The Democratic advocate., 1905-06-03
Where Gamblers Are Made.

At Il mass meeting in the Second Presby-
teran Church ofthis city Portsmouth, Ohio),
on a recent Sabbath afternoon, i'll the presence
of over two hundred men, a converted gambler
and ex saloonkeeper made the following state
ment which has created profound impression,
and herewith transmit it to your paper that
it may do good in a wider sphere
II have been in the saloon business, with a
gambling room attached, for the last four
years, and claim to know something about
what | am now going to tell you. do not
believe that the gambling den is near so dan
gerous, nor does it do anything like the same
amount of harm, as the social card party in
the home. give this as my reason: In the
gambling room the windows are closed tight,
the curtains are pulled down; everything is
conducted secretly for fear Of detection, and
none but gamblers, as a rule, enter there.
While in the parlor all have access to the game,
children are permitted to watch it, young peo.
pie are invited to partake in it. 1t is made
attractive and aluring by giving prizes, serving
refreshments and adding high social enjoy
ments. For my part, | never could see the
difference between playing for a piece OF silver
nodded in the shape of money and silver
nodded in the shape Of cup or thimble.
The principle is the same, and whenever
property changes hands over the luck of cards,
no matter how small is the value of the prize,
| believe it is gambling.
'Perhaps you have never thought of it, but
where do ali the gamblers come from? They
are not taught in the gambling dens. A
'greener,' unless he is n fool. never enters
gambling hell, because he knows he will be
ileeced out of everything he possesses in less
than fifteen minutes. He has learned some
where else before he sets foot Inside of such a
place. When he has played in the paror, i'll
the social game of the home, and has become
proficient enough to win prizes among his
friends, the next step with him is TO seek out
the gambling.ro for he has learned, and
now counts upon his efficiency to hold his own:
The saloon men and gamblers chuckle and
smile when they read in the papers of the
parlor games given by the ladies. for they
know that after IA while those same men will
become patrons of their business. | say,
then. the parlor game is the college where
gamblers are made and educated. In the name
of God, men. stop this business in yonr homes.
Burn up your decks and wash your hands.
"The other day | overheard two ladies
talking on the street One said: Il am going
to have card party, and am going to the
store TO buy pack of cards. Which are the
best kind to get? The other replied Get
the Angel Card 1t has an angel on the back.
Think said he. sol dragging the pure
angels of heaven into this internal business y
After he had taken his seat another convert
ed ex ex-gambler. who led the mems meeting in
the Second Presbyterian Church the following
Sabbath. arose and said 81 indorse every
word which the brother before me has just
uttered. | was gambler. | learned to play
cards, not in the saloon, not in my own home,
but in the homes of my young friends, who
invited me to play with them and taught me
how"