Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-02-05
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY ), 1903
DOES GAMBLING HELP A TOWN?

We often hear the remark that
gambling helps a town. For this
reason, business men refuse to aid in
the efforts to abolish gambling In
Nevada. That there is nothing in that
argument is plainly shown in the follow
ing article written by II. d. Slater,
editor of the FL PaSO Texas Herald.
We commend ii to the careful perusal
of Elko's business men and TO every
citizen of Nevada.
Conditions here up 10 the Close of
gambling in November, 1904. Were dis
graceful and disgusting to an extent
that would hardly be believed by people
not personally familiar with the facts,
and they can hardly be recalled TO mind
today, owing 10 the tremendous change
that has taken place in the three years
since the gamblers were driven out.
During 10 months Of 1904. in this
city, then having less than 5000 in
hatitaut$ there were l. suicides, Il
homicid@- - shortages, frauds and
embellishments: which became public
and matters Of court record, aSa -
shootings and muplerous assaults !
YER large proportion OF these crimes
could b. traced quite directly { o open
gambling. Statistics for years preced-
ing the closing of gambling show that
on hasis of per 1000 population. Fl
Paso had more than four times as many
E-frTla= - rl "a -fy,.z - raar-- hI,ns.;N.z
as the city Of St. Paul; they show that
FL Paso had seven times a. many kill
ings per unit of population as the city
of New York.
1T took long years of education TO
bring the people OF this city and especi-
ally the business community up TO q
point where they recognized that the
system of licensed gambling was not
merely morally degrading and destruc-
tive, but ruinous i'll a business way.
One thousand columns, or approx.
mately 4 million words of editorial
matter, bearing on the subject in all it:
phases, appeared in the Herald during
the sever or eight years of the cam
paign of education.
The business men of FL Paso at last
realized that wide open licensed gamb
ling did not pay and during the fight
the dollars and cents argument was
used with tremendous force. OF
couree. hack of this there was the
knowledge that there was going on q
fearful sacrifice OF our young men.
Another fundamental argument was
that Of respect for law. Besides being
frightfuily dernoralizing to the individ
ual. public gambling is d~emoralizing tC
the community.
Within two months after gambling
was closed hank deposits increased
100000 or nearly lG per cent. Mel
who had opposed the anti-gamblini
movement for II reason or another
gradually joined the ranks Of the oppon
ents of the old system because they
found that it paid in every way, di
rectly or indirectly.
Business improved, property value.
rose. u number Of notorious saloon.
and gambling resorts went cut ot
business, releasing choice locations fol
good business enterprises; crimes de
creased to an almost marvellous degree,
over half Of the city's prostitutes left
with the gamblers they had been help.
ing support. knowledge Of the changed
conditions encouraged the best class Of
people to ON here and make theil
homes and in every other way the
material and moral Improvement mad,
themselves plainly manifest.
Only u month after gambling wa.
closed came the Christmas season
Many of the business men had dreaded o
general falling off, due to interference
with the false prosperity that open
gambling had e%ngendercd. On Nov.
II. 1901. 80 gambling resorts were on.
Grating openly In FL PasO in defiance Of
the law. When they were closed. El
Paso lost probably 75Oof her population.
both men and women. including gafnbl.
crs, prostitutes and hangcrs.on. But
that year the Christmas trade in all
lines exceeded the trade Of the pre.
cedipg two years. Merchants reported
that there were not only more buyers,
but that more people paid cash over the
counter. Bills were collected up baltcr
than ever before. Hundreds of small
deposit accounts were opened at the
banks within sixty days after gambling
was closed.
From I'll Paso the movcmc spread
all over Texas, New Mexico and Arizona
and one town after another followed FL
Paso's example greatly to their material
aud moral bettermcnt.
Since gambling was closed FL paso's
population has increased 30 per cent and
the assessed valuation has increased
more than 100 per cent, from si2. OoO..
600 to Sq5. 0O0. OOOl,"