The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1905-01-24

all cavil that gambling Is the kings
hiehway to fraud and theft. This is
not merely because it loosens general
morality and in particular saps the
rationale of property. but because
most actual modes Of gambling. This
does not imply that most persons who
hot are actually cheats or thieves; but
,ersons who continue to be cheated or
robbed, half conscious Of the nature of
the operations, are fitting themselves
IL they are thrown in the way Of ac-
curing a sufficient quantity of evil
skill or opportunity. The honor" Of a
confirmed gambler. even in high life,
Is known to be hollow commodity,
and where there is less to lose in So
cial esteem even this slender substi-
tute for virtue is absent What per-
centage of 'men who bet" would refuse
TO utilize a secret tip Of scratched"
favorite or the contents Of an illegally
disclosed sporting telegram? The bar
rier between fraud and smartness does
not exist IOr MOST Oh tn0T.
No Basis for Livelihood
Serious investigation of the gambling
process discloses the fact that pure
gambling does not afford any economic
basis of livelihood. save in few cases
where, as at the roulette table or in a
lottery, those who gamble know and
willingly accept the chances against
them. And even in the case of the
roulette table the profits to the bank
come largely from the advantage which
a large fund possesses in play against
a smaller fund: in the fluctuations Of
the game the smaller fund which plays
against the bank is more likely at some
point in the game to be absorbed so
as to disable the player from continu-
ing his play. II man with $1,000
were to play pitch and toss'' for IS
gold pieces with a number Of men each
Of whom carried only $50. he must, II
they played long. win all their money.
So, even where skill and fraud are alb
sent, economic force is a large factor
in success.
Temptation to Embsxxle
Since professional gambling in a
stock broker. a croupier. a bookmaker,
or any other species involves some use
Of superior knowledge. trickery, or
force, which in its effect on the
chances" amounts to loading the
dice, the nonprofessional gambler nee
essarily finds himself a loser on any
long series Of events These losses are
found in fact to be a fruitful cause of
crime, especially among men employed
in businesses where sums Of money be-
longing to the firm are passing through
their hands. 1t Is not difficult for a
man who constantly has in his pos
session considerable funds which he
has collected for the employer to per-
suade himself that temporary use of
these funds, which otherwise lie idle,
to help him over a brief emergency is
not an act of real dishonesty. He is
commonly right in his plea that he had
no direct intention to defraud his en-
ployer. He expected to be able to re-
place the sum before it's withdrawal
was discovered. But since not only
legally but morally a person must be
presumed to Intend" that which is a
natural or reasonable result Of his ac-
ton, an indirect intention to defraud
must be ascribed to him. He is aware
that he is acting wrongly, as well as
Illegally, in using the firms money for
any private purpose Of his own. But in
understanding and assessing the quail
ity Of guilt involved in such action, two
circumstances extenuating his act
though not the gambling habit which
has induced 1t. must be taken into ac-
count. poor man who frequently bets
must sooner or later be cleared out and
unable. out OF his own resources. to
meet his obligations. He IL induced to
yield tc the temptation the more read
lily for two reasons. First, there is a
genuine probability mot 90 large, how
ever. as he thinks) that he can replace
the money before any harm is done
So long as he does replace it no harm
appears to him to have been done: the
nrm has lost nothing by his action.
WV ivy NOuoVUS SVsUsV
This narrower circumstance Of ex-
tenuation is supported by a broade,
one. The whole theory Of modern COM
mercial enterprise involves using Other
peoples money, getting the advantage
OF this use for ones self and paying t.
the owner as little as one can. A banl
or finance company is intrusted with
SUMS Of money belonging to outsiders
On condition that when required, OF
upon agreed notice. they shall be re-
paid. Any intelligent clerk in such g
hrm may be well aware that the profit.
OF the firm are earned by a doubly
speculative use Of this money which
'eiongs to other people: it is employed
W the firm in speculative investment.
winch do not essentially differ from
"e'ting on the turf, and the cash IL
"aho or other available assets are KEEP
minimum on the speculative
enance that depositors will not seek t.