The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-06-04
Communicated
Three Vital Reasons for Sustain
ing the Lottery.

To THE CITIZENS OF RAPIDEs PARISH:
The most eventful crisis of Louisiana,
since the late war, is before US for action.
Our State is weighted down with debt.
our resources cut off by floods and crop
failures, until reputation seems to be the
inevitable.
The revenues of the State are almost in
adequate to existence, yet taxation is to
the extreme limit. Shall we, in this crisis,
by a manly and bold stroke aid ourselves,
and rise to plane of financial ease and
prosperity, OF shall we remain passive
subdued by mythical sentiment, and per-
nit our only opportunity to escape forever
from our grasp,
To the citizens of the high lands we
make this appeal in behalf of education.
Your children are growing up around you
without facilities for acquiring knowledge.
The State with her present resources is too
poor to assist you, with only the sem
blance of promise, never to be fulfilled.
Decide which you prefer! Ignorant chill
dren and people, or the tolerance OF the
State Lottery, with its munificent bounty
of one million dollars annually to you and
yours, for purposes of education, lntelll-
gence and progress.
To the citizens of the low lands we ask
the question Are you opposed to levees,
or are you in favor of protecting your
homes. your families and interests by inl-
pregnable earth works against the mighty
flood tides that sweep SO r'ercilessly down
upon us. If you are in favor of levee pro-
lection, then double reason presents 1T,
self, that of education and levees, for sus-
tanning the Louisiana State Lottery.
Not only education and levees appeal
to you to support the Lottery, but that
greatest of all virtues, Charity, appeals
to every man, woman and child in the
State to support the Lottery. Our instl'
| buttons of charity are Wondering away
for want of means-all are totally made
quate for the demands upon them; nc
more room for the insane, no more shell
ter for the blind, the deaf and the dumb
These poor unfOrtunatcs must lingcr upon
the cold charities of the world in order
that an etfete sentimentalism against lot
teries may rnle.
Christianity is progressive in incul
eating this great virtue, Charity. True
christian charity never questions TIT
source of the aid for the relief Of distress
and the accomplishment of good to man
kind. Some Predetermined people arr
fearful that rechartering of the Letter.
would be virtually placing the State il
possession of the Lottery. Men who on
tertaiD sudh puerile fears should be in
formed by the schoolboy that this peopl
, ouce grappled with the Radical party
seated in power with the United State
army as support, yet 1t went to the dus
before them, and self-goverDment of tn
people, by the people and for the peopl
, sprang into existence. Thirty year
hence our posterity will follow the foot
step of thoir fathers, and if necessary, O.
account of oppression will hurl this mag
! mary tabled monster from existence
, Citizens of Rapides, improve the grea
opportunity; hold public meetings an
petition yonr representatives to rcpresen
. the will of the majority and sustain til
Lottery. LIBERTY