Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1880-04-03
THE LOTTERY QUESTION IN THE
SENATE.

When tho bill to grant lottery charters
or privileges under article l67 of the coi
stitution was introduced in the Senate,
- must exciting, spirited and Interesting
debate occurred. As may be presumed,
the cohorts Of the Louisiana State Lsotte-
~ Company were out in force. Also rep
re sents:ives of several morning papers
whose space, it is openly asserted, was
hired to support the monopoly enjoyed Ivy
Howard L. Co., under the false guise Of
"mcrality.' The debate was opened by
Judge w .tkin Of Webster, who, i'll Il
mnst"rly ana unanSwerable argument,
demolished eve y legal objection to the
bill. We give below the concluding re-
marks Of Judge, Watkins, tho debate that
followed and tic names of tie Senators
voting for AMI against the bill:
Mr.. Wa'ki:s: Now, sir, those who talk
about rice distinction Of words arc re-
minded if they will look into article 167
of the Cons, tuition of 1879 that the Leg
isIature shall havcauthority to grant lot
terry chart,rs and privileges to other lot
terry companies, the reve., ne to be tle'iv-
ell from which shall be given t." the char
ity hospital ut Shreveport, 10 the extent
IF ten the usand dollars, the remainder
to be divided among the public schools
thrmsl,ont the Stale.
Why, therefore, ask, in the face of
this article of the constitution, which
gives the Legislature the ri Int t. grant
charters and privileges, should The
right be given to one lottery company
alone?
Why not distribute it7 Why still
maintain a no ~olnu!y which is in direct
violation OF the constitution. Why re-
fuse to let other lotteries como in and ell
JOY the brneiitsf
1, for one, am willing to grant charters
to other institutions oi this kind, when it
Will be carrying out II provision OF the
constitution which expressly prohibits
iLe granting If moncp"lies o. special
privi 'eSes to any association.
INT. Rogers: Will the gentlemen per.
mil lae 10 ask him a question Will he
tell ne how many tickets are sold up in
his section of the country
will STATE l know nothing about the
number of tickets sold in my section of
the country, am informed All officer Of
the house of representatives, has q branch
lottery Office in Shreveport. For myself,
| am free to say / never gamble, even
with marbles vi hen l was Il boy; that l
| never was addicted to strong drink, or
the excitement of gambling.
| lMr. Kidd: Then the gentleman don't
know one half the pleasures of life.
| am surprised at gentlemen Elvorins
| the muin tcnauca of his monopoly, giving
t. this institution the exclusive right and
privilege ui selling lottery tickets, for the
purpose of buying which scrvsnts will
even pnrloin money gwen 10 them t" pro-
cure marketing. This is not fiction, but
plain facrs.
Now, sir there is no getting around it
Should this bill bc defeated, the Louisi
ana Lottery Compady will still possess
the exclusive privilege Of carrying on its
business; it will still reap the benefits Of
the monopoly c,ause in its charter, which
the constitution of 1879 dill away with
which right was I.nonnced by the Louis
! ianu Lottery Company on condition llia,
is charter shonid be extended until t!'e
year 1895. What right, therefore, have
they now, or the opponents OF this b'i'' tt
say that the legislature has not the right
to grant other charters and privileges fo
the purpose of carrying OH the same klnt
of business!
By the passage of this bill the cxclu
sive monopoly fe .t"re Of the charter o
tho Louisiana Lottery Company is Gon
away with.
Thankir tho Senators for their cour
teous attention, and beggi' S their lnd"l
gcnce for having trcspassed upon thel
time, the speaker concluded.
Senator Leakc followed in y speech q
ten minutes. He read from the proceed
iurs of tho Constitutional Convention, il
connection with tho adoption of articl
l67: :he name of those persons who vote
for and against it. He stated that al
REPRESENTATIVES, in the Convention frol
New Orleans, except Mcssrs. Mcconnell
McGloin, Forlran and Oliver, voted l
favor of the monopoly. Article l67 wa
ndoptcd in the Convention by Il vote {
7lto52. He wanted to know il any p:
per in the ci'y ut that time appealed
the members Of the Convention from til
country to support the monopoly, :
threatened the city members if they di
not support it? That is what they haV
been doing recently. lie favored tt
passage of til" bill.
senator Wynne Rogers spoke abor
, twenty ,ninntcs in opposition to the bill
He said he expected to hear legal arg
4 - - f,,,, ,,f its IN CO, no Int n hal Onl