus creating desire to win back what
he has lost which means his final down
fall and ruin.
This can only be accomplished in time,
but if the mayor is the peoples mayor,
reaching the highest possible moral
standing of his community, and will
work gradually, but faithfully, toward
this end. This has been my aim, and |
have tried to show the progress so far
as | have reached it. What | will do
when have the sporting element taught
that they cannot maintain secret places
remains TO he seen
One thing is sure, | never will say
that there is no gambling going on in
Burlington, as long as 1 know there is,
let it be public or private.
/ know that many of your readers
will not agree with me, and my methods
of handling this crime, and that the
clergy will look upon it in horror and
amazement. They think that we should
stamp out this crime at once, which
cannot be done. 1t is easy to stop the
public gamblers, but the secluded ones
must be caught before you can punish
them. You may ask why they connot
be as easily caught without opening
gambling houses as with them. To this
will say 1 have the professional gam
blers, with their tricks and schemes tenn
porarily out of the way, and those seek
ing to carry on gambling in a secret
way are more easily caught.
| can take care of the professional
gambler any time when the secret
places are abolished.
The clergy remind me of the story of
the ostrich. 1t runs from it's pursuers
until it tires out, then runs its head in
the sand, thinking because it can see no
danger there is none. This is no dis
credit to them for they have no oppor-
tunity of knowing the evils of the world
and the difficulty of controlling them.
They lose sight of the fact that too Of
ten this desire for gambling, which leads
so many souls to hell. starts among their
own flock. Too often the paddles of the
old wheel of fortune are sold at church
fairs and social gatherings. Too often
they permit chances to be taken of ar
ticles to raise money to meet the needs
of the church. Too often the mother
goes to the card party and plays for a
prize and brings it home to her little
boys. "See what l have won," is heard
too often by their own family circle.
What matters it whether you are
playing for prize or hundred dollars
Is it not gambling? Is not the princi-
pie the same? Will not God hold you
responsible for the kindling in the mind
of others the desire to gamble, and Civ
ing them the first start on the road to
ruin? Will not God blame the cowardly
mayor who hides his crime, and permits
price to be placed upon innocent boys
and men for their presence in these hell
holes, because he is afraid to stand up
and throw light upon them, and be re-
sponsible for those, who, under cover of
secrecy, made their first start to ruin
under his administration? | will take
my chances on throwing so much light
on these roads to ruin that new begin
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