The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-12
TIE ETHICS OF GAMBLING.
rs 7HEEE .tAriHING ESSENTIALLY
DISHONEST ~ IT?
An Ingenious Anniyais mud "a Defense OF tho
Right 10 Gamble. hy "a Writer who Evil
IDENTIFY IL Not DAIMLER.

IDENTIFY 10 Not hammer.
Ior"' h''m'7tsr R'rf''.
in tho throwing OF dice. which hns been a
iaNortc iastimc In all ages and among many
nations. wo seem to havo an illustration OF
gamhliu. In is simplest form. hut the origin
ofthis custom IN tho casting OF lots viii bring
us still nearer t. the right point OF Wow. In
primitive times. when every occurrence was
referred to- personal cause. thcre was no
doubt full belief that what we now speak OF
As determined hy chance was n genuine OK
preston Of tho will Of n deity. and the appcalto
such decision would wear tho aspect of n re-
iiGious observance. Among the Greeks and Ro-
mans. as well as tho Hebrews. we havo many
Indications VI this fcclinr. and We iIrd trnces
Of II sun IN me pe'i,i IN runs OF 'ucE' as II
AGood or evil genius were Influencing our
,ato through the trivial issues on which wo
sitor o,- ,nr,r,, to ,lnn,rJ Tho hni,nr +, n
BIO" our fortune 10 "or'hu' mo oci''! III u
SUPERNATURAL sanction for the practice OF cast
~ ,',t .,. -. ~, A.,
cay VI e"p''H'nioh oio"s"' "oou' oS wv
growing recognition Of the facts of nature as
determined according 70 urisorm lnws Tho
idea of any divine ,urpose Icing shown in
such manner has hccn prnduallv disoppoar-
Ing: fate has lost its pprsonal characteristics
Only by n few ia IL still credited with far
reaching designs or Individual preferences;
Il is fast rn,nin. IA reputation for absolute i'm
pnrtinlitv. II seems Mt first sight AS II the re.
moynl OF RELIGIOUS sanction would naturally
have thrown tho habit Of appealing TO chance
into discrodit
In certain ,erartp, onts OF conduct such n
change Of foeliay has occurred and we no
longer determine important actions according
70 the fliEbt of n bird or tho nppcnrRnco of "A
,,,i, ...,, p,, =. H., . d., A.
vlr.in Gnsit'is ru' ~ W., sn,h9 '''i'e inc
very hhh"reSs ans. 'h'Nar'laihy oil chnhce mas
a., b, az.
Mcst ,,,,n,Inrs mr., an snnorst,tio,,s ,,nt 90,
''os, o. ''.' ,u' 81"
sion Tho modern gambler Of tho better class
Is ,,nrto,i, vail ,hn. .hc Lo,ross 81 fs,o
are potter for nor, against him: when no
srraks 2f chnn@r he is thinktng neither "f a
Srs@n @Esnsy nGf Of n my it, ppncirIG
into the air it depends cn.igcly on aSccrtainei
physical forces whether heads or tails will he
rr Nn result t H a kao S thd sS
forces Is in such II cN-r practically incalcuIn-
d de-" too % hon e2S hyS " ahaTw in
He would scorn to load the die" himself and
b I 10 rot wish the g29stn load them for him.
"A'~ ~ "NN ra "'"'' o us''tNA'-'' fiA'ii-'
1t seems. then. that in their origin appeals
to chance wero in reality prayers to the gods
velorment into their present forms has arisen
through tho competition of ono individual
win ahother-a competition W!'ich may be-
come continuous. Tho stages may DO illus.
trated as follows: lam uncertain whether t,
a. 49,, ,,,t"'. - ,hn - .,' n.oso' "
90 TINS thihs or the other. the reasons for
eaGh course being ling, nearly '1na'' toss up
, W w uo nooiuhs "
my tciiei or Iiso PEI; IN obtaining sup"rnatu-
an tn,S oIc.Sion. nHu tnouEh l. should nave
eeasGn 10 believe n II aItoGr,hrr as evidence
vi MlSu'.H ~ NY h'nu. may, sun nave re-
course I? It IN cases OF small Importance to
urn 'ho i nni"nre oi IuhEmnsnt Wnen wish to
inS mn eyodn Of i It's sS rSf H1age
may arise. SUPPOSE I'VE with n friend and
some sor Gus small service ials 70 Dc performed
fon pm OF us 10 90 II. we decide It by drawing
tGts. In cary times TINS Would be I: coniprt;
tive appeal to Inc gods ana would be employed
eyer III circumstances INST OF the highest moment.
fne one WHO WAS eAohpt DeihE regarded as
stsSe such eonpeon In is 'n now s'nf apbd
only wien tnp matter Is q slight i'm
p9rtaanGe; ana "hen lnteiIlGent grounds
any conslueTation Is rwelcomc that Will
Serve 10 turn the scale. me noxt step Is easy;
= ~ oIy tnc oI.iuLtnce nefWeeh linulHs ana
making an nppoTtunity. II appeal to chance
$50 ~ 10 wnetner l. or announcer should ENJOY or
Ir y some @dTa van WIEN ARISES incident
lily. WHY may noI h!so sluke my Claim TO any
adynntaEe we may agree upon! IL my friend
sshh;Mi, may GasC iots 13r inc possession OF
sniiiihg which We Inu lying on the road; we
utny .iSo agree anau each snail stake smiling
OF MS own property on the east OF die
Al ~ VIII pe wen 10 cohsluer l!io ethical posi-
tin" "hnntian SO frenmentiv In ny ngninat
gambling. that 1t Is dishOneSt-not merely that
u IS commonly associated with fraud and de-
practice is in itscif nm ocncn nrnnst insti t,e
on tho ground that no equivalent is given to
tt ne pe ,i rom whom tne money Is won.
Ing. as dealing with the relations of one man
to another and representing merely respect
LOT tnr fights Oh properly as established in
fnined. The cGnditions OF tairness in exchnnp-
ing property are freedom Of contract between
inc inc Pa.ft,rS mhH e'un' olpOrIuhnty OF acIulr-
whci, affect tho bargain. it is not for ont
sidcrs to determine What is u fair Equivalent,
the parties themselves bnirly tho ONLY com
petent judges oi that. Now. if men are free
to barter anything that belongs to them there
can be n reason why they should not also
barter their chances of possessing ANYTHING
II you and thlow FOR q stake 70 Which We
have contributed equally We are making n
perfectly open and honest bargain. Neither
OF us has any advantage over tho other: wo
agree to let the result b. decided in what we
know to he. an entirely. impartial manner. and
we accept it with perfect acluioscenco in the
fairness Of tho transaction.