New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
is ALL GAMING WICKED?
ARE THERE NO INNOCENT WAYS OF P1sKJNcs o0ruyS
MONEY ON CHANCE?
Both Sides of This Much Disputed Question re Here Discussed b
Readers Of The Tribune

Is there an innocent form OF gamblinge Are
small games OF chance harmless forms Of recrea-
ton? should the member OF a social club who
v.agers a stake on a hand Of cards Just for the
fun Of IL" be placed I'm a different class morally
from the frequenter OF the public gaming house
who makes a business OF playing faro or rou-
lerte2 Is every wager wrong
Questions such as these have been aroused in
the minds OF many by the recent statement Of
Professor Herbert G. Lord, who holds the chair
Of philosophy at Columbia University, that there
IS q difference between social and professional
games OF chance IN an address before the
Contemporary Club, OF Philadelphia. DR.. Lord
said that 6 distinction must be drawn between
gaming where the object was solely TO win and
gaming for the sake OF the game. The one was
unsportsmanlille. the other was not He said
that il was absurd to confound the game of
chance played between friends with what goes
on in 'Tenderloin" poolrooms and gambling
houses
40 sooner had DR.. Lord expressed himself
upon this subject than he called forth an attack
from Dr. Parkhurst and defence from District
Attorney Jerome DR.. Parkhurst said:
Il should like TO lecture from Professor Lords
chair in Columbia University. 1t IS probable
that young men who have never gambed before
viii gamble now. 2s the result OF his comph-
mentary observations. ] wonder if he has ever
away the small wages so desperately needed at
home. / wonder If he has ever seen crowd
of desperately poor half intoxicated men wait
ing in a poolroom for The result Of the races on
which they have staked their last money.
wonder il he personally knows of instances Of
young men who have stolen from their employ
ers 10 bet on the races
M Jerome. whose war on gambling in this
city al last compelled the proprietors Of some OF
The biggest and most notorious houses 10 shut
up shop" said:
Or Lord knows. like every other person, that
IN the pubEc gambling places the effort IS to
get the customers TO go 10 the extreme in the
greed OF gain. How different on the other hand
IS The game between friends. What possible
wrong is there i'm a couple OF friends matching
- sec who shall pay for meal when they are
going to dine together. on. # both are thirsty,
Tor driuke The gambling ot the professionals
IS dangerous 10 the community, their purpose
being TO fleece their victims. Accordingly their
places should he closed"
The discussion has been extended, however,
car beyond Professor Lord. Or. Parkhurst and
Mt Jerome It has awakened especial interest
among The members OF clubs ana social or
ganizations. some oe whom are frank to say
that they see no harm in recreations in which
money Is rsked, while others contend that small
vagers made first merely for amusement create
in time the true passion Of the gambler. The
subject has also stirred churchmen and other
public spirited persons. who see manifold dan
gers in small games of chance in which friends
or acquaintance participate. Letters have been
received by The Tribune from number OF rep
resentative persons expressing various opinions
the subject
Bishop Scarborough. Of The Protestant Episco-
pal Diocese Of Nev-Jersey, for example, says the
passion FOR games in which money IS staked
grows on a person, and that he knows OF families
where gambling for money is an everyday Oc-
currence." The Rev. Dr. Abner c. Hopkins,
moderator Of the last General Assembly Of the
Southern Presbyterian Church takes a like
stand and adds: "AIl gambling is essentially the
same" Others who hold similar views are Clay
Meredith Greene. the draTaatist, who IS shepherd,
or president. Of the lambs. Robert Hunter.
president of the Social Reform Club; H. c. Hall
president Of the Protected Home Circle; Fred
erick Stanley Root secretary of the American
Social Science Association and Grant Wright,
secretary Of the Country Sketch Club.
on the other hand. Bronson Howard. the play
wright, who is president of the American Dram
stists' club, SAYS point blank that games OF
chance are an right unless man loses more
than he thinks the amusement is worth. The
player should regard his loss, he says, much the
same as the cost Of d theatre ticket Alice
Fischer. the actress. and president OF the Twelfth
Night club takes much the same stand Mr..
Howard. In playing games for money. she says.
one should cultivate self-restraint and NOT go
100 far
Here are some Of the letters The Tribune has
received on this topic:
GAMBLING NOT WRONG.