THE PRINCE AND THE CARDPARTY.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 920, 20 June 1891, Page 3

THE PRINCE AND THE CARDPARTY.

In thcf current number of the Nineteenth •Century, m an. article by Mr. Reginald JBrett, ihere m a passage on the prevalence >ot gambling m high places, which reads -<very ominously just now. The ' text of Mr" Brett's remarks is that 'in these days eof •4«inocrdtio d"dfiE''«K«» ami 'Nonconforjßjiet eaosciences' Knjjs and Princes, no Vanttlinfl Ministers ami 'Politicians, nhoiild b t ipartiottiarly careful, 'A. game of b» «©»•*,* ««V« Mr. Brett, ' .night to-dty mm' » partf,,* riMtf « 'horrid id«a' given of thot « 3« "high pl«v<?e« to the ' people at Urge "W'ght lead possibly to thw wrecking ol* .constitution.* One reflects thin ii.orni.ig: that th"«e woni* of omineus predict Wa r« heing quickly verified. The rev efationb of the card Rcandal have f or pome ■ iayn pasr created a very unpleasant Jiw'prjiiiiion. Mr, Kuovrlas'coniifibulor sngEjeets tlmt « gatw-oF buccarat mißht wreck a. constitution. That we think. ]'« aa exaggeration. We prefer to put the case negatively. The game of btccftrat aM-Tranby Croft will not tend to strength «n either the enonarchical principle or tbeJEnftlUU Throne. It may be said that a. * the baccarat plnying waß \ rivate ; "'tiio \> üblic libr do concern will) il-and'f«rthe>' that tlia existence of r gcandal htcause oo« of the Prince's fellow gne*tswaß accusvd (very likely wrongly) of chcniing should n«t tend to ihe Prince' disadvantage. Bv^t wa ore discussing not what outflit to be r hut what is. And the patent fact is that the card party at Tranby Croft ib now a« nineh public property as if it had ro«t behind glass. •doors. And as for the scandal, it is ot the esueneeof the whole matter. Everybody conrersant with the great mcreaee m recent yeaw of heavy play m certain circles jknew that some scandal must, sooner or ilator, nrise. \VV\en tho Gordoii'Cummjog bneinesß was known, the principal feeling with many people wan ono of reliof that it was nothing worse. The ftinu6ementß ot certain private bouses have /or 6ome Hn»e been as«iinilateft to tl\o*e of public gumiaiC resortH. At 3>icli reaoriH /:heatiLg ujeonHuls ar« common enough, but so also arc suioideH. What if some fellow-player of the Vrince, inwead of being aooased— prftßamably fal«ely— of cheating, had indubitably blown hi« brains out ? Suoh things happen every season »t Monie Carl.% why not iv whfct *c o.»ll the peripatetic; Monto Cail<> pmronifi-d by Ui<a Jb/jccara 1 plny.!ri»? The Spectator »lo«bts wha.her m high p aces m reaMy ob the TucreuM. Tho q:i—ti.in w mrnateria', for what has imluhnahly' in".iaHed i« ihe litaudurd of the pul'lic conicience and tir exi«nt of tli« pubic knowledge. Maan- -^ bile the po-v^r of the Throne has e> or^n'ouflf decreH«ad, and indeed, one of ithe JvJV ipijpe^ now ; l.»ft tiy the monarchy \i» tli*jEo.ioJß'«i l e!x»iiMplr. jTtifl.this which .niftkßH<*o iniporii.nt.Hml ho u©fort.unut« • lie pßUnanoge- whiclt the Prince exftad\o hit):!. piaceß..,pHfd.pla i ing for suii)K

the name thing is play which drives yomiy men-to borrow at usurious rates, older >nen to cheat, and married ladies to contract compromising debts. The numn which wealthy Jews can afford to lose furnish no Rtunriarri of legitimate stolid A Mirnch or a bassoon is not as n Ktiiiulcem m the Guards or a younger hoo on an ullowunoe. The Sfnndard nayn ihat it is for host a and hostcxaeuto protent a 6 MiiuMt 'turning their drawingrooms imo gambling saloons.' This iorm of protest has beemtrind already, and it is not likely to be rep a cd. One of the great houses may be 'closed . buc another will be always opened. It is the leader of English society! who should begin the reformation. The | Prince of Wales, us everybody knows, m ene or' the kindest-heartod men He ib full «f tact, and he has great native shrewdness iW,hen ; the«e qualities^ r a^re. brought to boar on £the matter, they will 'make shoit work', we are imre, ot the gambling curse.