The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-09
Mayor Ward Makes Strong
Statement in Favor of Or
dinanCe as Adopted
CLAIMS WILL HELP
MORAL OF THE CITY
Saloon Men Protest That Taking the
Games Out of the Saloons Will
lnlure Their Business to
Marked Degree.

A howl has arisen as the result of the
action of the Mayor and Aldermen at the
last meeting in passing an ordinance pre-
venting games being played in saloons
| The saloon men have enlisted the SYM
'pathy of their friends and pressure is
being brought to bear on the aldermen to
| revoke the ordinance, the saloon men
| claiming that 1t will Grippe their business
severely.
AT the request of several of the alder
men the matter has been held up until
the next meeting, when probably it will
be thoroughly thrashed out and either
the ordinance will be confirmed or re-
voked
In opposition to the plea of the saloon
men that 1t hurts business there is the
claim that it will prevent hundreds of
men and many women from hanging
around saloons, decrease the number of
crimes committed and also have an effect
on labor in the city. 1t is claimed that
the games are conducive to loafing and
that many laboring men remain around
the saloons to play when they would
otherwise be at work
Mayor Ward is taking great deal of
interest in the matter and yesterday is
sued the following statement in regard
| to it:
Mayors Interview.
Protests are coming from the saloon
interests against the new ordinance which
prohibits games of all kinds in saloons
I hope the effort to be made at next coun-
ell meeting to have same repealed will
not succeed. This ordinance is designed,
like several others passed by this admin
| istration, to rob the saloon of its social
| feature. 1t aims also to benefit the labor
situation in this district by breaking up
tempting loahng places and scattering
the idlers. Migrants and other people who
| live on those who do work
Birmingham has about eighty saloons
catering to colored people. They have
around their places several outrunners or
touts who gather in customers, keep them
drinking and then win their money. The
number of these saloons should be arbi-
| trarily reduced and the locations of the
remainder shifted where they can be prop
! erly policed Many of them have from
| 100 to $50 idlers on hand at times. some
| times more. Fifty men each will probably
be fair average Eighty times fifty
would indicate that 1000 men. to say moth
| Ing of the women. are usually gathered
| together in these groggeries in more or
| less besotted condition, gaming. quarrel
ing and turning out cases for our police
court.
| Most of these saloons have cheap res
| taurants in close proximity They are
nothing more or less than a subterfuge
! through which the women obtain access
and communication with the saloon and
| take part In the orgies.
| Judge Feagin Chief Wier and all who
are informed on such matters estimate
that per cent of all arrests come from
and are caused by these dives
"As our yearly arrests amout to about
1000 this means that 5000 cases would be
! eliminated If such saloons were confined
to their legitimate functions and no addi-
| tional allurements or incentives to de-
hatchery and crime furnished therein.
The people and authorities of Birmingham
who bewail lawlessness and our showing
In criminal records have only to investi-
gate to fix the responsibility on them
| selves.
Unlimited Capacity
1.-THE city of Birmingham seems to have
an unlimited capacity for supporting sa-
looms when backed with their side line of
attractions. Applications for new ones
are made at every council meeting and
generally promptly granted.
This capacity is due, first, to the rapid
Generalization and breaking away from
Eold fashioned idea of our present colored
population, male and female, especially
the young. They formerly sought decent
occupations but the up-to-date eolored
boy or girl can see no use working If they
| can arrange to be supported In idleness
and promenade around in sporty clothes
1.-THE second source of supply is the
rapid influx of laborers brought in by
| industries which are struggling to operate
| The saloon acts like a sponge and absorbs
a portion of the labor as fast as 1t arrives
These aborers with their high wages
probably work three days and loaf four
! m the mean time they are supporting
lot of professional colored gamesters and
|
from ordinary occupations in order to live
a swift existence around these quarters
Council Responsible.
1.-The council cannot shift from itself
the responsibility for this state of affairs
Every community is responsible for its
crime by creating or tolerating conditions
that make it,
1--WE can stop it summarily or we can
continue TO forter 1t. 1t is just as states
manlike and humane to protect thought
less and largely ignorant people from the
ravages of drink and debauchery as 1t is
to protect them from cocaine and opium.
"Of course they think it a hardship and
see no reason why we would do either.
Neither do many of the liquor dealers.
Many of them are not in the business for
their health or for the general good. Let
us see to it that the city is not in it for
money or for votes.
what sums are diverted from drink
and debauchery will naturally go to the
wife or mother or to the home or savings
/ bank