The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-01-24
Gambling Mania a Menace.
Margaret Sangstsr Sees Eg Fashions Sanction Of ts
Custom of Playing Cards foy Money-Ths
Fatal Folly Of Imitation.

money for value received we are n
the right The gambler IS little bet
ter than the thief. and hAs in rech-
tude no advantage over the latter,
except in SO far as his operations are
conducted in the open. To cheat at
cards is regarded as the lowest depth
into which a civilized human being
can sink This degradation does not
often befall the fair gamblers of so
ciety. They do not condescend to
cheat their opponents. This is the
one bit Of honor they can claim. They
are spendthrifts Of money, of time. of
temper and Of brains. Little by little
they grow sordid and cruel, and cease
to care for the ideals that shine be-
fore womanhood and make it radiant
in purity and exalted in tone.
Possibly there are those who do
not think it necessary to sound
warning note against the evils Of
gambling as engaged in by our won.
en- Of wealth. They say with some
show Of truth that the smart set has
its narrow limitations, and that its
manners and customs do not particu-
lariy affect or impress the rank and
file Of the nation In a measure this
may be taken for granted. Only in
a measure. Gradually, but certainly,
there has happened to us in this re-
public deterioration in our stand
ard Most Of US condone many things
on which our mothers and grand
mothers sternly slowned. The news
papers chronicle the doings Of soei-
ETY., and women of small incomes as
we'll as working women who earn
their bread by long hours Of toll,
eagerly read about the women who
live in splendor, and, like the lilies
of the field, take no anxious thought
for their raimant Why should they?
Their only difficulty is to secure bril-
liant costumes for brilliant occasions
from the dressmakers whose styles
are paid for at prices per gown that
would keep a poor mans family the
larger part Of a year.
Imitation is the fatal flaw In a
country where there are no well de-
fined social ranks.
Every one is reaching up to climb
the ladder. To do as those do who
are better off than we, to have things
as they have them. are the aims and
ambitions Of far too many Of us. so
it comes to pass that in little villages,
in small towns and select circles that
have not the faintest expectation Of
ever seeing anything beyond the gilt
tering outside " that society which
is spelled with a capital S, there is
an evident strain to do as people do
there.
The sober common sense of Amer
lean women may be trusted not to go
too Tar in this alien and lamentable
line. Still it is worth while to
safeguard our daughters and our sons
against manifest peril.
The social fabric cannot be moth
eaten by Incidence and dishonesty
anywhere without injury that extends
throughout its entire length and
breadth. Society in a way may be
compared to the human body. The
physical life is menaced more ter
ribly by blood poisoning than by any
other form of disease known to the
medical profession. When blood poi
soning enters society at any poinf
it is apt to permeate the body pol
tic
1t rests with women Of culture and
education, with women Of leisure ant
gentle breeding, to set the right pace
for their sisters throughout the en-
tire country. Women cannot be tor
austere in virtue, nor too exacting il
morality. With them mus remain
| the responsibility for keeping pure
and noble the atmosphere and th'
life of the home. It is therefore Z
tremendous misfortune that womer
who preside over our most beautiful
homes should suffer them to be in
vaded by gambling.
Copyright 1906, BY Joseph B. Bowies)
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