, 1874-03-09

Tho facts which wa print elsewhere con-
corning the lottery business in Chicago show
TINT it is not only time tho existing laws were
enforced, but that such additional legislation as
muy bo necessary for the protection Of public
morality and the defense Of ignorant victims
may also bo procured Immediately. Tile exist
ing statutes provide ponaltiea for keeping " an
Office room, or place for tho Bale or other dis
position oflottery tickets in this State" and for
"yendiug, selling, or othorwiao disposng Of any
lottery t!ckot." That tho Inv is not enforced is
evident from the humorous places where lottery
tickets aro sold in this city, ind tho ease with
which they may be obtainod. Tho larger part Of
tho business is dono by mail, however, and in
this mnnnor tic law is osaded. So LONG as tho
money is sent by mail to a pluco outside tho
State, ns in tho caso Of tho Kentucky Public
Library Lottery, for instance, and the tickets
are romitted by mail, tho transaction docs not
take place III this State, and docs not, therefore,
come within tho scope Of tho stntutes. Tho
amount of business transacted III this manner
is immense, especially with reference to
Chicago. 1t may not bo possible to break
this up altogether until the transmission Of lot
terry tickets by mail is forbidden by law, but bill
is now pondlng before tho State Legislature
which will 60 for towards checking, II not alto
gethcr suppressiug, it. This bill prohibits the
advertising Of lotteries in newspapers, circulars,
or by atreot-poHtcrs. II this provision were en-
forced the process Of attracting public attention
10 the details Of lottery schome would bo 30 in
tricato cumbersome, and tedious that the busi-
ness would soon be abandoned altogether as i'm
practicable as woll az unprotitable. With heavy
penalties for keeping place for tho sale OF
tickets, Tor dispoBing Of tickets, and for adver-
tising lotteries, tho business would soon DO 80
heavily loaded down tint it virtually would cease
| to attract public attention ut all.
In tho interests Of public morality and for tho
| protection of tho community wo therefore ulge
tho Legislature to pasa this bill ut once, a1d we
do 30 all tho moro firmly bocauso tho lottery mau.
agors in other 6tatoa, foarfal Of injury to their
business, aro seeking to influence mombers oi
tho Legislature agalnBt tho bill by assur-
| ing them tint tho pross will assai
them ii thoy pass It. The mombers need mol
fcar any such result from thoir action. THE
CHICAGO Tribune has already SGT the example
aud wo hayo no doubt that aiI tho respectable
newspapers in this Btate will join with III in tht
heartlest corporation to broals up tlls business
lho bill peudiug before tho Legislature fur
nishoa The eaAieat aud most available method o
cradicating tho evil. We can assure the Lesia
ture that public sentiment Is ir favor Of sup
pressing every form Of tho lottery business
from tile groat public lotteries OF Kentucky
Afarylanl, uavaua, and Missouri down to til
raille for silver watch In O'MalloyB ealoo,,
with all tho numerous Hcl,emos between thes
extlomca, such as pollcy-ehopH, gift.entorpriaeE
benevolent Hclomes Of chance, opera-houH
aud roal-ostato gift operations. and tho sna
and apparently harmless luttery PRACTICES whfc
90 frequently obtain in church fairs aud bazaars
In tho latter, Of course, there Ia no lnton
tion to deceive or swndle, or to pu
tho money to q bad purpose. Tho al
CHAN which half-a-dozen Industrious and ahrew
young ladies ombrodor anl then put into 10
tory ut twice itB value may procure tho churo
a handsome Bible, or help pay the singers. {
put stainod-glaas window III tho building, an
. tho poat-oifloos, aud caLos with ring IN then
} may a]Ao help to tho Hatne purpose, which il
worry good one. But, nay tho managers OF tt
I Kontuoky Lottery, 1t IL also good purpose
r supply the State with great public library, al
r immediately they tAko alaoltes behind tho ohure