The San Francisco call., 1909-04-06

THE doom of the slot machines
was sounded yesterday by the
board of supervisors. By a vote
OF 10 to 8 the ordinance was passed
that will drive them from the city.
The measure will become effective
July l, and after that date San Fran
cisco will be spared what Rev. E. r.
Ollie described as "the kindergarten
in gambling"
The victory was won only after a
hard fight. With the united support
of the clergy and great number OF
influential clubs and associations The
Call has brought to completion a sue
cessful campaign against the evil that
had assumed threatening dimensions.
In behalf OF the machines 1t was
argued that they brought to the city
treasury an annual revenue OF $4,000
Against this figures were presented
showing that the machines absorbed
earnings to the amount Of s12,5o0,OO0
year.
Compromise Is Sought
Realizing that the force OF public
opinion demanded that the open gam
bling be checked. the advocates OF the
machines sought to escape with COM
promise measure limiting the number
of slot devices to two for each cigar
stand No member OF the board OF SUI
pervisors stood for their unrestricted
use. Those opposed to the complete
abolition OF the machines favored the
compromise measure. The bill abol-
ishing the machines will come up for
final passage next Monday.
The Presbyterian ministers OF the
city went in a body to the meeting
Rev. Father Crowley, representing the
Catholic clergy, and Rev. E. r Ollie.
representing a general committee OF
back the petition against the machines.
P. ]. Healy of the grand jury read re-
port strongly urging the passage OF the
ordinance.
Nobody defended the machine as IL
is. z. W. Briggs for the tobacconists
and Attorney A. Chowniski for tbs
saloon keepers put in pleas for the sur
vival OF two machines on every stand
as a business necessity Briggs de-
clared the play back" the chief evil
and the source OF the gambling.
Needed as Trade Stimulant
When asked by Pollok why. II all tho
machines were taken away the cigar
men should object that their legitimats
were needed as a trade stimulant.'
and that without them many present
locations could not keep going
Attorney Choynski said the saloon
men had remote but a direct interest
in fostering the machines In the fact
that most Of the cigarmen were SUBJ
tenants. The saloonmen. he claimed.
were compelled to pay higher rents
themselves for their locations than
businessmen in general. and that one
way they had Of making up this ex-
ira charge was in letting cut special
privileges. OF these the chief, he said.
was usually the cigar business con-
Quoted beside the entrance OF the
saloon itself
Rev E. r Ollie declared that the
card devices were nothing but "a kim
dergarten in gambling AS such they
are more insidously baneful than
racehorse betting and other forms OF
gambling which have been stamped out
Corrupt Young Boys
The publicity attending play and
the accessibility OF the machines are
black features in this business which is
corrupting the boys OF the community
cdr. Ollie testified to having seen
women and girls gambling before the
machines and besought the board to
abolish the evil.
Supervisor Murphy called attention
to a letter he had secured from the
tax collector stating the revenue re-