The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-24
GAMBLING TN FUTURES.

lt ID strange that, with all thepowerful and
deep-seated sentiment that exists against
gambling 10 every form. no one OF the innu-
merable congratulations from the press, the
pun't or In the daily intercourse between
men has been directed against the folly, the
vice Of this particular manner Of gambling
| OF all the shapes the passion has even taken
| this is the most insidious, the most fascinat-
| Ing. tire most fatal. In the whole dark history
| Of gambling there In no Instance where tic
| habit has managed to- surround itself with SC
| many qualities of responsibility SO many
| props Of custom and convention, lt has
broadepcd Into recognized pursuit Its ep-
erattons are gravely quoted alorg with those
| Of the righteous and legitimate statistics OF
| commerce and agriculture, Its marts and
offices stsild side by side with those whefeiu
| tho products Of mems toll and ingenuity are
bought AMI sold. No other form Of gambling
has ever become so general, SO ruinous, SO
damoraliziEg, and yet none has over achieved
80 entire an acceptance and recognition from
society. The man who is known to sguander
hls substance at the faro bank or over the
poker table Of the clubs and restaurants Ia re-
garded az being In some sort reprobate OF
d seH.ien. but the man who tlinRs away
thousands and ten thousands In tho rise and
fall ar cotton futures ID invested with some
thing Of heroism- certainly does not lose
caste III consequence. Mothers. wives, sits
ters, sweethearts rail at the convivial dlssiRa-
tion Of the clubs, speak with hated breath, IN
tones Of horror and Indignation. of the oeca-
sUnal orgies over setback, Boston, loo and
poker. bat when and where have they raised
one voice against the mad, consuming pas
sion which finds Its expression In future spec
ulatlons2 For every dollar that men fool
away At the club card tables, hundreds and
thousands afs swallowed up In futures. The
peeeadilloes, the little meannesses and
assessments that mon are too often led into
by playing cards beyond their means. tower
into embezslement. swindiing forgery, who
knows through the finite evolution Of the
future mania. Clergy a deelaim, editors
condemn. moralistaprotest, publiclsts deplore
with reference to cards. lotteries. racing, etc,
yet against this munstrous curse of future
gambling. which has spread Itself over the
whole country. and beside which all other
kinds Or gambling dwndle into insigniaeance,
who has said word or uttered complaint
and shocking stories ofithe baleful fruits OF
futures. Constantly are we brought face 10
face with some melancholy evidence OF It's
blightlng influence. The track Of Its progress
In strewn with the ruins OF once spotless
names with the wreck OF fortunes and COM
petencies. with the graves OF energy, indus
try and integrity. 1t sweeps across our land
like a poisonous simeon across a sweet and
fertile district, leaving only sorrow and auf-
fering and desolation behind. Honest and In
dustrious men are lured to their ruin by Its
fatal destinations. comfortable homes are
obliterated. srotless names are smirehed and
faithful hearts perverted. 1t has wrought
more harm. sown q darker crop OF demorali-
zaton, paved the way for more crime, In one
year. than all the club card tables put to-
gether In whole generation. And when we
hear people. Ignoring all this colossal harm
and misery. preach aloud against the mirror
forms OF gambling. we are reminded OF the
children who think the fire files are stars,
and who, making their mimic cataract across
the gutter believe they are gazing upon the
awful torrent OF Niagara.