The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-19
time to drop and run along small glass

time to drop and run along small glas:
channel into cup. The two char
j. ity boys, who are concerned in the pre-
ceedings, take, one the number. and the
other the bail marked with the prizt
which the number drawn at the same
time is entitled to, and after exhibit
ing them to the officers present, cal
| them out twice in a loud voice to the
pubic, one calling the number and the
other announcing the prize. When
the prize happens to De one Of the
capital prizes the boys call out
thrice, with little extra lung power
A marker is kept busy at the black.
board. Every few minutes the wheels
are turned, the larger one requiring
) huge efforts and the smaller one revolv.
ing briskly and rafting the balls like
beans in bottle; the charity boys and
markers are occasionally relieved by
others, and in this manner the draw
ing continues until all the prizes have
come forth. Formerly the globes
were of wood. and the boys, each with
his arm encased in large black stock
ing, thrust their hands through small
aperture in the wheel to extract the
ball. But at present every precaution
is taken to prevent the slightest
suspicion of foul play. The ball is seen
and heard to drop from the glass globe
into glass channel, and then after the
number and prize are called out,strung
on wires and locked in cases until the
succeeding drawing, when all the same
formailties are again gone through
with.
The annual income to the govern
ment from this source of revenue alone
is nearly three and a half millions of
dollars. From the three drawings held
IN 1872, the date of the establishment
of the lottery, which yielded $4,000 to
the government, the number of draw
Ings and tickets, and the consequent
revenue, have steadily increased year
by year, until at the present time the
annual number of drawings is twenty.
one, with an occasional extraordinary
drawing. Deducting one-quarter from
the $4,000 tickets sold at $40 each,
| there is S4S0-0OO left to be distributed
as prizes, the government reserving to
itself $4,000 at each drawing. Be.
sides this amount there are the prizes
won by tickets unsold or returned to
| government by its sub.agents, and the
| prizes uncalled for, which expire by
limitation at the end Of two years, all
of which go to swell the revenues of
the treasury, which may be roughly
estimated at $4,000 per diem. A
pretty sum for civilized government
TO wiring from the vices of its subjects
for, waving all other considerations to
one side, the lottery is but legalized
form Of gambling monopolized by the
government.
vendors. These gentry purchase their
tickets at small advance from the IRE.
Inatadores, or persons who contract to
take the whole supply issued by the
government, and retail them to the
pubic at an advance of 5 TO 10 per
cent. on the price. So great did the
nuisance arising from the large number
OF vendors become some years ago,
that the government stepped in and re-
quired them all to procure licenses, and
in order that the country should not be
| deprived of useful labor, it refused IL
censes to all but those physically unfit
for other employment. This accounts
for the fact that We see in Havana so
many cripples and blind persons en-
gagged in this business. Some of the
tlcket-sellers are we'll known characters,
ha.
customers. There is old Ramon.
a dwarf with body no
larger than three-year old child, and
the head and beard of a man of fifty.
hear he was at one time engaged BY
Barnum, and made tour through the
United States that he cherishes some
peculiar animosity against the great
Snowman, and that his name throws
him into lit of rage. Poor, old, crazy
Marie Antoinette, whs wears the ma.
tlonal Spanish colors, and a broad
brimmed hat with the volunteer cock
| ade. who always follows the music, and
combines the business of ticket selling
with that of selling rag babies, whom
the ''pillos of the street delight to tor
ment. and who can use the choicest
Spanish biliinssgate to them. is another
noted vender.
| could extend this list. for almost
every vender is a parsonage, but the
mail is about to close. | have, howey-
er. postscript to add. On scanning
the list OF the winning numbers in the
last drawing, which was two days ago.
| see that INV ticket which was one.
quarter of No. 6i5. drew prize Of $500.
Thus | am SIS in pocket. begin to
believe little in the lottery, and can
not help thinking that l might have
drawn $4,000; but half loaf is bet
ter than no bread and TRY, try
again" are consoling proverbs.
Young Egner Makes Full Coufessi~u