Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-24
Faro nndits yo,aries.

EaTO umO us SOsANleSs
EDITORS HERALD Gambling is and
has been passion with the human
race since the earliest days. Abra.
ham, who, in return for his seven
years servitude, was to be rewarded
with all the sheep in the flock that
were not of a pure white color, took
steps, as we are told in the Bible, to
increase the greatness of his share
with considerable success. His
descendants have ever since pursued
the same line of policy, ,'and in every
line of business his sons have been
remarkable for the foresight with
which they lessened the chances
against themselves. In every game
OF chance the percentage is against
the less skillful player, and, whereas,
in baccarat, trente-et-quarante and
Prussian bank, the great European
games, the banker has a percentage
favor which the punter cannot by any
means avoid. 1t has been reserved
to the American public to national re
a game in which the player can
participate and gamble with the
chances in his favor exactly equal to
those of the man whose money he is
trying to win. At faro this is
not only possible but matter of con-
slant occurrence and there are many
Jewish gentlemen who confne their
bets at the game entirely to case
cards, that is to say, to cards of which
denomina ion there is but one left in
the box. This removes any possibil-
ity of split and the banker is de-
pIived Of his lawful percentage.
| When gentlemen whose business
capacity is acknowledged by their
commercial rivals to be of the high
est order consider themselves justified
in risking their money at this fascinat-
ing game it seems somewhat prudish
for the outside public to interfere with
the progress of the game merely on
the grounds of morality. In the pres
ent stage of civilization everything Is
merely question of speculation, and
speculation is polite term for
gambling. The commercial prosperity
of this country fluctuates with the ebb
and flow of speculation in Wall Street,
and speculation in Wall street is
affected by the status of commerce in
the other "Wall Streets" scattered
over the surface Of the globe. With
out speculation commerce would die
a natural death, as the natural result OF
speculation is the circulation of money
Faro bank, as a speculation, brings
about this latter result in a
marked degree, and it is matter OF
notoriety that cities in which such
banks are allowed to run show a
marked prosperity over their more
moral neighbors, who, straining at
gnats while they complacently swal-
low camels, suppress the games at
which the punter has fair show and
cast him into the mouths of sure
thing sharks, who devour his sub
stance and often reduce him to their
own level. At the present time there
is perhaps no prettier place upon
earth than Monaco, the capital OF
Rivera, and Monaco has been beauti-
fed and supported in its loveliness by
a tax upon legitimate gambling.
There the inhabitant is relieved OF
onerous taxation, and his city re-
ceives all the benefits of the high
assessments which would otherwise
come out OF his pocket. The large in
| fiux of visitors keeps the town in a
state of commercial prosperity, and
sad indeed would be the fate of hotel
keepers, shop-keepers and landlords
were the tables to be stopped. Surely
as gambling in one form or another is
necessity, the least harmful form is
the best. Would not our streets pre-
sent cleaner aspect, our boulevards
a fresher appearance, our whole city
limits more inviting prospect to the
tourist, were the $4,000 legitimate
revenue, which the city fathers hesi-
tate to accept from games, spent in
their improvement? Yours truly,
MONACO.