Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-04
AWAKENING PUBLIC SENTIMENT.

We are very much gratifed to notice
disposition on the part of the press, re-
fecting decided and rapidly augmenting
public sentiment to make such war upon
the lottery abomination as will bring the
1nfamy to an end, so far as its busine IS in
this State is concerned. The RECORD
UNION has labored for such an out
cc0e for very long time For years it
has stood very nearly alone in its denun-
Citations of the shamefacedneSS with which
the laws of the State have been, and still
are, ignored and openly violated, that pro-
hibit the sale of lottery tickets, the adj
Vertising Of lottery-schemes, etc. 1t has
been meanly intimated in several con-
temporaries, when this journal has up
braided the newspapers of the State for
publishing the thieving advertisements of
Che lottery syndicates, that we were
urgent because we had not been of
1ered and could not secure the adyertis-
ing referred to, falsehood not less mean
because disguised in innuendo. We pre-
sented this matter of the violation of the
antl-lottery laws to three Legislatures, and
N two of them bills were introduced to
spur officers to the point of duty doing,
but such is official fear and moral weak
ness in this day and the growth of cow
ardice in the face of rank corruption, that
1t has been impossible to this date to find
men sufficient in number in the Legislatures
with the requisite courage to confront the
press and command it to cease serving as the
means for violation of the Constitution and
the express statute prohibiting the infamy
referred to. We were distinctly told in
the late Legislature that it would be i'm
possible to pass such bill because the
most Of the press of the State advertised
the lotteries and aided the lottery man.
ayers in their swindling schemes, and that
fear of these journals would prevent the
enactment of the requisite laws. 1t is
q well-known fact that were it not for the
newspapers of this State and few outside
Of our confines, the business of the lottery
concerns would not flourish in California.
The so-called leading" papers are
The avenues through which the lot
terry gamblers reach and fleece their
victims. They not only advertise
the drawings in captivating and long
drawn display, but for coin they publish
accounts of sums said to have been drawn.
and the great good the winnings" have
done the lucky ones" These decoy state
ments put in the form of newspaper inter
views, are invariably paid for and are the
results of the manipulation of the lottery
thieves. They ought not to deceive any
one, but it is evident that they do, and
that thousands are led TO rob their fami
lies and their business by lottery invest
ments because of these glowing accounts of
prizes drawn" All this sort of procedure
Is in violation Of the laws, which should
be either enforced or repealed. As mat
ters now are, police officers, prosecuting at
torneys and grand iuries stand idle and
take no action, though the evidence of the
znfractiUn Of the statute is patent to the
sight and within the personal knowledge
Of every man who has sworn to sustain the
Constitution and obey and enforce the
laws. But, as we have said, the evidences
are that the people are at last awakening
10 the monstrous character of the infamy
that stalks in the land, and that is cart
ing hundreds of thousands of dollars out
of the State monthly for investment in the
worst and most demoralizing gambling
known. They are manifesting a spirit
that promises to put an end TO the shame
and to hold all offenders TO strict account
ability. Such of the press as have been
guilty partners in the wrong should cease
1t once from further ill-doing, and when
they preach obedience to the law and
shout for public honesty and private moral
ity, proceed to practice as they preach.
When they do So the lottery ghouls will
be deprived of the one allyship through
which they can hope to effect much evil.