The Daily Press, Saturday, July 27, 1867.
13
791
18
The Gambling Licenses.
THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS,"
Allow me assure you that you are representing us to the public, when you state on this point, that gambling is sinful. Why do the conscience of the Chinese is as clear as our own on this point?
Your notion that the gambling-houses are not gamblers, and are opponents of this measure. But whether they gamble or not, they are discouraged by the state of public feeling.
I frankly admit we met with rebuffs at first. Indifference was manifested in quarters where we hoped for a heartier support. "The thing is done," we were told; "it is too late to try to stop it now."
We discovered, too, that a portion of the public entertained the hope that silence about the corruption of the police force would be maintained.
I come now to the real reason for introducing this measure, and the only even plausible argument for it - the corruption of the police force. I admit that this is a serious and crying evil, and one very difficult to grapple with.
But I question if licensing gambling-houses will altogether cure it. If these men have been used to take bribes so long, they will look for them elsewhere when this source is cut off.
The present European police are miserably underpaid. Given the money, and a trustworthy police force might be maintained here as well as elsewhere.
Where is the money to come from? Put the Stamp Ordinance into operation. Raise a loan.
It is said that twenty-five gambling-houses are now open. What evidence is there that there are so many? High Government authority admits that this is a mere guess.
There will certainly be more tables, and more play going on in five licensed gambling-houses than in twenty-five, perhaps than in fifty, of the unlicensed dens.
In what way, pray, do you propose "to eradicate the evils" of gambling by this new patent system? The very places are "hells." Envy, covetousness, lying, cheating are at home there. Dishonesty, theft, kidnapping, burglary, piracy, suicide, and murder issue from their doors.
By what magic are you going to whitewash these nurseries of crime, and change them into homes of innocent amusement? Do you guarantee that the coolie who has lost there his month's wages, and has no money wherewith to buy rice for his family, will not rob his master?
Fully planned, quietly smuggled through Council, ratifications obtained from home by one means or another, the Governor has carried his scheme so far that nothing but the fear of a burst of public indignation stands between him and its execution.
But there are to be "Rules, Regulations and Conditions." It would be as well to tell us what these are, and how they will work.
Suppose that one of these limits the amount of stakes to be played for. Do you suppose it can be carried out? If the policeman now takes a bribe to wink at a secret gambling-house, will he have evil so thoroughly eradicated from his heart by the new measure that he will not look at a bribe to connive at violation of the regulations?
Depend upon it, these rules and regulations will be so many "wind-bags." The Governor cannot, on the principle of "honesty among thieves," do much to obstruct gambling after pocketing the $250,000.
And apart from the amount of licence-money altogether, a little reflection will show that gambling, if legalised at all, must be allowed its full swing.
The number of houses may be limited, but there must be in them full accommodation for the utmost extent of the gambling appetite in the colony.
Small licence-fees, and coercive restriction of the amount of gambling will both be found practically impossible.
As the brothel licensing system allows of an unlimited amount of prostitution in the colony, so it will be with the gambling.
Here I cannot but complain of the great unfairness of trying to find a parallel between the two ordinances, and to make the one a precedent for the other.
Everyone knows that the brothels are licensed, not to limit or control prostitution, but to raise revenue.
I venture the assertion that at least half the Chinese in this Colony are not gamblers.
It is almost as bad to call them a nation of gamblers as it would be to call them a nation of drunkards.
Statistics are procurable here, but I have not gone out personally to canvas them, but I have good information that many are averse to this measure.
Yours faithfully,
ES. TURNER.
London Mission House
1867
THE DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, JULY
would soon become!
27. 1867.
13
791
18
The Gambling Licenses.
are not gamblers, and are opponents of thir THE EDITOR OF THE "DAILY PRESS, measure. But whether they gamble or not suppress fornication, but to keep down a filthy -Allow me assure you that you are
the conscience of the Chinese is as clear as our disease. What disease is generated in and pro- representing us to the public, when you on this point, that gambling is sinful. Why do pagated by gambling-houses? No physical disease arises there, that I ever heard of. Crime bate that the gentlemen engaged in the they do it then? Ah! if all people acted up to li agitation" against licensing gambling their sense of right, what a heaven our earth of every kind is batched in and propagated by discouraged by the state of public feeling
Your notion that the gambling-houses, and crime will certainly in- is colony. I frankly admit we met with Chinese feel a sense of injustice, when the crease, by a natural law, just in proportion to rebuffs at first. Indifference was mani-police break up a gambling-bouse, is simply the increase of gambling. The brothel licence! ed in quarters where we hoped for a heartier ridiculous to one who knows the Chinese. They is no precedent for licensing gambling, and I ing. The thing is done," we were told; believe in a paternal Government which itself wonder at the obtuseness, on the silly dishonest- is too late to try to stop it now. We sets a righteous example, and which chastena ty, of those who would try to make it serve this a discovered, too, that a portion of the public the vices of its subjects with an unsparing purpose. I come now to the real reason for in- entertaining the hope that silence about hand. The very sufferers would admit that the troducing this measure, and the only even plau- sible argument for it the corruption of the gambling license will procure at least the Government which punishes them is worthily police force. I admit that this is a serious and
di charging its duty. ponement of the execution of the Stamp inance. The scheme, moreover, has pur-
And now a few words about the arguments crying evil, and one very difficult to grapple in favour of the measure.
with But I question if censing gambling- You urge that the ely been kept dark;" so that few persona ordinance is intended for the mitigation of the houses will altogether cute it. If these men' evil. We believe it is intended for the mitiga! have been used to take bribes so long, they will lic conscience is little sleepy, but already tion of another evil, viz., the corruption of the look for them elsewhere when this source la cutil
e given it their serious consideration. The
police force; and also, to raise money.
corners,
ee indications of its awakening. As discus-
As it off. But this plea, giving its fullest force, is! grows, our party must grow daily. You Har out when you assert that we have met
will surely increase the amount of gambling simply one of poverty. The present Euro- "singular ill aqeces." On the contrary, (the Governor himself believes that it will), spean police are miserably underpaid. Given the the persons we have conferred with, only it will surely increase the evils naturally and money, and a trustworthy police force might be besides the Governor have been out-spoken necessarily resulting from gambling. How can maintained here as well as elsewhere. Where bates of the licensing. That there is any
anyone pretend that the amount of gambling is the money to come from? Put the Stamp Ordinance into operation. Raise a loan. Dy like a general conviction that this is now going on in holes and
anything, or nothing; rather thef be so vile as? ght and wise measure I confidently deny ruined or unlet houses, can approach the to confess the colony camot afford to keep af have found arlent sympathisers in our amount which will go on in the licensed places? conscience. The present depression of trade? osition within the Legislative Council itself It is said that twenty-five gambling-houses are caunot always last. It is better to contend. ng Government officials not in the Council now open. What evidence is there that there manfully, if unsuccessfully, against evil, than ong the most respectable merchants in the are so many. High Government authority ad. to go and "make a compact with the devil.7 as ay; among the store-keepers and tradesmen, mits that this is a mere guess. But suppose you deliberately advise us to do. I fear that among the Chinese. Sympathy and offers the twenty-five existing how many tables are those who visit the Arch-fendon such an errand esistance have come unsought for from there, and how much play goes on in theu
are pretty sure to come back outwitted, if ever spected quarters. Our enquiries Bo far There will certainly be more tables, and more they come back at all.Yours faithfully, t to the plain conclusion that the Governor, play going on in five licensed gambling-houses
ES. TURNER. ! was, I suppose, the originator of the than in twenty-five, perhaps than in fifty, of the Sue (unless he derived the idea from the unlicensed dens. If not, where are the $250,000. orious Mr. Caldwell)--is in reality its main to come from ?
port. But for the strict discipline which pels Government officials here to follow their cate the evils" of gambling by this new patent In what way, pray, do yen propose "to eradi- there would have been opposition enough system? The vor put has well branded these Be Governvient ranks alone to prevent the places as "hells." Envy, covetousness, lying, oduction of this measure. Even now, if cheating are at home there. Dishonesty, theft. ! dared to speak out (and I do not wish kidnapping, burglary, piracy, suicide, and mur- pute want of moral courage to these gender issue from their doors. By what magic ten; doubtless they only wait the fitting spell are you going to whitewash these nurseries bent) I believe the thing would yet be nipped of crime, and change them into homes of in- he bad. The measure is not a people's mea-nocent amusement P Do yon guarantee that
it is purely a
Governor's measure. the coolie who has lost there his mouths' wages. Fully planned, quietly smuggled through and has no money wherewith to buy rice for Council, ratifications obtained from home by thirty days will not rob his master? That the Row not what means, the Governor has compradore who has lost $10,000, perhaps his bis scheme so far confirmed, that nothing employer's nouey, will not scheme to defraud the fear of a burst of public indignation that employer of $20,000 2 That the father ds between him and its execution. But I who is devoted to the vice, will not sell his
of if he will have the courage to use the daughter to prostitution to get funds for an- he has got. If he does, his triumph other try at the tables? Eradicate the evils of short lived. I confide in the honour gambling, while you retain the thing! You moral sense of the British nation to must cleanse ont bell itself first.
p this crafty and dishonourable policy But there are to be "Hules, Regulations and, the stigma it merits. Not only shall a Conditions." It would be as well to tell us tion go to the Secretary of State, but what these are, and how they will work. Sup abers of the House shall be addressed on pose that one of these limits the amount of the subject.
We will ace whether the Times stakes to be played for. Do you suppose it can Pall Mall Gazette, the Saturday Review: be carried out? If the policeman now takes a a score more of the influential dailies bribe to wink at a secret gambling-house, will Weeklies will follow the lead of the he have evil so thoroughly eradicated from hi ong Daily Press in this matter. Vari- by the new measure that he will not look at a public bodies in England that we are ribe to connive at violation of the regola- ected with shall be put in motion. We will tions? Depend upon it, these rules and regu- Britain, Europe, and America resound lations will be so many, wind-bags. The Gov. the report of the scandal, until its disgrace cruor cannot, of the anong thieves" ped away from our country's escutcheon. principle, do nich to obstruct gambling after those who dread the ignominy come for-pocketing the $250,000. And apart from the to prevent the wrong before it is too late. amount of licence-money altogether, a little re- ong the Chinese we have sympathy and flection will show that gambling, if legalised at have support. I have not gone out per-all, must be allowed its full swing. The num lly to canvas them, but I have good infor- ber of houses may be limited, but there must be that many are averse to this measure in them full accommodation for the utmost ex-. calumniate the Chinese people when you tent of the gambling appetite in the colony,t that they are universally gamblers. It Small licence-fces, and coersive restriction of t to falen is that they are universally liars, the amount of gaubling will both be founde , opium-smokers, and profligates. Vice practically impossible. As the brothel licens as too prevalent among them; more so ing system allows of an unlimited amount of Christian countries I believe; though prostitution in the colony, so it will be with ongkong a good many Europeaus run them the gambling. There will be no limitation
race for the first place in iniquity. The if this system is once introduced.
se eclipse us in gaubling; we surpass Here I cannot but complain of the great un in drunkenness. But addicted as they fairness of trying to find a parallel betweea this vice, it is almost as bad to call them the two ordinances, and to make the one a prece tion of gamblers as it would be to call the dent for the other. Everyone knows that the el a nation of drunkards, Statistics are brothels are licensed, not to limit or control or procurable here, but I venture the assertion
at least half the Chinese in this Colony
I
ť
London Mission House
1867
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