The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-01-17
LAST STAND
Of THE OLD
!: r. r: :::. .:...... GAMBLER

With the passage Of the proposed
neN anti-gambling law, making the
maintenance of a game OF chance a
fenoy, the gambling gentry of the
state will have made their last stand.
When an alright lid has been screw
ed down In oklahoma, there viii be no
y ace left for the ,hree.card man, the
manipulation Of The ivory roulette pail
and the bank dealer TO ply his trade.
Al ne time since Oklahoma was
Openel TO settlement has gambling
been closed In the early days Okla
homa City rivlled Cphltield, Reno
and the camps Of Roaring Fork in
their palmiest days. At present there
are few games in The capital and they
are al operated ON the quiet though
II has not beer many weeHs since
the spinning ball and The cries OF the
crap dealer coull be heard in half a
hundred or more places Gambling
Is nearer close IN Oklahoma now
than eye before, but there are still
places, notably Ardmore, the home Of
CnWoaor Cruce whore the games
of chance are reyer closed whore
the "chumps' are "cool packed and
there is no limit TO the stakes.
Green Pastures at First.
When settlers began tlocking to
oklahoma years ago the gambling
fraternity saw green pastures In the
new country and flocked here from
all parts of the continent. The min
ing camps CT Nevada and Idaho, the
lumber regions Of the north, sport
ing circles Of the south and even
far away Alaska contributed to the
talent that found its way to the
ungrazed fields.
They were not disappointed. Bus'
ness was good IN the early days, and
II has remained fairly lucrative up 70
the present time Now they are hav-
Ing rather hard picking" Soon, It
would seem, they are to be ousted al
together.
Several years ago when the reform
wave swept over the country taking
saloons and the various forms OF vice
flown before IT, the gambling man
felt his territory narrowing. The
game "pi ched out in Montana and
Idaho and now Nevada has placed the
ban en- the goddess Chance. Ser0al
years ago Arizona and New Mexico
drove the gamblers across their bor-
dars an the lottery business caused
tho ending OF big play In Louisi
ana, Oklahoma was the only place
left and they flocked to the place
they felt was less restricted.
0klalS Xmas wild days are over.
The last traits OF the woolly west are
disappearing The morals of the rev
state has reached a higher plane as
the better class OF immigrants have
come to make 1t their home.
What will become of the gamblers
now9 None of them seems TO know
They do not know whore TO so or
what to 40. Few, Ii any, OF them
know a trade or have means Of gain
ing livelihood except by manua>
lab2r, Ana the gambling man used
TO the Injuries that come with easy
money" / sayedrse to anything par
taking OF the nature OF arduous toll.
This is the finish said one OF
the pioneer gamblers Of Oklahoma
City, in discussing the situation. The
day of the gambler is over. Society
is against him and with Just cause
He produces nothing and is a leech
uron any community urng mon to
ruin and doing nothing that will add
to the welfare OF humanity. There
are thousands OF gamblers, but the
high-play' is over and there is moth
ing left but for them to seek some
ii ew means of making a living. Few
gamblers have saved anything form
Their winnings. There are 500 OF
the profession In Oklahoma City to-
day unable to turn trick and With
Cut fun S"
Perhaps no state in The union has
seen the class o, gambling that has
been done In Oklahoma Practically
all the know edge guys OF the west
and South and North are here, There
are gamblers, near gamblers, and
those who live by aiding them in their
neiaNous vocation
The suggestions Of Governor Cruce
in his first message TO the legislature
will 40 doubt be carried cut. Nne
bin has already been introduced
which provides for 4 prison term OF
from one TO three wears fer conduct
lng gambling house. while another
bill provides a minimum fine of $3.50
and maximum penalty of two years
in the state penitentiaw ard fine
OF $1,000 Sentiment against open
gamb ing has erystalizei and one ct
these bills is practically sure OF pas
sage