The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-28
Gambling STOPPED
BY CHINESE GOVT
u. S. Consul General Says
This Is Great Victory for
Reform Element.
National News Association
BY RoDERick CLIFFORD.

BY RoDERick CLIFFORD.
Washington. May a7,-The state de-
rsrtment has a report from the consul
general at Canton saying that after
years of hard and consistent work. the
reformers in China have caused the
adjustment of licensed gambling, and
that this victory is next in moral i'm
portanee to the stamping out of legal
lied opium selling.
According TO the report. licensed
gambling in the province has centered
mainly in Canton for years. was pro-
hibited when pice-regal edict against
! il in all forms became effective In
April,
The happy eventua,ion of the anti
gambling movement" the report says,
was met on all sides by marked re-
| ioicing, and was celebrated by dem
onstration in Canton. in which mer-
| chants. country and people enthusiast
tically joined. the principal feature Of
which was huge parade which pass
ed for hours through the streets OF
the city and portrayed to the people
by floats and tableaux the evil results
which follow gambling.
| The history of the anti-gamhling
movement in China was very similar
to that OF the suppression of opium
smoking, and was in one way a SEE
quel to it. The great strength which
| the gambling monopolists commanded
was derived from the enormous reve-
nue. in taxes which the annually paid
to the provincial treasury. and the diff
ficulty which lay in the way OF the
government in securing similar rev.
enue from other sources.
Had it not been for the success OF
the ant-opium campaign. which gave
hope to the reformers and the open
ing of the provisional assembly which
placed in their hands weapon OF SUI
ficient power to enable them to meet
the gamblers with chance of sue
cess. it is probable that the movement
would have ended in failure
ut should not be inferred" the re-
port to the department continues,
that all the credit for the success Of
the reformers is due to the assembly.
It's efforts would have been without
avail il it had not fallen back for sup
port upon the better element OF tho
provincial population. While the as
sembly ostensibly led the way, It was
pushed. assisted, exhorted, and pray
ed to by the people to fight their bat
tie for them
The aglIaIion was carried on against
gambling in a sane and dignifled man
ner, and its success was largely tho
result of the feeling that the act Of the
government in licensing gambling was
to the great detrlment of the common
people. Also the people came forward
with substitute for the revenue lost
, from the wreck of the gambling bust
ness, thereby depriying the ofiicials Of
their one potent weapon of argument.
1t was proposed at the time that
this money be raised by tax on wines
and spirits, increases In salt and pre-
Ipared opium taxes, and taxes on to-
bacco, Are crackers and butchers The
first four of these suggestions have al
ready been accepted by the govern
, ment as practicable.
The gambling question was before
the assembly, in Canton in 1909, during
its last session. and on both occasions
the members gave the movement
warm support. In October 1910, they
requested the acting yiceroy to mem
, orialize the throne to set q date on
which gambling would be done away
with, and when the request was not
acted upon the assembly summari1y
adjourned
This move had the desired effect.
, The viceroy at once reported the mat
ter to the throne, by whom It was re-
ferred to the board OF finance. The
board replied that date would be
set when substitute revenue had
been found, whereupon the assembly
resumed its sitting.
THE acting yiceroy arrived in Can.
tom according to the oficial account
Of this campaign, land took over the
seals OF ONCE on January 1. 1911. Az
ter going into the matter OF substf-
tute revenue with thoroughness sci
| dom seen a Chinese Official, he Issued
. a proclamation In February interdict
ing gambling of all sorts from the Both
. day of March.
5 reform apparently SO widely popular
that it is probable that no protests will
: be heard from the people against the
new taxes SO long as the revenue de
rived therefrom is employed az q sub
stitute for that previously received
from licensed gambling. With the
suppression OF gambling has come the
question OF providing something fol
the former employees OF the great bust
mes to do. Statements place the mum
Der of gambling houses in Canton in
recent years at 10000, employing al
least 10000 men. and frequented b.
not les than the same number Of pro
fessional gamblers.
The yiceroy's Introduction Is not con
: fined to the suppression of licensed
gambling. but covers private gambling
as well, and strenuous efforts are be
ling made to enforce the proclamation
Min all it's provisions