The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-16
BUNKO LOTTERIES.

BUNKO LOTTERIES.
In the most supcrcilious manner. and will
characteristic assurance, the Statra dlsposet
OF the highest constitutional and Judicial
authorities in tho land In advocating the In
terests VI the gambling combinations which
now swarm around the General Assembly
and, diminishing all consideration OF thu
moral questions involved In flooding thif
State with lotteries with wave or the hand
drops into an easy familiar strain Of persona
detraction OF Mr.. Farmer, who has had the
ha rdihood to express MI opinion antagonistis
To the interests or the States' friends.
When the States attempted to sustain III
position by an allegation that the enactment
OF general law encouraging lotteries was
contemplated by the letter and spirit Of the
constitution, the DEMOCRAT promptly re-
futed the claim by the application Of tnt
hig hest authorities on construction. and by
showing that the very proposition now urged
upon the Legislature was voted down. In the
Con stitutional Convention:
Mr.. Vance offered tho following amendment
strike out all 70 and including tho word
stnte," IN line 7. and insert In lieu thereof the
following:
LOTTERY privileges are hereby granted to any
person or persons who may desire to avail
themselves Of tho Same upon the payment by
into the treasury Of "a STATE Alter the Word
e, i ~ inc !" insert the words pre-
'' IN thn s motion 81 Mr.. Cunningham. accepted
by M. Vance. the amsndment wns amended by
striking out forty Thousand dollars" and In
aerting 'one hundred thousand dollars"
Mr.. Iuekett moved TO amend tho amendment
Of Mr.. Vance b.. striking out .one hundred
thousand dollars and inserting fifty thousand
dollars:
amendments were laid upon the table.
But. says the Statss, we are not to be bound
by Incidental debates and resolutions. but
stand upon the language Of the constitution
Let US see how the matter stands In that re-
speot:
Arr. ls7. The General Assembly shall have
leges: provided. etc.
Notwithstanding the States contempt for
Cooley" we venture to quote his language
upon the question Of "Delegating Legislative
Power" He says:
The power to whose judgment, wisdom and
patriotism this high prerogntive has been en-
trusted cannot relieve Itself OF the resp nsi-
the power shall be- devolved. nor can It substi-
tute the judgment. wisdom and patriotism OF
any other body for those to which alone tho
people have seen nc TO conflde this sovereign
trust.
How can the General Assembly transfer the
authority which was specially delegated to 1t
by the constitution to notaIies public or State
officers II, on the other hand, the authority
IL claimed under article 2A3, which says:
General laws shall be enacted providing for
the creation OF private corporations. and shall
therein provide fully for the adequate protec-
ton OF the public and OF the individual stock
holder.
Where is the adequate protection Of the
public and Of the individual stakeholder" In
the bills now before the Senate and House2
or the Ave sections contained In these bills
not line can be found which throws around
tho public any protection whatever. The
STATE is to receive the license, 1t is true, but
tho PUBLIC is entirely unprotected.
Gambling 10 declared by the constitution to
be vice. yet the General Assembly is.asked
to invite every black Lex policy dealer who
may have been driven out Of New York,
Kentucky or Georgia to overrun the State
with lottery tickets. policies, combinations
and devices" calculated to ruin and degrade
the morals OF the young, the ignorant and the
superstltlous.
Every town and cross roads In Louisiana
will swarm with the agents and vendors, and
vice which has mainly affected the city OF
New Orleans heretofore. will hereafter exert
It's baleful influence on every plantation. and
In every town throughout the State, demon
alizing labor and encouraging crime.
The combinations now engaged In attempt
ing to secure the passage Of general Law
have represen tatives here from New York
Kentucky, Georgia and Havana, and appear
to have pooled their issues. We have been al
some pains to Investigate the history Of the
movement, and when the attempt is made to
dragon members Of the General Assembly
into support OF the measure, against theil
convictions Of right, we will treat the public
to an insight into the subject which will al
least furnl sh food for the rejecting mind.