The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-23
l. Gambling Wrong2


l. Gambling wrongq
A correspondent asked the New York Jour
nal OF Commerce why gambling was wrong.
and received the following pertinent and ex-
cellent answer:
Our recent article on the passion for gam
bling has drawn out large amount OF cor
TeepOndence most Of it containing express
s0ns OF gratitude for what seems to have
been regarded as very timely utterance.
gentleman OF high standing N Richmond, Va,
has addressed Us a brief communication, ask
ing a question not difficult 10 answer. He
writes.
Can YOU give me the reason why gambling
is wrong whore there ID no association with
what are known as professional gamblers
and where there Is no chance Of any persons
being deprived Of anything they should have
on account Of IT. Quote Scrptural laws
against il If there are any"
he assumption that there may be instances
of gaming where the stakes are so small. or
tie fortunes of the player 80 large that what
ever is lost will not deprive the loser Of food
Taiment shelter OF means Of usefulness Is
undoubtedly true. The chief objection to
the act is not in the amount at stake, OF be-
cause Of any discomfort a small loss Is likely
to cause any one Of the players. but in the
spirit that leads TO Il and the result which IS
sure 10 follow.
DEMoRAIIzING HABIT.
There is nothing more decisive OF the ten
deucy OF any course Of conduct than the uni
versa testimony Of human experience. IN re-
card to the effect Of gam bling on the charac-
ter and life this has spoken IN all the ages
with no uncertain sound. The habit of gam
ing for a stake 10 be acquired by the winner
has been dsmOrallZing always and everywhere,
both as % individuals ana 20 communities. IL
violates the essential law written in mans
present constitution. The requirement, IN
the sweat Of thy face shalt thou eat bread, TIL
thou return unto the ground" 10 of universal
application. There are four ways of ac-
curing bread earning IL. begging It, stealing
1t. snd gambling for It. Any but the
first is IN its very nature demorahzlng The
efforts Of charitable people TO supply the
needy poor with the bread they do not earn,
without pauperzing them OF so far undermin-
ing their proper sense OF selt-ndependence
for their support to injure the moral fibre
Of true manhood, have never been wholly
successful. The sick and helpless may live on
the bounty of others without sense Of degra-
dalton when their inability to earn their own
support is not Of their procuring, but the
stalwart beggar Is classed by one of the great
est mOralists as no better than thief. lie
writesF Let him that stole steal no more,
but rather let him labor. working with his
hands the thing which Is good" This refers
wholly 10 the man able TO work who lives on
charity.
NO TITLE TO WINNINGS.
In the same way the thief and the gambler
are often olassed together. because neither
gives an equivalent for that which he receives.
The robber t.kss bis booty by stealth or vO-
lence. the gambler equally stretches out his
hand for an acquisition he has not earned.
When one man must lose al that the other
gains the latter has been gathering that 10
which he has on moral grounds no valid title.
The laws Of all civilized nations recognize
this, and in nearly every country under the
sun gaming debt cannot be collected
hv Ia
man who pockets the money he has
won at the gaming table can be compelled by
suit 70 surrender IT, the common sentiment
embodied In the statute beng that he has
gained no proper title 20 IT. This itself
would be sufficient answer 20 the question,
why 10 gambling wrongF 1t shows that
the sense of equity ia every human breast
denies the right of the winner to the money
he receives, since not only the act OF gaming
is contrary to law enacted by most civilized
communities. but the keeping Of the money
that has been won can be prevented If the
loser insists on its return.
EFFECTS ON HABITS.
The further evil of gambling is seen in its
effects on the habits of the players. This Is
especially true Of games of pure chance.
Every one who has used ms eyes 10 good pur-
nose must have noticed that the moment
man begins TO buy lottery tickets, or engages
in policy playing, or II pools, or IN betting on
hOrse-racinR or on ball-playing he becomes III
some sort insttentive TO regular. Legitimate
business. The man who looks TO any acquisi-
ton, large or small. by means Of which a wise
foresight careful planning, skill, and mental
or muscular energy are OF little or no account,
becomes thereby in the nature of the case
more or less careless in the conduct OF his le-
gtimRte occupation An ancient writer whose
sound philosophy has been widely accepted
declares that the excitement of gambling IS
one Of the most unwhOlsome in Its effects
upon mind and body 10 which men are ever
subjected Our observation, extending over
half a century of mature manhood, fully con-
firms this statement
FRAUD AND CHEATING.
The spirit Of gaming encourages the com
mon desire said 70 be inherent III the race, TO
get something for nothing. When skill or
luck, or both. are wanting, and the player IS
losing, or when the greed FOR gain is not salts
ned with the measure Of success obtained
there is present the constant temptation 10
turn the toe or augment the receipts by as
hOnest means The statement OF the writer
we have quoted that this desire shades oil
into methods of accomplishing the same end,
such as fraud, cheating. and stealing de
scribes nothing new under the sun. Pom
peii buried from sight more thah
familiar with this truth and re-
cent excavations have turned up the I'M
Elements with which the gamblers OF that
day illustrated this propensity. The Dice
were loaded ana inc Ncllm was icoOeH'
Ancient Egypt has sent down 20 our tune the
method by which the thrower could pre-
sent the SIX spots at his pleasure. In FASH
enable lcroles Of the current year the cheat
ing is not confined 10 baccarat at Iranby
Croft. A whist player We know, who IS very
fond of the game because OF his own rare
skill has not only left several small clubs one
after another. but now refuses absolutely 70
play were any money is staked. and this be-
cause he was satisfied that cheating was alto
gether too common among those who played
In the hope of carrying of the winnings
IN THE 90 NMANDMKSrs.
Our correspondent need only 10 look on The
tables Of stone ~ find the Scripture quotation
for which be asks "Thon shalt not coyet'
"a the law violated every time Il man seeks 10
obtain his neighbours property without offer
ing him a fair equivalent fOr It. Every writer
or,the closing commandment OF the decalosues
has mentioned the vice Of gambling as one OF
-. Il. tty.rta - ne ar mr.