The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-20
POKER IS POPULAR
Said to Be the American Ma
tional Game
MORGAN DlSLIKES IT
What Experts Have to Say of
the Game.

me OdIIl6,
While idling upon the deck of an ocean
steamship recently. the attention Of a
group of voyagers. comprising several
prominent Americans and two English
baronets. was directed TO the fact that
no less than a dozen passengers were
deeply engrossed in books relating to
bridge whist. Whereupon the merits of
that fascinating game were discussed.
and differing answers made to the ques-
ttion as to whether it would retain, by
virtue Of inherent worth, its present ex-
traordinary popularity. The most inter
esting point. however. was reached when
Sir Edward Colebrook wondered whether
it was quite patriotic for Americans to
dislodge their famous national game
Meaning draw poker?' circulated Mr.
Morgan.
THAT is not a game characteristic of
the American people. 1t never was. 1t
never win be. 1t is a bad game. 1t is
based upon a lie. The man who has
the greatest capacity for deceit wins. To
become a strong player he studies TO
develop the most ignoble and most IN
American faculty. The effect upon boys
is to make them think deceit and bluff
are smart and essential to success in
all in r,fo Sc mi,
tious game and ought to be abolished.
Nothing could be more foreign to Amer
lean ideas. The man who labelled it our
typical national game ought to be shot.
I never heard it referred to by that term
without wanting to shoot him."-From
Harper's Weekly July 5, 1902.
New York. July 1s.-The New York
World prints the following:
The Question is, did Mr.. Morgan know
what he was talking about.
Is it a fact that poker is bad game
That it is based upon a lie?
That its effect upon boys is to make
them deceive and bluff?
That the man who labelled it our typi-
cal national game ought to be shot?
And does Mr.. Morgan's conception of
the game as one in which the percentage
of deceit or bluff reaches almost the
one hundred mark indicate that he is the
proper person to aanalyze it. who might
be expected to clutch greedily at the
slightest admission by an American that
any American institution was not every
thing that it should be-
Is 1t not a fact that the only buffers
in poker are foolish and inexperienced
men whose chief characteristics are self
and a desire to pose theat-
really. and women who cannot bear the
thought that a single stake should escape
fro mthem without a struggle-and that
these men and women invariably lose?
Is it not also a fact that the sure
winner type of man at poker is the
stolid. plegmatic individual who sits
quietly behind his hand and let's 1.-The
other fellow do the bluffing
These and kindred questions are so i'm
portant in any consideration Of Mr. J.
Pierpont Morgan's attack on poker that
the Sunday World Magazine has invited
experts on the game throughout the
country to contribute their ideas on the
subject to its columns, with the following
result:
James Wakely one of New York's most
frequently quoted authorities on games
of chance You'd think Morgan had
been playing with thieves, but I suppose
the truth is that he doesn't know much
about the game. Among honest people
it is the finest game in the world. You
know that if you put lot of disreputable
persons TO playing croquet they would
bring odium to that game.
Poker is essentially a gentleman's
game. 1t is esteemed in the highest cir
cles of society by both men and women,
and as years pass it grows in favor
In the first place. poker is TO the brain
and mind what physical exercise is to the
body. It awakens the dulest mind and
and gives it activity.
Instead of ridiculing ignoble traits, It
teaches man self-restraint, caution. fair
ness, coolness how to lose gracefully and
no VITO win magnanimously. OF course
If man is naturally petty and mean
or dishonest poker viii draw his ugly
traits to the surface, but is poker to
be blamed for that?
I do not know Of anything better than
poker by which TO gauge a mAns charac-
ter quickly. and you may be sure that
one who plays poker with wisdom, dar-
ing. with fairness and cheerfulness, is to
be trusted IN greater things.
If you want to find out whether a man
IS grasping. unfair. cowardly and IN
mainly. get him into a stin poker game
and he viii soon tell the story in his
playing. On the other hand. all OF the
best OF human qualities are brought out
as the cards 90 round.
do not know OF any better schooling
for women than poker. It broadens their
minds and takes from some OF them
many OF the petty characteristics with
which some OF them are justly charged.
I have known women who were mer-
censry 10 q pitiful degree when they first
began playing poker who grew hot or
cold as their playing ran good or bad
and whose hopes and fears could be read
IN their faces every moment. 10 become
generous. dispsssionate and pleasing.
meeting disaster cneerfully and winning
as though they hated 70 take the money.
I tell you that Mr. Morgan IS wrong.
and that hs has libelled the most noble
and interesting game OF cards IL the
world.
Bat" Hastersoa. famous New York
and Western card-pIayer-I must take
issue with Mr.. Morgan Il d-aw poker
snot an American game. what IS IT.
II an American doesE't employ deceit
to sell a gold brick who does7