The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-09-17
The Vice Of Gambling !

a o. u haAAACAAD6 - SaN VI NN~
most insiduous, corrupting, and inju-
rious to society. that Legislative bodies
are called upon 70 apply a corrective
to. The evil is so apparent and fla
! grant, that in nil the Older States IL is
made a misdeDIeGHoT, and Is punisha-
BILE by fine or imprisonment-some-
times by both. True, these enact
ments do not altogether prevent gam
bling there. But the same may be
! said Of enachnents relating to larce-
mics, arsons, entertainments, or muir
ders. The law does not preUcHt these
crimes from being committed oeea-
~sionaIIy but the certainty OF the pre-
scribed punishment following, deters
their greater frequency.
Gambling is Conducive In idlencss,
idlcness to vice, aud vice 10 crime
Experience IN Europe as well rs in
America, has led all enlightened law
makers to look upon it rs n most Sc
ductive, delusive and pernicious prac-
tice, calling upon the State to pro-
scribe and prohibit it under pains and
penalties. The young, the unwaTy,
and the inexperienced are most sub
ject TO the tempting influence Of tie
gaming table; and in ninety-nine
cases out of a hundred. become the
prey of the professional gamester.
These are the persons that well or
dered society seeks to protect, by anti
gambling laws. Those who have the
good sense to keep away from the
allurements Of the gamblers table,
have an interest In the enactment of
salutary laws to project those who do
not. aa-' '-
Human nature, after all that is said
concerning It's experience In the past,
and its progress aud enlightenment, is
prone to temptation. Men seek ease,
comfort md happiness. The r road
to these results is by honest industry,
in some of the recognized lawful vo-
cations in life, where man receive
something for something, or gives to
his fellow man an equivalent for that
which he receives from him. But
many persons Of the kind we have
described, are lured by the articles
and Establishments or the gambler, to
risk their money and often hat of
their employers-upon a game of
chance. IL they lose they receive
nothing in return for their money. If
the gambler loses (Which seldom oc-
curs) he gets no equivalent for his.
The principle Is the same in either
case it is something for nothing and
these kind Of exchanges do not en-
courage industry, sohriety and hon
esty. The victim finding himself
deprived Of his money grows desper-
ate. or respondent rs the cnse may be,
and in either condition seeks for con-
ISOLATION in the Intoxicating glass.
Generally the sufferer tries to drown
his sorrow aud thus forget his loss.
HIS mind is set on edge, he thinks
he may retrieve himself, and the sense
of his losses induces him 10 try his
luck las it Is called again. Expecta-
ton, desire and hope, impel him at
each venture; but the gambler is sure
to win his money,
How many of the entertainments,
forgeries and failures throughout the
country can lie directly traced to losses
at the gaming table? Business suffers
in consequence; families are reduced
from atluence TO poverty and the
victims often become fugitives from
home and country, or blot out their
existence in a'drunkard's or suicides
grave.
Here in Wyoming-more particu-
larry in Cheyenne,-the gamingtables
are fed with the hard earnings of work
ingmcn and clerks, who receive moth
ing for their money. If they go into
a store and part with a ten dollar bill,
they are sure to have u hat, or Il coat,
4 or a pair of pautaloons, or some other
article of value, as an equivalent. If
they 90 to a hotel or a restaurant they
get a meal for their money !; or if they
go to n decent saloon, or sample room,
they get a glass of good cheer, or a
cigar, for their twenty-five cents; but
they get nothing in return from the
game" Besides, when men spend
their money for these things,
there is no remorse, no chagrin, no
desperate resolves to get even! They
return to their labors, and their minds
are at peace.
But it will be urged that men should
stay away from the gambling table.
That is true-they should do so, but
they don't; for the s already
advanced. Moral suasion is powerless
upon the majority of men. Leave
mems reason to struggle against their
tastes and MISSIONS and the latter will