The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-07-24

,r losing a few dimes or dollars every
evening, could, if he tried, find as
much amusement in playing for chips
or points as for money. If he can't be
happy unless there is money on the
table, the gambling instinct is strong
en- with him than the sporting in
stinct. And, as we have said before,
he is setting bad example. No mat
ter how square or moderate sport
ne is, his son or some other mans
son is going to suffer by it.
As for the darkey shooting craps,
it's hardship on him when white
men having ten times his chance for
healthy amusement are passed by be-
cause they are otherwise good citi-
zens, and he. tho he may be a good
man too, in his way, and useful. must
be arrested and fined the full amount
of his wages, and compelled to work
several months also, for indulging in
the only amusement that is open TO
MIN and that he cares for.
However, the negro, for the money
he loses in shooting craps, could buy
books which, if he ever really became
interested in them, would amuse and
instruct him, and take his mind OFF
gambling; he can develop his mind
and his muscles with baseball; if he
must play cards, he can play for
points, and as long as these amuse-
ments are open to him he needn't
complain if the law rakes him up for
gambling. There would not be so
much gambling among negroes if the
white men who employ them would
show a friendly interest in them and
try to enlist their desire for sport in
something healthy and clean.
So when you take this matter of
gambling in hand and take it apart to
see what makes it tick you must adj
nit there is in it more bad than good.
The nations who put the ban on
gambling, who try to suppress it or at
least keep it in bounds are the nations
that have progressed; the nations that
the world leans on. Those who have
ever regarded gambling with slothful
equanimity are those that are at the
bottom of the scale, soaked in lazi-
ness, STEPPED in crime and wallowing
in filth. Gambling with these people
is denatured of its only goodness-the
spirit of adventure and the willing
ness TO take chance and give the
other fellow fair show.
Ocala has been greatly cursed with
gambling. Let anyone who has lived
here for twenty-five years look back
over them and count the tragedies il
has caused. the business enterprises
it has wrecked, the homes it has
broken up, including several it has
draped in mourning. Next to liquor
it has caused more trouble than any
other variety of crime. 1t yet -four
ishes among US. 1t has been more
active in the last few months thar
ever before. We deplore it; we know
it is doing our city great harm abroad
as well as at home; yet we let it live
and flourish, except occasionally, as
the other night, when some officer has
the good luck not only to go over the
top of the defenses of the gamblers
but to crawl under the barbwire en-
tanglements of the law.
The great majority of the people o.
Ocala are opposed to gambling. They
know the men who are responsible fol
it and where they work? Then why
do they put up with it Because they
are afraid of the few men who carry
| it on.
The people of Ocala can STOP
gambling, except in the smallest
hooks and corners. if they will. They
can't prevent an occasional crap OF
social game. But they can put an enc
to regular gambling dens and the vir
tual robbing of unwary strangers. Al
they have to do is to get together anc
assert themselves, instead of expect
ing half a dozen officers to watch the
whole town twenty four hours day.