The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1888-03-17
Asour A STATE LOTTERY.

An exchange says that, ''as the Law
sgainst lotteries ia not enforced it shoul,
be repealed. That any law not enforce,
to the letter should be repealed" How
about the law against II is not en-
forced to the letter, nor even in the spiri
in which il should be enforced. Yet n,
one urges its repeal. The same articl,
greatly exaggerAtes the cum Of money
which leaves Virginia City. Carson and
Reno monthly in payment Of LOTTERY
tickets, leading one to believe that it ap'
proaches 100000. But whatever the
Investment may be il is certain that il ],
much larger than the return. The most
honest lottery scheme returns one
dollar for two dollars received. Yet this
is the sort Of enterprise some wish the
State to engage in. II would be . sad
mistake. The tendency Of modern civil.
ization is rather toward the repression or
restriction Of gambling. This is the spirit
shown by United States laws. Only ono
Stste, Louisiana, refuses its assent to the
general verdict against lotteries. The
lottery u the most seductive form Of
gambling. and At the name time it IL the
sost certain to aeece the player against
it. It makes tens Of thousands of homes
miserable. 1t turns joyous, light.hearted
boys and girls into fretting. discontented
victims ii nervous excitement. IL nour.
ishes in them and all who engage in that
constant desire for some new sensation
which. pnrsuea long enough, leads to
ruin Of body and mind. Tis but poor
argument to say that the ticket buying il
not OF cannot be stopped. Neither can
opium smoking be stopped. No one can
deny that il opium smoking establish.
msnts were authorized BY the State and
regulated BY the law many abuses ceuld
b corrected. Under official management
the sexes might be kept apart while in
stupe6ed condition, contact with the Chi.
aese would BE- avoided. priccs would Be
moderate, ard many other benefits would
b enjoyed. Yet who would urge that
the State should take such step, or
authorize any one 70 do sos The case is
parallel to that Of the lotteries. The
evils are Of different forma, but neither
can Be prevented. and both with equal
certainty are harmful 10 their dcvotees.
Thsre would be more reason for author.
lied opium.joints than for authorised lot.
tories; for while The former would elm.
mate some Of the bad features Of tie
prsseat system, and BY their publicity
perhaps deter many hon acquiring the
habit. the latter could only increase the
present evil
All the money paid for lottery tickets
doss not 60 ont Of the State. A portion
remains in the hands II The agents. who
sfsourss receive good commission. But
il i all should b going ont now. and if
ten times - much more would be coming
in under the proposed system, the finan.
eial bene6ts to the STATE would Be hun
drsd times cut.weighed By the many evils
AriaiAg out Of the increaaed traffic. Be.
aidss the disadvAatagcs named are many
others. among which may be mentioned
ans which alone sheald be sufficient 10
oondstnn any scheme Of lottery under
Stats authority; that is. the political
sdsst. coaaidsring the immsnss patronage
1t the disposal Of the Legislature or State
ofReials 10 elect, whom less then 1000
vesss are required. The lottery wouli
y an immense political machine. The
example of Louisiana should b sufficient
The Stats would begin 70 supervise or 10
manage the lottery. but the lottery
would in ths end manage the State.