The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-01-22
GASmLIN0 MOTHERS.

'The mother makes the man" and
1.-THE child Is father to the man.
The0e proverbs seem contradictory,
but are not.
Some of the sweetest words that
men have ever spoken or written are
In praise Of motherhood and mothers,
And why should they not be. II, az
Edmund Spenser said: "The child
taketh most Of his nature Of the
mother, besides speech, manners, and
i inclination, which are agreeable to
the conditions Of their mothers?"
Washington Irving confirms it
from another point OF view.
1.-THE tie which links mother and
child is Of such pure and Immaculate
strength as to be never violated rex
cept by those whose feelings are
twithered BY yitiated society"
Initiated society" is no new dan
ger. no unparalleled horror. For
many centuries three great nations
were cursed with drunkard mothers,
and still In each there are areas Of
which the same must be said. in all
ages many women have been addicted
to gambling, running their children by
neglect and bad example. For many
years the practice existed in this
country, but did not threaten to be-
come general or materially infect the
sterner religious denominations. But
during the recent prosperity OF the
nation, which has made possible the
accumulation Of great fortunes, in
large part by those who began In
humble circumstances. and the rails
ing up Of sons and daughters to in
herit vast sums. together with those
who initiate the wealthy, an amount
Of decentralization through gambling
has been created rivaling the ravages
of the liquor traffic.
Today this country abounds with
gambling mothers.
Never did more pernicious craze
spread over the United States than
that for Bridge Whist. 1t has led
thousands of women to neglect their
children or give them wholly to
nurses or governesses, and to send
them away to school as soon as pos
sible. In some respects the effect on
the children Of those who cannot at
ford nurses but find time and money
for gambling, is still more injurious.
Such families have assemblies in their
own houses where the children see
their own and others mothers spend !
ing hours on hours in such games.
This leads the children to think |
there is no wrong in gambling. Boys |
instinctively feel that betting on
horse racing, pooling and gambling |
with cards, ETC., are right because
their mothers play Bridge" for
money.
To this certain devotees of Bridge
say: 1--WE do not gamble or bet; we
simply give prizes for skill" This is a
mode Of self-deception. The game is
largely one of chance as well as
skill, and the prizes are values won. A
similar though less degree Of excite
ment is created.
An expert informs us, that players
who substitute prizes for money us
ually return to the old way, the other
being too dull to maintain the de-
sired interest; and that many take to
plain gambling because the mere
playing soon grows tiresome, while
the money won or lost keeps up the
to the small hours
Once any form Of gambling is in
troduced into family the house is
permeated by its atmosphere; but
Bridge has peculiar fascination, and
there Is constant round of Bridge
parties. Waht many women, sup
posed to be of high intelligence and
lnimpeachable conduct, have done in
he past few years would not formerly
have been believed possible. Every
thing else is given up, and it is not
uncommon for women to have morn
ing Bridge, Bridge after luncheon,
Ind Bridge after dinner.
Human nature cahnges not. Two
centuries ago 1t was generally con-
,eded that the influence of gambling
was more baleful upon the DISPOSE
ion and character Of woman than
Upon that of man.
The Spectator for August 10, It'll, II
contains these words: l.
Il have observed ladies, who II
in all other respects are gentle, X
good humored, and the very II
pinks Of good breeding; who, as Il
soon as the ombre-table is called
for, and thew sit down tn their