The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1919-09-09
is CARD PLAYING IMMORAL /?

Let US see. Down on back street
few negroes, or perchance white
men-rough- s-gather around ar
old greasy table with smoky lamp
to give them light and indulge them
selves in game of cards; and tC
make the game interesting they put
up a stake of five dollars. They are
very quiet about the game for they
want it to be very private affair
They have no music, keep no one
awake but themselves, and expect to
keep the matter entirely to them
selves. Indeed it is a select party.
The game is going fne-it is royal
sport, for Kings and Queens have
played the same game. They are
having good time, and disturbing
no one.
But the Argus-eyed policeman
wanders down on that street. He
sees the light through crevice in the
door He watches little while, sees
no one in there with much influence
on election day, then boldly walks in,
arrests the whole crowd, confiscates
the cards-there is nothing else to con-
fiscate, brings these men before the
court, says they were gaming
caught in the very act, with the goods
on them. The judge declares such
conduct against the peace and dignity
of the municipality, imposes fine or
sends them to Jail, or both. Yes,
that is immoral.
The same evening Mrs. High Brow
also highly respectable-invites a
score of her neighbors and friends
they are respectable TOTO her
home up in the fashionable part of
town, where, in her home under
balzing electric lights, and on polish
ed tables these-high brows all-engage
in the very same game, but to make
it interesting they play for a vase or
cut glass bowl worth twenty-five dol
lars. There is much laughter, music
and feasting, for this is Mrs. High
Brow's party. At twelve o'clock, or
somewhat later the party breaks up,
and Miss Silk Ribbons carries the
vase or cut glass bowl home with her,
together with the congratulations of
the whole party. And perhaps the
papers publish an account of the
whole affair, telling what each wo-
man wore, or didn't wear, but the
police didn't go on that street that
evening, or if he did refused to see.
Now | am free to admit that there
is a difference in the places and cos
tunes of these two parties, but if
there is any difference in the morals
of the two / am unable to see it. If
one is immoral and needs the police
so is the other. If one is social and
moral so is the other. Of the two
the one on the back street was entire
ly the quieter. Each played the
same game with the same sort of
cards while the stake at the one rang
ed from twenty-five cents to five dol
lars, and the other from ten dollars
to fifty dollars. But both sets are
gamblers.
But some one says II don't play for
prizes, | just play quiet game at
home with my family" In other
words you just run kindergarten
where gamblers receive their first
lesson. If your boy turns out to be
a gambler, or your daughter marries
one you have helped to train, and
drifts down to the back street crowd
you ought not to be ashamed to see
his name as such in the papers be-
cause you taught him his first lesson.
What about christian who does
this. Well, he don't. If he is a
christian he is trying to save the
gambler-not teaching him the trade.
T. C. Schuler.