The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-04-17

been made TO carry on a legitimate broncn OF
business it would have been bad enough In all
conscience; but fancy these extraordinary
powers being intrusted to exercise in n notori-
ousy theiving, swindling, and cheating man
ner to plumber the people No check was pre-
scrbed as TO the mode of the swindle, either by
the issue of fictitious combinations, prizes of
fered but never drawn, policy numbers played
without a chance to win, every variety OF in
vention which theeraft of men might use to
rob his fellow man all these were permissible
under this extraordinary grant.
Under this nefarious charter the company
at once organized hagitious game which was
the ''rolette" Of the gambling hells, by which
its receipts were not less than $1,000 day.
It soon acquired wealth; but the profits and
the iniamy hardly went hand in hand. The
institution became power in the State. 1t
buried much of its shame under pretences of
munifcence and, with that real liberaliiy
which successful swinding affords, bought its
friends as cattle are bought 1t was at first
prepared to draw IS numbers three times
week but started with ID as an experiment.
and discovering. that the public was blind,
as the Sth number involved the relirguish
ment of enormous gains, it was dropped. The
numbers drawn were variously, from II to
ID The deuded buyers were without safe
guards Of any kind. Whatever imposture the
peoples minds, inlamed by illusion, would
bear was provided. Rapidly the common
wealth cast away its birthrght and now the
franchise affords no power over the common
enemy.
But all over the country as well, the de-
bauchery Of this shameless institution riots in
uiumphal mockery Of laws and people. The
withered husks of moral socialism fly in the
wind, while Argument excites derision and
opposition fruitess strife. Whatever man or
principle has price or value there is money to
buy.
On the 18th of November, 1879, Postmaster
General Key issued an order interdicting the
use of the mails to the Louisiana State lottery |
because it was engaged in conducting a
scheme, or device, for obtaining money through |
the mails by means Of false and fraudulent
pretenses, Misrepresentation and promises"
For three months the order was in force. On |
the 27th of February, 1850, Postmaster Gen
eral Keys views the "false and fraudulent
pretenses, misrepresentation and promises"
had undergone a marked change, not ex-
planned or accounted for as that officers
friends could have desired. He revoked his
Introduction and opened the mail bags of the
Government to the iniamy anew. lie was super
seeded by Hon. T. o. Howe, and the country
then had to face the humiliating spectacle of
a .cabinet official apparently coming into Office
prepared to split hairs in a subtle and ground
less argument, the object of which was to
justify his persistence in the disingenuous
course ofhis predecessor 1t was humililting
enough. 1t yielded to no expostulation, to
no array of legal authority, to no appeal Of
patriotism, or humanity. The country was
again deluged with symbols of the shameless
prostitution, and misery and crime roted
wherever the entertainments were spread that
allured its victims.
1t is now IS years since Louisiana was cap
tured by this body corporate, and to-day she
wears its chains. Its legislators are to-day in
all her halls. 1t has its hands on the ermine
OF her Judiciary. 1t long since subsidized the
press. But there is more, much more. I'll
ramfes throughout the country. In the pub.
lie places o the nation its voice is heard, and its
sorcery pervades the departm 'nts and makes IL
power fet on every hand. Without legal ex.
iStence, without legal pretext for the base on
which it stands, it neither fears nor falters
BY the Louisiana Legislature of 1870 its
charter was repealed. The United States
Supreme court, the only sanctuary it has not
desecrated, has declared that it has, since
then, had no legal existence. Its character
istic recourse is to an interlocutory order of a
corrupt Federal District Judge-for pretences
serve 1t as well as substantial and valid statutes
or decrees-and it vaunts them in the face OF
authority, and Of the world. What then will
Louisiana do The United States Supreme
court, by its decision IN the recent Kentucky
lottery case, opened a door for her escape,
but she requires majority of her Legislature.
With no press to aid her, without an utterance
from any pulpit within her borders in her be-
half, with people not wholly disenchanted,
but wholly discomhitted and discouraged,
how will she get that majority Yet in that
alone lies her safety and all her hopes Of
rescue.
Iga, poIIiu.