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ery sum wagered means, at the moment when it is staked, a depreciation of the gambler's property; and would mean that, even if the terms on which the wagering were conducted were strictly fair. But this is never the case. In all lotteries anti in all established systems of gambling certain odds are always
retained in favor of those who work the lottery or the gambling system. These odds make gambling in either form still more injurious to those who take part in it. Winners of course there are, and in some few cases winners may retain a large part of their gains, or at any rate expend them otherwise than in fresh gambling. Yet it is manifest that, apart from the circumstance that the effects of the gambling gains of one set of persons never counterbalance the effects of the gambling losses of others, there is always a large deduction to be made on account of the wild and reckless waste of money won by gambling. In many cases, indeed, large gambling gains have brought ruin to the unfortunate winner: set ' on horseback' by lightly acquired wealth, and unaccustomed to the position, he has ridden straightway to the 'devil.'
But the greed for chance-won wealth is so great among men of weak minds, and they are so large a majority of all communities, that the bait may be dangled for them without care to conceal the hook. In all lotteries and gambling systems which have yet been known the hook has been patent, and the evil it must do if swallowed should have been obvious. Yet it has been swallowed greedily.
A most remarkable illustration of the folly of those who trust in luck, and the cool audacity of those who trust in such folly, with more reason but with more rascality, is presented by the Louisiana Lottery in America. This is the only lottery of the kind now permitted in America. Indeed, it is n6minally restricted
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