The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-07
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Attack on Gambling Fraternity

To the Editor of The Age Herald:
 The gambling fraternity is being as- sailed mercilessly every crime in the depravity are charged to them. It is said they are endeavoring to ruin and deprave the young and the old of both sexes: that they lie in ambush eager to seize the un- suspecting and innocent youth, like the serpent did with our mother Eve, and lure them to dens of infamy to rob or ravish them. If this be true alas, the gibbet or the prison should be their retribution. The truth is. these men who prefer to bet with cards rather than with corn, flour, pork and other necessities molesting and destroying the ability of the poor to ob- tain reasonable comforts, are patriotic and charitable American citizens. The widow, the orphan and the aged never appeal to them in vain. Tears of sym pathy for suffering humanity are ever dampening their eyes. Personally they are the most lovable men on the Amer ican continent. They are fathers, hus- bands, brothers and sons and as deeply land anxiously concerned for the preser- vation of womans integrity as others They love with a great love, and in re- turn are loved with a still greater love, because they spend their moneyIavishly to make home supremely comfortable. IL would be frightfully dangerous for the lewly inclined scoundrel to experiment with their loved ones at home. An Othello in the imminent and deadly breach, or Napoleon on the bridge at Lodi, would require less heroism than the expert menter.
 Now, my beloved brothers and sisters, who aim to be moralists, and who are earnestly endeavoring to ameliorate and better human conditions, there are many urgent fields for your activities. For in- stance, two distinguished and highly cul- tured ladies declare, after a careful ex- animation, that our county prison is a scene Of indescribable horror. It is a vertable tragedy daily and nightly en- acted In the presence of smiling ana complacent official, who is provided with ample funds for the comfort of the wretched inmates. Direct your attention hitherward! Oh, it is needed Suppress only one agonizing heart throb silence one groan of despair. These inmates, like yourselves, are made in the image Of q merciful God It is a vile sacrilege 10 leave the divine form unnecessarily defaced by cruelty Your@hearts are toe full to longer contemplate this improvised h,des Let us mean6er along the streets of Birmingham "If you have tears, pre- pare to shed them now Behold, those wretched troops of mortals dragging chains on their legs, the blood dripping from their ankles at every step. These men are guilty of only some trivial of fense; they have never been tried and convicted as the constitution provides, by jury of their peers. "Oh, perceive you weep. What. weep you when you but behold our Ceaser's vesture wound ed?'' My dear charity-loving and benev- olent friends, look around. and you will find excellent and abundant opportunities for the exercise of your admirable in- clinations. Seize the banner of your great commander and wage war against the real enemies that confront you. The gambler is joyous boy;
 Money with him is but toy;
 He takes it, spends it in a store,
 Or better, gives it to the poor.
 The saint who deals in bonds or stock Then puts his lucre under lock,
 With bleeding Lazarus at his porch Untouched, he marches off to church. Tine hypocrite. pretends a gody life to
 live, And his prototype, the man who fails to
 give,
 You can always find this pious pair
 Pressing up to forward chair.
 You want to know how much they count, Just read the Sermon on the Mount.
 c. P. KIRKLAND.