Open gambling has been placed under the ban of civic reform. While the
policy shop, the lottery and other less dangerous methods of swindling
have been effectively stamped out of most cities, the "bucket shop
tiger" continues to rend the ambitions of young and old, dragging them
down to forgery, embezzlement, suicide,--or that which is quite as
bad,--broken spirit for legitimate endeavor. Under the circumstances
the sympathy of the public should be with the movement to drive
"bucket shops" out of business, to close them along with all other
gambling institutions.
It is time that something was done to check the growing evil of
gambling on produce, cotton and stock exchange quotations. A beginning
has been made, but the movement has not gone far enough. These
excrescences on the body politic have multiplied rapidly and so
dangerously near do they come to being popular that the mercantile
community owes it to itself to apply the knife at once.
Moreover, there is no form of gambling more disastrous to the player
than "bucket shop" gambling. Its semi-respectability and likeness in
many outward features to regular and reputable commission houses makes
it the most insidious of all temptations to the young speculator and
aspirant for wealth. It is the open door to ruin.
[Illustration: THAT NEW LEAF]