The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-02-25


Fisk introduced q bill concernin
the jurisdiction of justices of tt
peace in criminal matters.
! The committee of the whole hs
been engaged all the afternoon an
until II O'Clock this evening in col
sidering the various sections of tn
license bill introduced by Kohrs.
| I send an outline of the argume u
on the gambling bill made yesterda
! in the committee of the whole b,
Hon. 8. DeWolfe, of Silver bow.
REMARKS OF MR.. DE WOLFE.
Mr.. CHA1RMAN:-If my reading 1
correct, in the celebrated debate tha
ence occurred in the Senate of tn,
United States in which DAME
Webster and Mr.. Hayne were tn,
most distinguished champions, tn,
debate wandered very widely from
the mark. So on the present occasion
while have listened with engaged
ard interested attention to all thai
has fallen from the lips Of the gentle
man from Missoula (Kennedy)
frankly confess that L have heard
very little discussion of this gambling
bill. 1 have heald of the love Of
women have heard of the moral
evils of gambling; but the particula,
provisions which are now under con.
sideration In the committee of th ,
whole I have not heard discusse
And to be candid I have heard them
discussed nowhere-neither in the
press. nor in the debates of the other
house, with the possible exception OF
one gentleman, baldwin, who spoke
In regard to the constitutionality of
the measure. I propose very briefly
to enter into consideration of what is
actually contained in this bill.
1 wish to say at the outset that
there Is no gentlemen on this floor,
in this community, or in any other
community, who more heartily con-
demns the vice of gambling more
than l do. l admit that the results
Of gambling are evil and only evil.
1t is not the question of what money
is lost at the gambling table. That
cuts no considerable figure. "Twas
mine, tits his, and may be slave to
Thousands" That is not the evil of
gambling. It is the Generalization
which results from ihe practice. It
units the man who becomes subjected
to it for the daily and practical du-
ties of life. It is stimulant to the
brain. that continually acts, and the
daily humdrum duties of life become
insipid and dull.
There is the real evil that results
from gambling.
Man in a state of civilized society
certain individual rights
he possesses. for the good of the
whole, and it is upon that principle
alone that society has anything to do
with gambling.
one of the few intelligent defini-
tions that have ever been given of CIV
IL liberty is in Blackstone. He says
that civil liberty is mans natural
liberty 40 far restrained, and only so
far, az is necessary for the welfare
and good order of society. There is
where the power comes in for legis-
lative bodies to enact laws against
gambling. If four or five gentlemen
see fit to 60 into a room and sit down
to game of cards and stake their
money on the result of the game, it
may De said that as far as that act is
concerned 1t in no way initiates
against the good order of society. But
there IS another principle which
comes in. That act may not only be
1eleterious to the family, but the vice
thus established may spread and may
do incalculable harm to the commun-
lty, and there is where the right to
legislate against gambling exists.
While listening to the gentleman
when he said it DESTROYED the man.
hood of man and that no man can
be man and be gambler, 1 could
lot help thinking, no, Sir, that is not
20. It is idle to address thinking men
n that manner. Men of the most dis |
talent, men who have |
)een pre-eminent in every branch of |
etters, have been addicted to this !
vice. I need not recount names. I
mention only one. Charles James
Fox was regarded during his life
'ime and by the unanimous verdict
If history is to this day regarded, as
he greatest parliamentary debater in
he world. He was also the most
nveterate gamb bier. There is a man
Who was not only addicted to occa-
ional gambling but who was con-
tant, incessant gambler, and yet of
lim it was said he could spend nights
'ver the gambling table and yet
ould shed more light upon a ques-
ion than the whole House of Com
mons combined.
But why should we go abroad to
ind an example of this kind? We
ave names in our own land of men
vho have practiced this vice. The
lame Of Robert G.. Schenck is not
Unfamiliar to our ears. He was
itizen of the State of Ohio, State
n which the Office seeks the man and
lot the man the office. While Min
ster to England, amid the splendid
he lords and noble people, in order
0 diversity his diplomatic duties, it
, said that he frequently INDUCED in
nd taught those people the mystic
les of draw-pOker, and before he left
England he taught them the rules OF
be game-probably to enable them
D win back from somebody what he
ad won from them. Laughter
Although heard discussion in
he other House about the ladies of
1ontana and their anticipation that
leir sons might become gamblers. I
-ust the ladies may not be totally
and out of heart. If
leJ have sons it is possible they
lay reform. They may become
lperintendents of Sabbath schools,
nd 1 have the authority of Mr..
eecher, if they do become so, 1t is
le first step on the way TO the peni-
,ntiary. Laughter.) Understand
lat l state this only on the authority
Mr.. Beecher. do trust that the
lembers of this council will not mis-
Dderstand me. L am not here to
afend il any manner or by one
ord or syllable the act os gambling.
is a vice incident to human nature.
there is any instinct that Is univer- I
i il is a disposition 20 gamble. 1t !
as existed in ali times and in all
'untriss. 1t exists TO day among I