Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1908-03-25
Suaxuxorox AFTER GAMBLERS

WoeAtagton n auame Win an agra
1ssA against the racetraek, asd tho
usasoa Law against gambling il be.
- iavoked. The Herald says IL can
- slspssd IL the police superintendent,
~1isaed by the district attorney and
sSAss encisls, does his full duty. The
esoasnity, through the newspapers,
ssys II In tired Of hearing how helpless
"a s6eials are TO deal with evils they
- much deplore. Some years ago q
ssscs9ful crusade was inaugursted
s9.iast the petty handbook men, AID
H. Lesson then learned is that the Law
>Aaa reaches the small gambler will
ssanA the big gambler an we'll IL it be
$sasssly and impartially enforced.
The Washington newspaper refer to
~ bsokmakers rs biacklegs, and de.
>asrs they would not dare set foot 10
Washington IL arrest and prosecution
awaited their coming. "But the fact
a-ssd this is the xevercst rejection
s0ss the district authorities - thee they
esae ssd vet up their gambling de.
visa' with the knowledge sr tacit un.
~ssstsading that they are to be i'm.
0nas from the law" In other words,
ssvbrsaking is countenaneed during
sAs progress Of these racing meetings.
A pretty state OF affairs, this, in the
very atty which ought to be the e1em.
psar Of moral reform and the one place
whore evildoers, whether the official
~vsding his duty or winking ut crime,
or the criminal himself openly defying
the Law TO do it's worst, should be
dealt with In ungloved hands.
We hear il often said that il is well
msA impossible to get hold of and
punish the gambler, and unfortunately
fAis In half truth. For example. IL
. public Official looks lightly upon the
evil, no matter how brazen il has be. |
come, 1t will continue despite the law,
which after all is only effective in pro. |
postion to the earncstness Of the man ,
~ men entrusted with its enforcement.
&sss to say that any fragrant violation
~sasot be punished and stopped per.
ssnently is to confess not only the
'nsniciency OF the law itself but the
weakness OF the people to govern
themselves. Let any courageous Off
e'sl, however, with proper apprecia.
oos OF duty and spirit Of determine.
t'on, take hold of the gambling or anys
other evil, and run IT, 70 cover. and the
courts will not be found wanting when
he presents his quarry for Anal dispo
sition. The success of ma nv spasmodic
crnssdes, notably in philadelphia and
Chieago, not to speak of the record of |
Foiiee Commissioner Roosevelt in New
York, proves the possibility of the
courts when given the opportunity in
the right way. .Ls.
Small communities find no great dif.
heoity IN correcting these evils, simply
because community pride impcls the
people to united action. Ia the early
days, when the life Of the country was
confined largely to New England towns,
mass meetings were called by the citi
sens when some evil required regula.
zion or abolishment. Ways and means
were discussed at these rallies. and
when finally plan Of campaign was
determined on the community moved
AZ n unit and drove it ont. II was AZ
much ms public officials life was
worth to show the white feather or In
any way lend the suspicion Of COLLISION
with the object Of pursuit,
Now there is no reason. in the world
why, because we have grown rich and
reckless, we cannot do az well in the
enforcement of our laws as did the
pioneers of tne days when the country
was young and struggling. We need a
revival Of true patriotism. We need
'till more kcener appreciation Of in. !