Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-12-06
"warptns. or "Options,"


The Rev. William McKibbin, of
Pittsburgh, preached a Thanksgiving
sermon last Thursday in the Second
PRESBYTERIAN church of that city, in
which he referred to the "greed for
gain in some of its local aspects" and
from which the following is an extract
that may be of local interest;
RAPID DEVELOPMENT.
Such has been the immense develop
ment of the material resources OF the
country through the multiplication OF
railroads, telegraphs, and the many ap-
nliances of modern invention and dis
covery, that the American mind has
been set on fire with the hope of max
ing rapid accumulations of wealth, and
to such extent does this prevail that the
slower. safer and more morally lnvlg-
Grating methods. which to the END OF
time must constitute the basis OF all
true commercial prosperity, have fallen
into disrepute, and in their place have
come methods which will neither stand
the test of prudence or morality. 10
facilitate this mad thirst for gold, and
what gold will purchase, there has
GROWN I'D a system of business devices
called "margins" or "options" which
nnder the forms of legitimate trade,
make gambling recognized and re-
spectable branch of commercial lie.
Almost every line of legitimate busl-
ness pursuit is encircled by this myriad
armed devil fish, which threatens to
suck all the life and principle out OF
business affairs. :.
Such are the proportions which 1t
has assumed, such the respectablllty
which it has attained, that it walks
with unabashed countenance in the
highest circles of society, and poilutes
even the communion table with its
nresence. AS dark and threatening
cloud it canopies all life, and unless dis
sipated by the force of public sentiment
and penal law, carries in its bosom the
destruction of the best elements OF oul
National life.
Without entering into detailed de
ecrintion of these methods, let me Say
first that any business transaction II
, which there is no actual transfer OF I'm
commodity bought and sold is an lille
Ultimate and demoralizing one; second
~ that where every dollar gained in
transaction by one party is lost o.
some other. and where such transaction
are entered into with such an unaer
standing. it is as purely a gambllnI
8 transaction as the transfer of money
s over the gaming table thirdly, tina
Q when such transactions are made upo
the rise and fall in the price OF a
article. the Auctuation in which prlc
is artifcially produced, such transa'
tions have the worst features OF gaming
: and in addition thereto unsettle value
destroy commercial credit, and paw
IF the way for financial panics whic
Y affect ali classes of the community; an
, I further say that the broker who buy
,, and sells on margins is no better tina
the keeper of gambling saloon, WI
70 nroyides the means for gambling I
1t others. and that he is a public enem
|e and ought to be treated as such. An
# I saw further still that banking lns'
tutions which knowingly and OF pu
u nose furnish the means for this nefal
ous warfare upon the best interests
IS society, are, in the sight OF God, 81
le ought to be in sight of men, sharers
q it's guilt and it's profits alike.
CLAssED WITH GAMBLERS.
u And with regard to those who
Is artificial and illegitimate means, "bul
he or "bear" the prices of a common
s. with a view to win the money OF 9th
dealers, 1 say that they are to be cias
ed in the category OF the comm
= gambler who loads his dice, packs
deck of cards or by other devie
;, swindles his opponent.