THE MORALITY OF BETTING.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 194, 29 July 1873, Page 5

THE MORALITY OF BETTING.

To the Editor of the Cromwell Aug us. Sir,—Bet I .in 3 ran high at tbe mayoral contest bere on tbe 2lst inshanfc. Losses and gains, on a scale of varying magnitudes from two to ten pounds, and even higher sums, ruled anion-; tbe partisans on botb sides. Tbe hank-note slakes lost and won. however, were tbe smallest part of tbe evil involve?! in Ihe reckless risks in question. Is it safe thus to jeopardise the morality of tbe town ? Would not some of tbe tradespeople in Cromwell, and elsewhere be glad to see some of the cosis foolishly gambled away on tbe debtor side of their overdue accounts? Is it legal to bet oa such issues ? When the bettors

are brought face to face with British law, both are ruled out of Court: the winner has leg-illy gained nothing, the loser has legally lost nothing, and both are compelled to fall back upon a code which for want of a more fitting name they call the law of honour ; the bets losb are called debts of honour, and the last appeal of the winner for set'lenient is to the honour of the loser. To use the word "honour" in this connection is not merely the martyrdom but the outright murder of our splendid English language. Honour, forsooth !_ Whatever honour belongs to the betting fraternity in other relations in life, all the shreds of honour that can be claimed for them as bettors would not, if massed, be sufficient to sink the South Pacific ; and it must be a powerful magnifier that could reveal it to honest men and give it a place among human virtues. The high heavens above, and the best part of the earth on which we live, have given their verdict on this gambling form of demoralisition—and what is that verdict ? Here it is : *' Wide is this gate, broad is this way." Millions enter here ; few return. Here are found the Palmers, the Redpaths, the Newcastles, and the Drapers ; hi*her come the noblest and the meanest specimens of the human race ; here the subtlest intellects are employed in cooking accounts, forgeries, and other contrivances to meet accruing risks and broken fortunes. Paupers' graves aro here, gaols and gibbets, and many other forms of human ruin. And the evils that end here must begin somewhere, and may begin with betting ou the event of an election. A man loses a bet to-day, he must find a way of keeping up his honour to-morrow : all night bis wits are at work trying to find out that way. Then comeMi the temptation ; the resistance is sharp but short. At that point he and peace part company ; he never knows refreshing repose after ; a mist and great darkness trouble all after life. Jt is said that one, if not both, of the candidates for mayoral honours had stakes upon the result. Is that true ? If so, it was disgraceful. We know and even expect that prizefighters shouhl back their skill for inflicting and enduring brute violence ; but for the highest forms of British citizenship to descend to the lowest practices of the prize-ring, is a mockery 10 the somewhat thin layer of patriotism still left to us if betting on the event of an election does not come within the provisions of the Bribery Act, it must be included in the corruption clauses, for the simple reason that it is corrupt and corrupting. It is well known that there are families in the town that hold and control a number of votes sufficient to decide any closely-contested election. They cm bet any way and to any amount with sa'ety, and when all is over can pocket their cash and their honour, aud wait for future chances. I can only point out the disease : for the remedy we must wait. Meanwhile, let it be known to ad that Fortune's favours in the betting line are sickbed over with that which is deadly poison to moral health. Yours : &0., Ceomwbll. ;