, 1888-02-26
THE DIE is CAST.
No Stringent Anti Gambling Law
Wanted at Present.
A Lively Session and a Crowded
Lobby in the House.
Holidays Moral Measure Killed
With Amendments.

OF course there was n crowd present
when the a~nti-gambling bill came up for
consideration, Mr.. Summers in the chair.
Of course many ladies, gaily attired,
formed a fair proportion of the assem-
blage. The lobby was jammed, the gale
ry packed, and the ante rooms and large
halls OVERLOOKING. A circus had been
promised, and the managers did not dis
appoint the audience. The members rode
their hobbies, and council file No. 80 now
has more riders than a merry-go-round.
Mr.. Blydenburgh took the initiative.
He offered an amendment to section one,
which enumerates the forbidden fruit.
The gentleman desired that the manipu-
lation of puts, calls, straddles and options
be included in the list of forbidden games.
Mr.. Pease objected to the alteration or
addition. He would most heartily en-
dorse any amendment which would i'm
prove the measure. This change was
sought to be made in order that the bill
might become odious even to those who
now supported it. Stock gambling did
not create a famine in the hut of the
laborer. Those who lost in this pastime
were wealthy and could afford the luxury.
l. is the real gambling games which
change the comfortable home of the
workingman' to a cherries howell. He
knew of instances where well paid labor
ers were enticcd into gambling bells and
leeced of an entire months wage while
en- route home. The speaker reiterated
the charge that the amendment had not
been presented in good faith.
Mr.. Adams remarked that if the as
sertion that the amendment was not of
fered for the purpose of improving the
bill was true he would oppose its
adoption. The honorable speaker
was mistaken in regard to
stock dealing. 1t was the most in
sidious form of gambling imaginable.
During a career of six years as a Wall
street broker he had observed that a man
ofmodest means who would not enter a sa-
loon would walk into a brokers' office and
stake his all on an uncertain proposition.
But for this experience he, perhaps,
would not be in Wyoming. He had often
felt there hat he was encouraging men
to gamble. Certainly dealing in puts and
calls was a most vicious pastimc.
Mr.. Bl~ydenburgh questioned the right
of Mr.. Pease to ~insinuate that his motives
were bad. If gambling we're to be pro-
hibited let all forms of the vice be OBJ
thousands. Everyone still recollected the
dismal and ruinous black Friday. Wyo-
ming's oil fields were to be developed and
bucket shops would flourish. One hun
bred times more oil had been sold in
New York last year than was produced
in the country.
Mr.. Lafrentz favored the amendment.
During a residence of nine years in Chi
cago he had ample opportunity to observe
the distress caused by the operation of
bucket shops.
Mr.. Rummel dipped in his oar at this
juncture. The Wyoming legislature was
not making laws for Chicago or New
1ork. Mr.. Lafrentz informed him that
two bucket shops hourished in the city
only last year.
Mr.. Pease mad nothing more to say if
the gentleman from Carbon was willing
to assist in remedying existing evils, but
objected to advance legislation. The
Cheyenne bucket shops had been forced
to close for lack of patronage.
Mr.. Blake agreed with his colleague
from Albany county. The amendment
was too broad and far reaching. There
was a difference. he said, in buying an
article and betting on the future price of
a commodity. The former transaction
was legitimate. Mr.. Blydenburgh re-
sponded that he desired to reach the bet
tiers with his amendment.
The commercial games suggested by
Mr.. Blydenburgh we're added to the list.
The negative voters were: Messrs. Pease,
Blake, Duffey, Rummel, Snyder, Cum
mock, Johnston and Sutherland.
Mr.. Sampson desired to fill another
long felt want by including stud poker,
%kounkhan, French loo, cinch, ~cribbage,
blue pete, pedro and seven up in the list
of taboocd i~ndulgences. He had thought
of some of these games himself. The
Others had been suggested by a minister.
Mr. Lafrcntz said these games were in
cluded by the language of the bill. while
Mr.. Rummel inquired for a copy of
IIoylc.
Mr.. Peasc expressed regret over the