The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-11

port. No city officer and no county
onlceT VIII help. II is not certain
what Kind OF evidence is needed. for
every one in the city except ono
former councilman and member of the
ponce committee knows all about this
protected violation OF law. And every
month these men come into the mu-
nicipal court, confess they are keep
ers of gambling houses In direct yio-
lation OF the law. and pay for the pro-
lection OF the police for another tairty
days What more than their own con-
fesslon Of guilt is needed | do not
know
SO. In part, the matter stands up
here. We should have no word to say
If our officials were forever bounding
these law breakers We 10 not ex.
pect them TO suppress wrong doing
wholly; but We have asked them not
10 throw around law breakers the
soft. protecting arm of the law. They
persist In refusing us, and so In our
dilemma we come to you We see
but one way out of II. so we ask you,
OF the Legislature of 1909, to repeal
all anti-gambling laws. The laws are
absolutely no good TO us here. They
are only dead letters and worse. They
are used by tie police as clubs over
tnose who will not comply with the
police regulations OF gambling. The
churches AMI the respectable citizen.
snip have in no way united to urge
the enforcement of these laws. In
fact, In the last analysis, the good
people OF Ogden believe In this kind
OF law breaking. provided the reve-
nue. Is forthcoming. Once | spent
day in our municipal court while n
certain test case Of law breaking was
under way. he effort was to convict
those who worked In gambling houses
as we'll as the proprietor, who was
also on trial. Being convicted, he
paid the amount assessed by the
court but was relieved of any further
obligation to pay the monthly license
fee. The protection of the police was
guaranteed for this one sum. But
the incident / meant to relate is this:
The trial was TO be one by jury. A
good many leading citizens were sum-
moned. | remember a prominent real
estate dealer and, equally prominent.
a plumber. druggist, hotel keeper
and others. They each we're asked
how they looked upon gambling, and
openly said they had no objection so
long as the police watched II. But"
said Judge Murphy, suppose they
maintain gambling houses contrary to
law-do you then object?" And the
reply came facilely and positively
from each and all: mo. not in the
least" With very few exceptions,
that Is the way the people of Ogden
feel. We connive at the breaking at
| law and, we have arrived at the con-
clusion tnat 1t would be better if we
| legalized gambling just as Nevada
| does, and so we ask that the following
laws be repealed;
Title 90, chapter SO, section 1861,
of the Compiled Laws of Utah. 1907:
Every person who deals, plays or
carries on, opens or causes to be
opened or who conducts either as
owner OF employe, whether for hire
or not, any games Of faro. monte, rou-
lette, lansquenet, rouge ct noir, rondo,
or any game played with cards, dice,
checks, credit, or any other represen-
tative value. and every person who
plays or bets at or against any of
said prohibited games, is guilty Of a
misdemeanor
"Sec 1862. Every person who
knowingly permits any of the games
mentioned in the preceding chapter
to be played. conducted. or dealt in
any house owned or rented by such
person, In whole or In part, Is pun
ishable as provided in the preceding
section.
Sec 1866. officers must prose-
cute Every prosecuting attorney.
sheriff. constable or police officer
must inform against and diligently
prosecute persons whom they have
reasonable cause to believe offenders
against the provisions of this chapter
(33); and every such officer refusing