The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-07
|GANRL Inc BILL
Is On CALEND DAR
Adverse Committee Report on
the Measure Rejected
in House.
LIVELY DEBATE Is HAD
BEFORE VOTE Is TAKEN
MIR. Russell Says Ogden Is Get
ting $500 a Month From
Gamblers.

AT the conclusion of lively debate
the house Monday afternoon rejected
the adverse report of the judiciary
committee on house bill No 236. by the
committee on labor. the anti gambling
measure, and placed the bill on the
calendar for future consideration by a
vote Of l6 to a. Before the commit
tee report was discussed communica-
tion was read from the Bingham
Miners union No. 81, asking for the
passage of the bill, and inclosing n
resolution adopted by the union last
ryear in opposition to gambling in the
camp. 1t was set out in brief in the
communication that the crime of
gambling should be made felony in
stead OF misdemeanor.
As soon as the matter had been
taken up On the committee S report
Mr.. Richardson moved that the report
be not accepted. This was seconded by
Mr.. Russell
Mr.. Norris then took the floor and
declared that the proceedings were
foolish. The house, he said had killed
one bill of similar character, and he
believed the one under consideration
should share q like fate. He also called
attention to the fact that bin No. 236
made the gambler on one side of the
table \ felon and the fellow on the
other side was guilty Of only misde.
meanoT.
Substitute Motion Made
Mr., Ncnrie moved as substitute
thai the majority report be adopted
Mr. Crapo remarked that the legis
laiure seemed determined not to pass
any gambling legislation at this ses
sion. However, lie could sec vast
difference between the man behind the
game ana the man in front of it,
MIR. Russell said that the only change
made in the present law by the pro
posed bill was that the crime was made
a felony instead of a misdcmeanor He
also declared that there were 100
gambling joints, or more, running in !
Salt Lake at the present time, and (
that there were seven or eight in
Ogden, from which that city was de- |!
rning revenue of $500 = month. The |
latter assertion, lie said, was made |
upon the strength of what the chief of |
police in Ogden had told him.
Mr.. Allison interrupted by asking /
who was getting the money, declaring |
that he did not know.
am only stating what Chief of |
Police Browning and Detective Pcnder .
told me- answered Mr. Russell.
Present Law Enough,
Mr. Allison then took the floor and .
declared that gambling was worse than
ever. he believed the provisions of the
bill TO be too severe. Men who played .
cards, Mr.. Allison said, were not feIons
He also contcndcd that gambling could
be easily closed under the present law
if officials did their sworn duty. He
thought. however. that if gambling
was made felony, officers would hest
tate TO make arrests in many cases be
cause of the severe penalty attached
10 the crime.
Mr.. yelling thought the opponents
Of the bill should get together. Some
of you,' he said. "think one thing
and some think another The other
dav YOU protested because gambling by
boys VAS made a felony upon the
ground that the punishment was too
severe. Now You are not satisfied be
cause gambling by the same boys is
made misdemeanor. In any event
amended this bill had it desired to do
so.
Morris Asks Questions
Mr.. Morris called attention to the
Statement of Mr.. Russell that gambling
Was being carried on iii 100 places
IN salt Lake City, and asked how many
of the gamblers had been punished. He
also wanted to know what was the use
of making felony Of gambling when
the present law was not being en-
forced - The present law is abund
ant, said Mr.. Morris. IF you
grab these gamblers, fine them $500
and give them six months in Jail, AS
you can do under the present law,
gambling will cease here in ten
DAYS -
Mr. Nebeker said that gamblers were
q menace to society, and there was n
hlg difference between the blood -suckeri
Who sits behind the game and the boy
who goes in and plays it for little
excitement, 1.-The blood suckers are
the fellows j am after declared Mr.
Nebeker, land am III favor Of max
ing the crime a felony
The vote or the substitute motion TO
adopt the majority report was lost, IA
to jig, and the bill was then placed
upon the calendar.