Imperial Valley press., 1912-07-01
EssoN FROM LAS VEGAS

l. Walt Mason has written one of
his prose poems which sets lurth the
evil of bad name for a town. Says
he:
Las Vegas, oh, Las Vegas, hot vii
lage of the plain, the pilgrims headed
for you will soon load every train;
the low-browed gents will gather
around your village inn, and stake
their bones on Johnsing, or bet few
on Flynn. For fevered days, Las We
gas, the brazen trumps will blow, and
TO your hungry Golfers and shining
wealth will flow, and for little sea
son you're surely on the map. and you
will say, exulting-"There's nothing
like scrap" But the days will come.
Las Vegas, when you'll deplore this
game. and wish you hadn't gathered "A
wild and woolly fame. The human
recollection to ugly facts adheres, and
you'll be claSsed with bruisers
through all the coming years. Las We
gas, when you're striving TO gain a
fair renown, as an abode of culture, a
decent. godly town. place of schools
and churches, where proper men abide,
the burden you are making will on
your shoulders ride. Las Vegas
Folks will shudder when they pro-
nounce the name: that's were they
thnrn ob;l
still encourage the brutal fighting
dren. and grow up with the town?
Not if she gave a bonus and paid the
money down. With cities as with peo-
pie, there's nothing like a name that's
bright and all untarnished by any
breath of shame"
This lesson should come home di-
rectly to Imperial, which a few weeks
ago started new career as a rival OF
Mexicali by taking "the lid" of all
things vile. including the licensing OF
saloons.
Since then the town has ex-
perienced a regular carnival of crime,
including cutting and shooting ARRAYS.
highway robbery, grand and petty lar
ceny, assaults, etc, while vile dives
are run by women. and more blind
pigs are in operation than ever be
fore.
The theory that well regulated
saloons would stop illicit sale Of
liquor finds its denial in the fact that
bartender in one of the saloons has
been connected up with a dive having
blind pig adjunct
Meanwhile, decent citizens are dis
susted with the drunks and loafers
that line the curbstones and make the
main street of the town an unfit place
for lady to go
The very name of Imperial is be-
coming a stencil that reaches every
part of the valley
Before Imperial started on its career
Of licensed debauchery, the governor
of Lower California, in Difference of
the people of this valley, had brought
Mexicali under decent regulations.
The women were driven out, nickle.
in-the-slot machines and other gambl-
ing devices were banished, the sale
OF liquor was brought under strict reg
rlations, and Mexicali was moving
rapidly to higher level.
But when Imperial threw down the
bars 10 all kinds of debauchery and at
tempted 10 take the place Mexicali
had filled, it was natural for the Mexi-
can officials to feel that the practices
Of Mexicali had not violated American
feelings so greatly as was pretended.
Consequently, no one can be surprised
with the announcement that Mexicali
is again taking down the bars and
turning the animals loose. Imperial.
therefore, will not have a monopoly as
the seat of debauchery, indecency and
crime.
DANCE FOURTH OF JULY
The Imperial Germania Society will en-
tertain their friends at a dance Thurs
day evening July 4. All invited Re-