The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-12-19
BILLIARDS.
How Some Young Hen Waste their
Ducats and Addle their
Intellecls.

- O0NAAo 0A4 S-NN@
! Intellecls.
In connection with articles hereto
fore Published concerning the loose
g ness of boys and young men in this
city, the subject of billiards has been
mentioned as one OF the causes lead
ing ia g great measure TO the existing
evils. Billiard playing Is a popular
pastime. II is beneficial relaxation.
That it is a healthy exercise-TheD
purRued az all exercises should be, 10
moderation-is conceded; il has
tendency to develop the judgment,
cultvates tkill, and steady eye and
hand, and it affords pleasant relax
alton from the cares Of the day; re-
lieves the mind and refreshes the
body. Bot it is still only good as re-
taxation, or recreation, fTom business
cares unless, as is very rarely, and
for that reason fortunately, the case.
it is made business o.. Hence it is
that business men so much enjoy the
game, and spend time during even
Ings in not only witnessing others
play, but in engaging in it them
selves. The difficulty with billiard
playing, however, like nearly all other
Things which we're originally intended
for recreation, and therefore are of
very secondary importance, is that
young men make it OF cardinal i'm
porlsnce. In this city, billiard
saloons owe O great deal OF their |
financial success to the frequent vista
of young men and mere boys. Il has
become fashionable with them to ape
the habits of men Of years; to congre-
gate in the evenings at these places;
and to manipulate the cue and dis
play their skill with the ivory balls.
Now the question is, what takes them
to these places? Perhaps the short
est answer is: because these are
the spots wisdom teaches they should
avoid" OF course, these young men
will claim that they 60 for relax alton.
1t may be true that few need it. but
for a msiorlty, the statement is ridi-
culous. What cares have they, which
weigh so heavily on their youthful
lntellects, that requires such re-
creation? Business cares and weighty
propositions TO dispose OF, as rule,
they have none. They perform their
daily labor. which may be wearisome
or not on the body, but in ninety-nine
cases out OF a hundred. the mind has
not been taxed in the least; and hard
study would therefore be the re.
taxation, i! mental relief or change
they mean the came thiDg-is really
required. Most Of them sell goods in
stores, or perhaps perform light Office
wOTK for Ia te1 hours Of the day; and
when they come TO exercise the
reason with which even the least in
telligent have been endowed they will
admit that mental relaxation in the
shape OF pleasure, is the last thing
they want. But. for the sake OF areu- s
msnt, admitting that they actually ,
need meutsl md bodily rest, how
much Is obtained for either, at the
expense Of Eas!ei nights, lost eleep,
and squaudered earnings, six nights
out OF the seven? Does the young !
man who stands behind a counter
eight or ten hours day, think he is
resting himself by standing at bill
lard table four hours q night after i
his daily toll has ended? Ii health to
be found in room filled with tobacco :
smoke? Can mental relaxation and l
bodily rest be secured ut the ex-
penSe OF much needed sleep? Does
be imagine thst be receives an
equivalent for the amount of !
his meagTe salsry-oftentimes hard !
eerned-in the skill required in SHOW
ing a few ivory balls around a cush
Toned table with a long stick. for 6
which he has the privilege of telling .
of few buttons on wire and pay
ing so much an hour for the healthy
and intellectual employ ment? Ger s
tainly not; but the young man and
young boy who is in the habit of do
Ing 80 does not happen to waste his !
precious moments in reflections of
this kind. II he did he might miss !
ten minutes at the table, and even
forego the customary visit to the '
room for one night at least.
After the subject of health, there 6
is another which is next in import 7
snce. No person who ever expects 9
to become man, OF use to himself,
& benefit to his fellows, or an honor !
to bis relatives and friends, has any :
idea that be will ever do SO by spend
ing his spare moments and his means c
we do not say spare means, be- !
cause the young man who is wise has l
no spare moments for such objects
in billiard saloon; not even though '
its facilities for pleasant and health '
iul relaxation are the best the wires .
sfords-which no one will assume to q
be the case. What becomes OF the I
golden moments that slip away while q
this supposed needed and supposed Q
secured rest is being obtained? Did G
the men to whom billiard playing is c
actual rest and heslthful exercise,
and whom the young men merely
ape aud use asan excuse for their folly, Q
every acquire position, or means by q
fIeQuenting billiard saloons in their G
youth? 1t is question of solitary
instance, outside of professionals or
gamblers can be cited. There
is but one way TO excel I
lence and TO influential manhood, |
and that is By patient and constant
study; the few moments now and a
few at another time spent in the
pursuit Of knowledge, instead OF in
playing billiards, or in watching
others doing so; by a regard Tor c
health; by the acquiring OF taste for !
that kind OF relaxation. which brings {
with it profit, and a pleasure far more
enduring, and far more enticlng,
when once tasted, than any other.
So far the playing Of billiards has
been treated as a matter of wisdom. (,
1t has another and a much worse fea-
ture. While billiard playing, as be-
fore stated, is in itself heaithiul,
pIeasurable, and to a degree benefi- q
cial; its associations in this city and i
in this age, are positive injuries.
Every billiard saloon in this city. has :
Its bar. There ia not an exception {
The one in itself Is rot absolutely
necessary to the other; but it Is de
cidedly necessary IN a financial sense,
which statement is atlesied by the
fact that no billiard hall is conducted I