Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
Craze Among the Indians


Craze Among the Indians
PUT it is among savage peoples that this propen-
- sitv shows itself in all its unresrained vigor
Those who know the American Indians say they
the most desperate and reckless gamblers in the
world Some of them, after they have lost all their
possessions stake their wives and children. Among
the lroquos, whole townships, and even whole
tribes. played against each other. The assembage
would last sometimes eight days meeting every
day, every nhabitant of each township tossing the
dice once That they understood gambling from
alpha to omega is from the fact that they recog
nized the medicinal value of it. Whenever an Indian
fell sick. his medicine man would order him to at
tend gambling party.
Curiously enough a Frenchman recently protested
against the suppression of gambling at the French
watering places. on this ground The French
Government, he said the chief of which is NJ.
Clemenceau doctor ought to have considered that
baccarat and petits cheveuX have always formed
part of the treatment in health The emo
tons of the game keep up the movements of the
blood and constitute valuable nervous reaction
to the Emphatic glands. etc.
All primitive peoples, from the Alaskans and
Icelanders to the negroes in the heart of Africa,
from the Usbegs of Central Asia to the natives of
South America. in every nook and corner of the
globe, they gamble and gamble with savage fierce
stalking a wife child, mother sister,
when they have nothing else. King of the Sand
witch Islands such inveterate gambler that
he would spare himself the time to take regular
meal, but instead ordered his servant bring him
slice of meat between two pieces of bread-hence
the origin of the sandwich. invention for which
gamblers and brokers are most grateful. Does the
fact that sandwiches in this country
than in any other point to anything American
character? l leave the question unanswered.
The Malayan. when he Is reduced to desperation
by his losses. oosens certain lock of hair on his
head by which he ntlnateS to his fellow players that
he is for blood. Swallowing opium in
toXicating liquor he works himself into fit of
frenzy. and begins bite and kick everything that
comes in his way He is then considered no better
than mad dog, and it is lawful for anyone to kill
him sight.
Innate with Us All
SUCH facts as these should be remembered when
~ are disposed to make wholesale condemnation
of gambling. Gambling is of the most deep
seated instincts in the human soul. And naturally
so. for life itself is largely gamble. Only those
animals which took risks. hoping that they would
succeed, could have survived in the primeval strug
gle for existence. Consider the sparrow seeking its
food in the consider the sly fox and the tmid
hare, consider in fact. all the undomesticated ami
mails and YOU will what gamble animal life
is. From the moment of birth through child
hood. the human being CANDLES with Nature for
its existence and how very often does it lose! Later.
when the Young man has to choose profession, it S
gamble: when he marries. it is still gamble: and
SO it continues to the end of his days War is the
greatest game of all. and commerce could not be if
men unwilling to risks and take chances
What inventions, think you. should have if SCI