New-York tribune., 1906-12-08
4 WoNDER WORKING LAH.

We have now another instance Of how laws
fail 10 make US virtuous. The Bowling law,
passed two years ago TO compel patrons and EN-
ployes of gambling houses to give testimony,
though tending TO degrade and incriminate"
them, closed up several famous gambling houses
with a great show. II was hailed as the end Of
gambling in this town. The reform Of the ages
had been accomplished simply by putting a law
on the statute books. Many believed it, because
many believe that is the way to accomplish re-
form Yet we heard the District Attorney dra-
matically exclaim the other day that he would
break the neck of gambling in this town"
Wasn't he about two years too late with that
precious wonder working law on the statute
booksE Not q bit of it. Present indications are
that the law has simply strengthened the hands
Of the police in their grating operations against
gamblers.
Under the old law, when gamblers or their
patrons We're hailed to court or before grand
jury they could plead constitutional immunity
from being compelled to incriminate or degrade
themselves Evidence was next to impossible to
obtain against them. they hardly minded an
arrest Now a summons before the grand Jury
is serious matter. The police have q stronger
hold upon them. So 1t turns out that when
Mr.. Jerome, breaking the neck Of gambling"
gives the police summOnses for all the gamblers
on the police list Of gambling house propri-
such persons exist. Every name Of q proprietor
was fictitious. Doubtless the police were paid
handsomely for this little service to the gam
blers- 1t was more than the police could do for
them under the old law, and should be worth
more accordingly. True, the gamblers have
gone South for a season. but they will return
and resume business leaving their aliases once
more in the hands Of the Obliging police for
summons purposes. The new law creates q new
nd buI, ,Iv ,oJy,,
gambling goes on just as successfully as ever
More than that. the present case seems to
strengthen the observation frequently made
that the strcter the law the greater the police
corruption. The police under the old law could
confer upon gamblers no such service as this
recent one. They could tip" them in advance Of
prospective raids If they could learn Of the
raids But here was whole loudly proclaimed
movement 10 break the neck Of gambling"
brought TO confusion and turned into a roaring
farce Nothing could be more Iudicrous than
for the police solemnly to supply the District
Attorney with list Of fictitious names, sOIemnIv
TO receive summOnses for these non-existing
persons and sOlemnlv 10 undertake TO serve the
papers on these nObOdieS Of their own creation
This reformatory law was enacted with much
sound and fury Its wonders were proclaimed
IN advance We have now its accomplishment
except, Of course that it is perhaps fair to recall
1--N-N%
was brought to the bar Of justice and fined
$1,000 They are the total results of reform bv
law. We do not mean by this to indorse the
reverse plan, reform by license. toward which
there is always n tendency to react MANY will
doubtless say that law puts the power to craft
into the hands Of the police, so, therefore. il
would he better to license gambling to stop
grating. The same suggestion is made regard
ing other kinds of vice on which the police prev
But until we are ready to license many kinds OF
lawbreakng. graft will not end among the no.
lice. The sidewalk obstruction ordinances have
been shown 10 be q fruitful field Then. too Is
any one ready to license picking pockets and
other petty thieving in order to stop police
grating? Neither stricter law nor license seems
a cure-all. Perhaps better administration might
help We cannot refrain from wondering that
the District Attorney, at whose excited repre-
sentations this law against gambling was nut
on the statute books, should have allowed his
own pet measure, the proudest achievement of
his first administration, TO lie so long idle on
the statute books. The move under that law
was his Why should he wait two years before
breaking the neck of gambling?