The daily sentinel., 1907-09-24
IS
The Row Now On At Hot
Springs. Arkansas Fam
Gus Rcsort---Preacher and
Editor Who Worked Re-
form. May Go to Jail---
Editor Being Doomed For
GovernOr---A Pretty Scrap
sentiners Special News Service.

Whether or not an editor and a
preacher will have to go once more
behind the bars of the county Jail, as
one of the unpleasant results of wag-
ing a reform movement will be de-
sided during the term of court OPEN
ed here today by Judge w. II. Evans.
He has been called upon to decide
whether or not County Judge Orlando
III. Sumpter, one of the prominent
members of the so-called "Hot
Springs gang" has the power to
again incarcerate II. o. Schaefer,
managing editor of the Citizens
Daily Bulletin, and Rev. w. L.
Amis, pastor of the First Baptist
legged TO have been shown in
articles and editorials appearing
in the Daily Bulletin, admittedly re-
flecting upon the court and upon the
judge personally.
Schaefer and Amis have been the
most conspicuous figures in a fight
fcr reform which has within a years
tlmC metamorphosed the famous Ar
ketSn7 spot from a rendezvous of
sra ,Crs, into city free from gam
bling "hells" pool rooms, wine
rooms, confidence men and swind-
lers who formerly thrived by preyiLg
upon the unfortunate invalids and
others who came here by the thous-
ands to heal themselves in the cele-
brated waters controlled by the I'm
tied States government. From the
widest open" town in America,
where folly and iLiquity held high
revel, Hot Springs has been trans
formed into comparatively respect
able city. In a years time twenty
of the most famous gambling places
in the United States have been fore
ed to close their doors, eight thriv-
ing pool rooms where hundreds
gambled daily, on ponies gallopiLg
in all parts of the United States have
been driven out. two race tracks
put out of commission and numerous
other reforms effected. OF the two
tracks. Essex park was forced into
bankruptcy, while Oaklawn, Dan
Stuart's famous half-million plant
has been turned to more legitimate
uses as the headquarters of the Ark
ansas State Fair association.
r. o. Schaefer. the youthful editor
of the Daily Bulletin, who is largely
responsible for the accomplishment
of these reforms. Is but 22 years of
age, and appears even younger.
That he has the courage OF his con-
vlctions is shown by the fact that
once before he went to jail, editing
his paper from behind the bars. rath-
er than pay a fine imposed for con-
tempt of court. Little more than
year ago the Hot Springs" gang
was laughing uproariously at what
was considered the harmless enthus-
iasm of a callow youth. Today the
laughter has subsidized to a sickly
HI. At
ut is particularly gratifying to
US" said Schaefer in an interview,
that the reform movement has been
what might be termed a commercial
success. Many prominent citizens
and some of the reform exponents.
at that. actually believed what COM !,
mon decency and honesty would kill
the resort. They believed that when |
the gamblers and the wealthy mem |
bers of the sporting element who |
formerly filed this city during the |
winter season were given the cold |
shoulder, that the city, depending |
as II does on tourists patronage,
would suffer irreparable damage.
Others of more far-seeing judgement
believed that thousands of respect
able patrons were being kept away |
from Hot Springs Oh account of its
notorious character as a gambling
resort and have had their theory sus-
tanned to gratifying degree. As
soon as the word went out that Hot
Springs had been Civilized" mark
ed increase in the number of health
seekers and the better class of tour
lists resulted which has made the pre-
sent summer season twenty per cent
ahead of what 1t ever was before.
h
aefer's co-worker in the battle for
reform, Is now being doomed for
governor Of Arkansas on the strength
of the reputation he has gained by
fighting the Hot Springs gang
I'VE will continue our fight until
the last CRATER Is out Of office or in
the pententiary and until the men we
have stuffed ballot boxes with burlap
and excelsior and stolen the citizens
ballots are punished" is the warlke
declaration of the militant clergy
man Amis is also a young man,
the Hot Springs church being his
first pastorate.
1t is now generally admitted among
the business men of Hot Springs that
reform has been a good thing Tor the
town. Many who at first looked up
on the reform crusade as disturb
ing element that was likely to hurt
business" and make capital timid"
are now lined up in the reform ranks
Few would care now to return to the
old regime, when Hot Springs, naked
and unashamed, Haunted its SINS be-
fore the world The goddess of chance
has been thrown from the pedestal
she so long occupied as the ruling
deity of the Arkansas spa. The ef-
forts Of the reformers have shown
nat a town NAV be both prosperous