The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12

may have something good in store for him.
Lsnecially to 'hS YOUNG N the llrst huoynncy
that tho world Is in, their. favor. and they are
await them in the future. Why should they
not discount some ofthcm nowI
WHAT OF GAMBLING MERELY AS FORM OF
| RECREATION?
But let us SUPPOSE that tho perfectly reason
nblc gambler really exists the man who not
| only knows the doctrine OF chances, but Is
| guided by his knowcdge: who. without any
wish or hope or moro gain than loss. stakes
his money for the moro pleasure OF the excite
incnt II grant YOU" he will say. that gam
| bling is no legitimate occupation for man as q
serious calling: that in the economy Of society
there is no place for tn" gambler among useful
citizens. But surely n mans leisure hours arc
his own. You find relaxation from work in tho
| pleasures Of art. in music, in the drama: find
mine In gambling. To mo II Is an aesthetic
qualification, and. rs such. what have, you to
fence fen WS cannot reuse to % allow ssm b
| place among the arts OF pleasure. and we must
apply to It the same principles OF criticism .as
enjoyment. Now. it will not do TO impose
any narrow standard IN estimating tho value
the point Of view be wide enough. pleasure
,nay 10 held to DO its own iusttcat9n. The
but It IS not The only kind. Play Is not t.
nMH c 9ny n for TSHsS soS t
be careful! not to doGmatizc on sTch relative
HIT tfs nj iEt % SnG OF p ,Ssre
! remain certain negative tests which can not
be resisted. may DO too much to claim that
crease our capacity for work. but at least
their effect must not be to Diminish tho sum
oa S"ssSG to Mf a rGt Hs
to the common good. but We must BIO careful
no. to interfere with 1t. Leaving the latter
gambling. we will pross only the former.
In gamnlins you are nlaying with the emo,
can bc ono no NAM @ Of donbt that tits drain Of
w rea whsh IN ahe
vcrs!ve of life. and unless there are definite
advantages to be set on tho other side; which
can be shown to ovorbaRncn tho dlsintegrat-
Ing process. there is no alternative but to
condemn tho practice utterly In cases where
gambling. shal! prrsentl, try To show that
there |. some question OF contemplating bcne-
and can neither be influenced nor forecast
am quite unable to see how any plea in miti-
CATION can possibly be urged.
GAMES INTO WHICH THE ELEMENT OF SKILL Is
SUPPOSED TO ENTER.
Let us now pass to consider tho cases Of
gambling where the issue is apparently not so
simple In certain class oftransactions it is
arecognscd part Of tho bargain that each is
at liberty to use whatever skill or knowledge
he may possess to influence tho result in his
own favor In the game OF whist. for instance.
this may be readily seem Two factors are
present: tho distribution Of the cards is deter
mined by chance. but beyond this the result
depends on tho ability Of tho PLAYERS. 1t is
plain that ans trial Of SIX! ii or any form of com
petition whatever may be used rs Il means of
ness Of owe or hand. strength OF memory. or
almost any physical or mental endowment
Through Al these forms we may trace the
TO embrace AL kinds o!spccia capacity. Now.
leaving out Of account at present those cases
where he result is merely forecast and con-
lining ourselves to those whore It is u question
skill Essentially dferent from betting :t on pn E
chance? At first sight those seem very differ
e ene terms !, OF SamhGllmg End have frequently
iSl and wrong to stake money on pure chance. |
there can be no reasonable objection to betting |
believe. make it clear that no such distinction |
exists: IN fact gambiing on ones skill is an
md meeting as strangers have u game at |
billiards for shilling side. suppose we are |
tIe y IT. and pn net w
shi! ng Now at irst Sight this seems ms to lobe be
s sssy SsnH epr 4 fh shns WAS hH 5
atsovereGn without knowinE ANYTHING q each
you do, so3 Yon would not be SO foolish.
points. Now ' What is the signiiicanco' 1 Of
thisr Why that. So fur as tho money money interest
err the 81 in sk is to b" al
possible eIualized by making the result Of the,
wager turn on the action Of causes which nro
influences which cannot 10 modified. This is
contests of skill which are used rs occasions |
for gambling. the same practice will be found. |
some advantage is given or taken by the com
be arranged on a level. This is the recognized |
system Of .handirapring. and it is clear how
bling. Without IL the results OF all trials Of |
skill would very soon become foregone con.
insignificant amount may he made on an issue |
OF pure skill no one would 60 on stakinG his |
1t. fcvery ono wished to bet on the same side |
no business could be done. An artificial un- |
eer.dn Is o "aTangsd t to IanS9 the induce
done under all circumstances. gamblers hnve |
Introduced tho device of giving and taking odds. |
by either side compensates for An inequality in |
the ca!culable chances Of winning.
Inc Inference from all this is that In contin-
uous and persistent gambling. whether asso-
ciated with trials OF Skill not. tho issue is |
invariably ono Of pure chance. as nearly us 1t
can be made SO.
GAMBLING ALWAYS AN APPEAL TO CHANCE OR
CONTEST OF JUDGMENTS.
This qualification. however. is Of vast impor-
tance. For though the competition Of interests
tendst to make everything depend on chance. it
is practically impossible to do so completely
There will always remain u margin within
which tho result. II it cannot be influenced,
may at least DO forecast and it is OIL this mar
row margin that tho immense superstructure
Of gambling has been mainly reared. Tho
issue in fact, 80 far as 1t is not matter Of
pure chance. really depends not on the special
capacity Of those engaged. but on tho correct
moss with which you can estimate the effect OF
such cGpacity on both sides; This may bo
made clear il wo recur to the illustration
from billiards. II, after have won game
from you, by twenty-five points. wo wish to
terms: either must stake several shillings
against your one. or must give you n start.
From our experience Of the first game we each |
forecast the result Of u second. We have, no
doubt. been PLAYING our best. but tho inevitt-
BILE chance advantages have probably been
diStribqted untlualiy: and there IS room for
ence in our estimates will be adjusted by
process OF bargaining. ! offer fifteen, points.
and You ask twenty-five: finally we
may agreo, TO call 1t twenty Now it is