The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-28
THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY COMPANY

lie BATON h0uBe AHpDtfue, III u recent
Issue, says:
The New Orleans DEMOCRAT ia having a very
lively settle with the. Louisiana Lottery Com
pany and the rings that hover under its pro
tecing wings. This lottery company has near
charge Of the valiant knight upon wind mill;
government and must necessarily work In tho
Interest Of bad government to maintain
It, a i szsns dna W rs yh a pGe
ton has been openly charged. aud II such facts
can be eubstantiated " should b. wipei out
argument to DO it. 50 far rs we Of tne country
are concerned we do not caro- whether the Lot
terry Company remains in existence or not Its
nero existence by the sutferance of law is not
tho question at oil. for Louisiana might just "a
vol charter q local company to carry on q lot
terry as to permit outside lotteries 10 sell their
tickets here and thereby take thousands Of dol
lars beyond her borders. but the question is
what right has q chartered company like this to
tamper with Legislation or to organize mOhs to
break up public meetings called by citizens to
give expression to their views and sentiments?
the Louisiana Lottery Company, and we await
anxieusy to see what tho result OF the investi-
gaions. NV In progresa, VIII be. Il It is
sshorged il should be broken up at once. il too
powerful to he broken up by, Legislative enact
ment d regular watfArp should b. opened upon
1t that would crush 1t and every one who has
anything to do with It. But. or the other band
I the charges are not sustained, and It is shown
ness It should DO let alone until its charter ex-
pires by Limitation, when re-eiactment OF the
charter should be refused.
Nearly every paper In the State outside of
New Orleans has fallen into line with the
DEMOCRAT in It's fight against the Lottery
Company. while the Advocate is the only one
that has spoken defensive word for that in
iquitous and gigantic monopoly. But
though tho Aduocute's article, above quo
ted. is in an Apologize vein it mem
tons facts which should arouse the
apprehensions of the people and d.
rect the arm of every good citizen
against this institution. "'rhis Lottery Com
pany," says the Advocate, twas the creature
of bad government. and must, necessarily,
1rork in the interest Of bad government to main
tai, its life" This is the simple truth which
constitutes the basis of our warfare and that
of the good citizens here against the lottery
monopoly and it is remarkably singular that
paper which so clearly comprehends the
nature and dangerous tendencies of this in
stitution should, In tho same article, hold that.
under any circumstances, the charter of the
company should be permitted to expire by
limitation II the charter IL to be permitted to
expire by limitation we arc yet to have in our
midst, for sixteen years, an institution with
large franchises, millions of capital and thou
sands Of active and busy agents, which liz the
creature of bad government and necessarily
working in the interest Of bad government.
IF this institution Ii permitted to go on TN
der it's charter for the next sixteen years, does
Dour friend of the Advocate believe that
Legislature can then be elected in tho State
that will refuse it's demand for renewal of
fnop Gan fri ~ fbn 4,
cute point out to us in tho political history of
the world any instance in which any such
ring or corporation was ever broken up and
destroyed, except through the most deter
mined, pcrcmptory and aggressive lcgisla-
tion
The Lottery Company is as powerful in
Louisiana to-day as the Tweed ring ever was
in New York The latter ring ruled the great
city of New York and dictated such measures
as its interests required the Legislature Of the
State to pass. Indeed, Il held the State in its
grasp. Like LAGOON and his sons In the
coils of the serpent Of the sea. the common
wealth and its interests were being crushed to
death by that powerful and rem orseless ring,
when the press, rising superior to the feeble
and venal Legislature, struck at 1t and de-
stroved it.
Our Baton Rouge contemporary. before join
ing in the demand for the repeal of the char
ter Of the lottery swindle. desires to see the
charge that it has sought to interfere in our
politics proved. The Advocates own state
ment Of itS nature and character 1t |
was the creation Of bad government, and
must, necessarily, work in the interest of bad
government to maintain its life-makes out |
the case against the concern But we will be
more specific. Howard. several years ago, |
declared that if he were permitted to turn
his lottery wheel without interruption he
would control the State of Louisiana /
Hero was an open declaration of his purpose
10 interfere In the politics of the State.
About the same time he had the audacity to
run for the State Senate. Here was an overt
Sct When ii. G. Dibhle. one Of the most
obnoxious men in New Orleans was a candi
date for the high Office of District Judge. the
lottery issued orders to all its employees to
vote for Ii. e, Dihble 1t is q matter Of pub
=. lie notoriety in New Orleans that the CON-
pany contributed large sums to the campaign
funds of the Radical party when that party
had sway. and we have shown by the state
@nent Of one of the stockholders that upwards
OF twenty THOUSAND dollars was used to pur
chase from the late Supreme Court a judg
ment recognizing the conshtutionalty of the
charter Of tho company.
Early in 1876, when we were on the eve of
the final struggle which overthrow Radical
ism, MI Towards interests and tendencies
were with the Radical party. and we were in
formed that he had declared his purpose to
make oil his employees vote the Radical
ticket That he was apparently on the fence
in that election and invested large sums of
money In newspaper which labored assid-
aously to SOW dissensions and create distrust
the ranks of the Democratic Conservative
,arty is indisputable.
Since the issue of the contest the lottery |
las Hoped over to the Democrats, and Is |
now seeking to control the policy OF that |