Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-24
WAVING RICH OFF sIHPLETONT
MONEY.

THE GAZETTE has taken occasion,
more than once, to call attention to the
vast sums Of money taken out OF Texas
every month in the year by that fascinat-
inc scheme known as the Louisiana State
Lottery company. 1t Is said that win
the single exception Of Louisiana, where
the lottery has It's home, Texas Is the
most liberal contributor to the revenues
of the Institution. There ore no means
OF getting at the amount paiA by Texans
every year for tickets, but the sum must
be enormous, as is attested by the inter-
est manifested in every town In the state
Immediately after the regular monthly
drawings. The whole country works to
fiji the Golfers OF the lottery company,
and the result is that 1t Is probably the
richest corporation in the South. Alta
events, capital considered, its returns are
undoubtedly the largest. II any one
doubts this let them read the daily quo
tations of stocks and bonds in the col
umns Of the New Orleans papers. We
have before us now copy OF the New
Orleans Times-Democrat of last Sunday,
and of nearly hundred classes
OF securities quoted in its COM
mercial column the lottery stock leads
the list. These are the official quotations
from the New Orleans stock exchange Of
the day previous. Bank stocks range
from So to $50, save in one instance, New
Orleans National bank stock was held at
500, OF which more anon. Insurance
(fre) stocks are quoted from So to 1873;
street railway stocks, from 6l to 90; gas
stocks, from 50 to 90; state bonds, from
80 to SO; city bonds, from 90 to Ill, and
SO on. The banks, gas companies, street
railways, insurance companies, ETC.,
whose stocks appear in the list, are all
solid, reputable institutions, doing u
legitimate business. Reading the Louisi
ana lottery quotations, it is found that
500 is bid for the stock of that corpors-
ton, but there is no selling price-the
stock is not for sale, even at the enor-
nous offer of 80 for one! One OF the
banks New Orleans NatlonaD holds its
stock at $500, against $3.50 offered. The
explanation is found In the undenied
statement that this particular bank Is
largely interested in the lottery company,
and hence the great price put
on its stock. The lottery COM
pany stock is the king bee of the whole
list. Its business is so relnunerative
that holders of the stock can afford to
refuse an offer Of five for one for their
shares. We have no war to make on the
lottery company as an institution. 1t is
chartered under the laws of Louisiana
and conducts Legitimate business In
that state. But its principle is wholly
pernicious, as is that of any lottery 81
scheme that promises something fol
nothing-thousan6s of dollars for one
and thus lures and demoralizes thou
sands of people who ought no
to dream of making dollal
save by earnest, Industrious, homes
effort of brain and hand. 1t takes thou
sands of dollars out of Texas every montl
that never come back, and every montl
thousands of simpletons who hav,
dreamed of getting rich on an investmen
of a few dollars, from one to ten, realiz
how hard it is to fight game where tn
players one chance is matched agains
90, 999 in the hand of the opponent, tn
lottery company-and that Is the ratio i
favor of the institution whose stock
quoted at 500, and none for sale.