Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-01-22
LOTTERY GAMBLING.

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1t was our intention to have expressed
in this issue an unqualified condemna-
ton of all sugar-coated gambling de-
vices, but on looking over the files of
the STANDARD for 1870, we find an article
written by Beriah Brown, Esq, while
he was its editor, which so fully ex-
presses the moral sentiment of the COM
munity in reference to legalized gam
bling, that we reproduce it and accord
toit the post of honor in this issue. It
will be remembered that the article was
called forth by the drawing of the San
Francisco Mercantile Library Scheme,
q project of far less magnitude, consid-
ering the population and wealth of the
community in which it originated, than
that which was specially authorized by
the late Legislature and was so heart
lily approved by his Excellency, Gov.
Ferry.
The STANDARD of Nov. 9Th, of that
year, says: The managers of this
grand gambling scheme were all gen.
tlemen of the highest social standing,
whose names are associated with
many of the most notable moral and
religious associations and enterprises,
in city famed throughout the world
for its magnificent charities dAd gener-
GUS philanthropy. Among the pur-
chasers OF the two hundred thousand
tickets, every phase and condition Of
society was represented; ministers,
priests, deacons, rabbis, and moral re-
form lecturers, stakedthe money upon
the game of chance with professional
gamblers, thieves and prostitutes, all
acutated by an unhallowed greed for
the acquisition of money without toll,
of appropriating to their own use the
earnings of others without returning an
equivalent in value. Hon. Addison
Gardner, a Judge of the superior Court
of New York, in one of his decisions, by
way of illustration, mentions the case
of ga thief, Who, in order to buy o lot
terry ticket, picked his companions
pocket, leaving written pledge, with
out signature, that if he drew prize he
would faithfully repay the money"
Who can estimate the number of such
cases created by this grand lottery
scheme; how many debts deferred; how
many wives and children robbed of their
just dues by the husband and father; how
much money obtained by fraud and
false pretenses, for the purpose of in
dulging in the inordinate propensity
for gambling developed by this scheme
for making one of the most demoraliz-
ing passions tributary to worthy OBJ
jects In our estimation, the very worst
feature of this scheme was the high res
probability of the parties engaged in it.
Ii all the gambling houses, houses of
ill-fame and dens of vice upon the coast
had been licensed to practice their vo-
cations upon condition of sharing their
profits with some public benefaction,
the consequences to public morris would
not have been so damaging or wide
spread as has been this gambling de-
vice under Legislative enactment and re-
hgious endorsement. Gambling is the
besetting sin of the people and the pre-
dominant vice Of the times; the social,
moral and religious sentiments are sub
ordinated to the oyerpowering passion
for acquisition-to hasten to be rich
No moral suasion can check it; no leg
islative enactment can restrain it. All
who believe in Divine guidance and
the necessity of moral restraint to the
happiness of man, should set their faces
against this vice as against moral
pestilence, instead of attempting to pro-
fit by encouraging and fostering the
evil. 1t is not too much to anticipate
that the temptation to acquire riches
by gambling which this scheme has
offered to thousands who were never
tempted before, will prove like the
planting of dragons teeth in the crop
OF decentralization and vicious propcn-
sites it will develop.
VEERISa ARoUND.-Mr. Curtis, editor
OF Harper's Weekly, speaks of the per