Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-02-13
GAMBLING IN RREADSTUEE

OF all the different species of gambling
which has cursed this fair land there is none
more wicked, more productive of evil and
distress, more demoralizing, or more shock
ing and revolving to every sense Of humanity
than that of gambling upon the products OF
Gods green earth.
Paris refused to shut up her theatres when
the guillotine was shrieking for the best and
noblest blood of France. London refused
TO forswear good dinners and close her clubs
when the cry Of murdered Englishmen and
English woman came up sharp and terrible
from the furnaces Of wrath in India. And
in this very hour, when every breeze comes
laden with the walls of suffering and want,
with appeals for bread-whilst christian
people Of all nationalities, OF all shades OF
religious belief, Of conflicting views in poll
tics throughout christian land are sinking
differences and uniting in the great work OF
noble-hearted MISUNDERSTANDING in
situations and rings, based upon this very
distress, and anticipating further suffering
and consequently still greater demands,
have been forming their corners in the
grain market.
Those whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad, is an old maxim, and it is
not far short of practical illustration at this
time as regards this class of spectators.
Another disastrous break" in grain has re-
Gently occurred, and thousands of these
grain vultures have come to grief, are left
high and dry among the breakers and brok-
ers. They were unable to escape from the
corners, and were driven under" when the
change came.
Gambling in the products of the earth,
particularly in grain, is every year. becoming
more extensive and more fashionable, and
promises soon to become as conspicuous and
prominent with eastern spectators as min
ing stocks are with the desperate and reck-
less capitalists along the Pacific coast. 1t is
a sad commentary upon our boosted cvili-
cation and christian enlightment TO feel and
know that no other country in the world
presents such an amount and variety Of con-
1seb' HINSNioepA otpNho anu
as ours. And the worst part of the refec-
ton is that it ia ever increasing. "A rose
by any other name will smell as sweet" and
thousands indulge in such gambling opera
tons who turn with holy horror from the
billiard table, the faro bank, or n game of
poker, whilst their operations are upon
more extended scale, indicting greater
wrongs, more extended suffering, and diff
fering only in name.
Such species Of gambling, independent
of any immoral tendencies, cannot result
otherwise than in serious injury to the coun-
try. II awakens morbid desire among all
classes of people to avoid, to go beyond the
legitimate business channels and seek for
larger and quicker profits than are made in
the usual daily avocations of life. The bust
ness operations of our country will never be-
come settled. We shall never arrive at
frner basis until all such unhealthy and
corrupting institutions are swept from exist
ence, confidence between man and man is
restored, and the channels Of trade are not
perverted or influenced from their legitimate
purpose by gamblers and spectators.