The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-05-25
THE BEE ON THE LOTTERY.

article from our esteemed contemporary, the
Bee, relative to the Louisiana Lottery, tc
which we direct attention. That old and In
fluential journal expresses the opinion that
the lottery monopoly is an evil and wrong In
principle; but thinks that we overestimate
its power, and that there is no present neces-
sity to make a vigorous war on it. Our con
temporary. in the course of its article, says
We do not think that the Lottery Company is
as formidable 1s our contemporary imagines
| During the last session We had 50 many things
to ask of the Legislature that we believed that a
war with the lottery would do more harm than
good, in that 1t would leopard the adoption, OF
important reform measures. Now the Legisla-
ture is not In session. and we would still let the
lottery alone If 1t was not doing Its best to
arouse public opinion by the arrest Of citizens
under pretext of enforcing respect for its mo-
| nopoly.
We are at loss to call to mind any reform
measure which was supported in the late
Legislature by the Lottery Company and its
allies in that body. The Lottery Company
and several other rings organized powerful
movement to realize a very large sum Of
money out Of the legislation of the last ses-
sion, and the attempt to carry out that move
ment defeated nearly every measure Of real
| importance to the State. The combination,
just previous to the assembling Of the Legis-
lature instituted great bear movement on
Caron delet street. and when they had got the
State bonds down as low as possible, they
| loaded up with them and then began their
| celebrated movement to bull them up to
| n1Eety-five cents. Their scheme was to de-
| feat the call for a constitutional convention
| to force through the amendments and pass
| the Moffet Register DILL taxing the liquor
| dealers twenty per cent of their gross earn
| ings. This scheme, they assumed, would &C.
| complish their purpose; and, If it had been
permitted to go through without any serious
opposition. 1t would have done so, and the
combination, with the Lottery Company at
It's head, would have realized an immense
sum of money.
But they met with an unexpected opposi-
tion. The DEMOCRAT and It's friends in the
House, and the Democrats throughout the
State, opened so vigorous war upon the
scheme, and the public opinion of the State
was 50 aggressiyely against it, that though
it was carried through in mutilated shape,
it's only result was to destroy confidence and
send bonds down. It was SO manifest that
the measures were against the popular will
and, therefore. revolutionary, that the move
the State. and It's projectors lost almost
as much as they had expected to
win. Nevertheless the lottery combination
held the Legislature In it's grip, and If they
lost largely in their "put up" game the
people were the greatest losers, as they came
out with nothing but string of abortive
amendments, which they will reject; a Moi
felt register bill, farcical as a measure of
revenue and Infamous as a law in a republi-
can government. and new and extraordinary
methods Of taxation to bear.
This is what the Louisiana Lottery did for
the people of Louisiana in the late Legisla-
ture And this is the reason we fought it
there and desired all our contemporaries and
friends in the Legislature to repeal it's cor
ruptly obtained charter. The reforms our
esteemed contemporary hoped and desired
from the last Legislature, and the accom-
plishment of which it regarded as of more
Importance than the war on the lottery, were
all smothered in the womb by that monopoly.
Again, the Bee says:
We do not believe with the DEMOCRAT that the
Lottery Company has possession of the State
and threatens to control its destinies and stife
its liberties, But If that company should en-
deavor to exert Its influence in our elections. or
to assume a role which docs not belong to it, 1t
sition. even on the part Of those who look with
indifference on the exis' ence of the lottery; and
50 far as we are concerned, we will consider then
that 1t 1S our duty to oppose 1t with all our in
fuence. No consideration has ever caused us
to fail in our obligations as Journalists.
We did not expect to hear any different
language than this from a journal which has
for so many years labored in the interest of
the people and held the confidence and re-
spect of the whole State. But the Bee is
mistaken as to the power and purposes of the
Lottery Company. That monopoly may not
now have possession OF the State; but it
Yields an immense political power in this
city, and it Is spending large sums of money
to extend its influence into the country par
ishes. In this city now, at this very
time, it is working with shrewdness
and experience to control, as far as possible,
the parish convention. 1t owns and is using
ward politicians in greater numbers than ever
before, and it is using money without stint,
but judiciously, to secure for itself a full
representation in the next Legislature. In
deed, we feel perfectly confident that, if
strong and united move is not made by the
press and people OF this city, the Lottery
COMPANY Nlh DC lolSOly ICpltStHb5u Ill ule
next Legislature. and in the parish and city
offices. Powerful as it is now, If it succeeds
in the political movement it is at present max
ing in both city and State, when the next
Legislature adjourns, it will own the State,
If it does not now.
We assure our friend, the Bee, that we are
not mistaken in what we say. Our informa-
ton is ample and reliable The concern
aims to control the next Legislature, the
courts and city government Of New Orleans
Of course, we do not presume to question the
judgment of the Bee. But we are anxious to
have the support Of that able AMI influential
journal In this fight, because we believe that
the best interests of the city and State, and of
the Democratic party, require that the power
of the Lottery to influence our politics should
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