The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-01

This DrlDg5 uS 10 consiuoiAoioA W
important point whether it is not proper anu
necessary for the City Government as Inc
corporate representative of the whole peo-
ple, to take the matter in hand, and accom-
plish at one stroke what, we fear, never Will
be done by individual effort
The Drawing Of tho South Carolina
Land and Immigration Association
1t was to be expected that the drawing OF
the South Carolina Land and Immigration
Association should cause far more disap-
pointment than qualification. The number
OF prizes was large, and the public did not
pause to reflect that the number Of tickets
was very much larger. There is hardly q
village in the State where some sangulne
ticketholder had not counted on winning
the Academy OF Music or the one hundred
thousand dollar prize. There were leglons
who we're ready to assume the role OF Injured
Innocence il they did not secure prize OF
tbousand dollars. For oil this we were pre-
pared, but, knowing the integrity OF the
! managers and the care with which the draw
inc was conducted, we did not anticipate
the conclusion at which some OF the ticket
holders have arrived, viz, that no prizes OF
any consequence we're drawn, and that the
Association made a fortune by the opera.
tionn.. We should have taken no notice OF
this feeling, had it not found expression IN
a courteous demand that The CHARLESTON
NEWS, which had spoken iavorably OF the
scheme from the beginning, should inquire
into the condition Of the Association and pub
lish the result of its investigation. We did
not feel at liberty to slight this request, and
az soon as the books OF the Association were
substantially closed, we called for state
ment OF the result The books were thrown
open to opr scrutiny, and we have obtained
a certified exhibit OF the whole receipts and
and expenditures OF the Association, which
exhibit must set at rest the doubts OF The
friends, and the suspicious of the opponents,
OF the South Carolina Land and Immigration
Association.
The Association had determined to make
their enterprise successful, il work and
liberal expenditure OF money could insure
1t. They advertised the scheme thoroughly
by means OF advertisements and circulars,
while resident agents canvassed their re-
spective sections. But the stringent laws
against lotteries in many States, the want
OF sympathy, in the North and Northwest,
with; the objects Of the Association, the fact
that several similar enterprises were before
the public, and the lack Of money in the
South, threw insurmountable difficulties in
the way, and, long before the day OF draw
ing, It was manifest that the bulk OF the
tickets would remain unsold. As the draw
ing had been once postponed it could not, in
good faith, be again deferred. 1t rested
with the Association, therefore, to decide
whether the amount Of prizes should be re-
duced in proportion. to the number OF tickets
disposed oi or whether the full list OF pre-
miums should be drawn, the Association
taking the benefit OF the unsold tickets.
Experience showed that pro rata drawings
always gave dissatisfaction, and the Asso-
ciation decided, wisely we think, 10 take the
risk OF complete drawing. They hoped
that this course would disarm hostile criti-
cism.
Having stated the main reasons why
80 few tickets were sold, and having ex-
planned the motives which led the Associa-
ton to carry out the entire scheme as pub
lished, we submit brief statement OF the
result:
The whole number of tickets disposed
of was. ....................... Ze,aoi
The number OF unsold tickets held by
the Association on the day of the
drawing was. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. lZl,ooo
Total number of tickets. ......... 10000
The proceeds of 2s, ,467 tickets, sold at
SIS, were. a....................sl4 .sl42 335
Deduct expenses, already paid. lO5,Sss
Cash balance, available for prizes
drawn and miscellaneous disburse.
ments. $50, ,44i
This exhibit demonstrates the fact that the