The San Francisco call., 1909-11-14

months score OF comfortable fortunes have been
made in the Paris OF America by betting on the
price OF cotton on margin. Some of the winnings
are high up in six figures.
Quite half the population OF this famous Paris is
busy gambling in way another. During the
last campaign it came out that there were 500
poolrooms in assembly district of this city.
When the big stock brokng firm OF Bolton &
De Ruyter in California street failed some years
ago there was an agitated 1utter in the financial
dovecotes because it was known on the dead quiet
that considerable number of bank officials and
employees had been gambling in stocks margin
and if the books thrown open a tremendous
scandal would have resulted Fortunately, or uu-
fortunately, you choose to look at it. the settle
ment effected out of court and the, exposure
was avoided Perhaps you may not remember
when Prosperous Bob Mitchell failed in the
same business what mystery was made about
the list of creditors
TAKE YOUR CHOICE a.
Unconscious official testimony to the variety of
gambling games open to the people of Paris
appears in the list of questions propounded by the
civil service commissioners to candidates for the
rank of corporal in the police force. This was
one question:
While acting as corporal you receive informa-
ton that Police Officer Brown of your district
has been negectful of his duties Upon investga-
tion you discover that three openly
selling pools on the races, two crap games are in
operation and pawn broker is doing business
without a license. Write report the chief
of police regarding the case giving the details
of your investigation and stating what actions
you took
NO SCANDAL PERMITTED
The unconscious humor of the question was
heightened by the explanatory note which tells the
candidate "In this report make no personal ref
erences.' No scandal about exalted personages is
countenanced by the commission and no candidate
is encouraged to answer: L would feel deeply
gratifed for the information and would lose no
time about going round to the stores to collect
my Bit
THE INVITING SLOT
One recalls the spectacle in Fillmore street
before the slot machines were closed out Men and
boys of all ages were stacked up night and day
against the counters waiting for chance to plav
the machines. | have been along there at 5 o'clock
in the morning and the crowd was still there as
busy as ever hitting the slot When it was pro-
posed to stop it score OF the leading businessmen
OF Paris signed petition to the supervisors beg
ging them not to pass the ordinance.
LAWS TO BURN
California has more laws and more kinds of
laws against gambling than any other common
wealth or kingdom and of them is effective.
for the reason that gambling assumes an infinite
variety of shapes. That is why | say that these
laws merely form of hypocrisy on the one
hand and opportunity for graft the other.
In another sense this legislation is one phase OF
age long pathetic endeavor OF mankind to save
the weak from themselves. 1t always fails.
A DISSENTING VOICE
This Paris business does not hit everybody
right For instance, here is what the California
Christian Advocate, the organ Of the Methodist
church, thinks about it:
VIII the Portoia festival contribute 10 any Of
the things San Francisco needs? We are not op-
posed to fun good natural display. but these
things should be taken with moderation and should
not be allowed to dominate, much less
such week of abandonment, with every saloon,
every gambling den every vaudeville show, every
indecent theater wide open and running at full
blast the streets filled with romping, rollcking,
reckless. humanity and people of higher preten-
hiding their identity masquerade balls Is
not exactly what San Francisco needs, either for
better government home for her reputation