The Washington critic., 1890-02-24
OPINION OF MERCHANTS
THEY CONDEMN THE LOUISIANA
LOTTERY COMPANY.
u Injuries the City's Business
GO without the Necessarios OF life
to Buy Tickets--Some of the Names
Given 1t

Go without the NeCessarfcs OF lille
to buy Tickets--Some of the Names
Given lt.
The estimation in which the Louisi
ana Lottery is held by representative
business men in Washington is shown
in The interviews printed below These
show that the great majority of those
holding positive views on the subject
are opposed to tho lottery, and rccOg
nizc the fact that II affects business
iniufiously by carrying away large
sums OF money that should be spent
here Very few are willing to express
approval of It,
WILLIAM BALLANTYNE--l have no
means Of knowing much about the
amount of money that is sent out of
town for lottery tickets, but | am op.
posed TO gambling in any form and
think the laws against it should be en-.
forced. | have reason to believe that
very many people here dabble in
Louisiana Lottery tickets. but ] doubt
whether enough money is spent in that
way to affect business very much.
LANsBuRcH & BRo.--Tho Louisiana
Lottery is great tizzle. Probably
there arc few in our employ who do not
invest in it, and they are just throwing
their money away. for they never get
cent Of il back. The thing is simply
public nuisance.
GEORGE RYNEAL-The lottery is
very injurious TO general business, in
my opinion, for the immense amount
of money spent upon it in Washington
is so much thrown away.
$. AsHMAN-I really think more
money comes in from the lottery than
goes out toward ii. They don't ask
anybody TO play, and it is better to in
vest a dollar in lottery ticket than for
whisky.
A. II. STRAsBURGER-The trouble
is that the lottery catches the poorest
classes. who very often, | believe, go
without the necessaries of life in order
20 purchase the tickets. 1t has a de-
moralizing effect generally, and The
CRi11c deserves credit for the manner
in which 1t is fighting it.
LouIs HElLBRuN-l am opposed TO
lotteries on general principles. The
Louisiana swindle takes great deal of
money out Of town and very little of it
gets back II is, therefore, bad thing
for business.
Mr.. RoBiNsoN--I don't know much
about the effect of the lottery on
general business. but do know that it
is an infamous concern, and The CRITIC
deserves great credit for the stand it has
taken on this subject. There is scarcely
store in town where lottery tickets
are not bought, and they might as well
be thrown into the fire. l am glad to
be given this opportunity of placing
myself on record as opposed to this
gigantic fraud,
PERCY METzGER-Lottery is "A vice,
in the sense that it upsets the equili-
brium and steady going habits of tue
masses. Every person who purchases
a lottery ticket is not only throwing his
or her money away in a hopeless effort
10 gain riches. but far worse, in help.
ing 10 bring UP nation of gamblers
Youths see their elders indulging in
such practice. and hear rumor of
some one drawing prize from a lottery
(Which rumor ninety mine chances out
OF one hundred is either false entirely
or greatly eXaggerated), and rush with
their little savings, oftcntimes their last
cent to buy lottery ticket. Thou
sands Of dollars is monthly sent from
this city for such schemes, and little or
none returns. Lotteries never made a
community rich, and never will.
commend the course of THE CRITIC,
and trust may see lottery concerns shut
mp their doors for want of patronage.
A. L. HAzLEToN-I don't know very
much about the iottery's effect on bust
ness. but Judging from what ! see in
the papers about the drawings | should
say that Washington gives the concern
u great deal Of money, and 1t is per-
haps an injury to legitimate business,
have no doubt that it is what influ-
ences so many of the people in this
town TO try TO live without paying theil
bills, All gambling schemes must, OF
course, have a more or less demoral
izing effect.
.IoHN II. MAGRUDER-I have Away,
understood that lotteries are bad thins
for the whole country. No lottery, o.
fair for lottery purposes is allowed II
this District, but it is surprising thu
amount of money that is sent out o.
this city TO lotteries. | think they are
worse than circus for that 1t has {
strong tendency to injure business, an(
takes money principally out of thu
pockets Of poor people who cannot af
ford TO lose il. Almost no money a
all comes back to represent the larg
amount drawn from circulation here.
T. S. HuTcHINsoN-I think if the
can Danish the sale. of lottery ticket
from the District ii will be goo
thing. Lotteries are great damage I
the poorer classes. think that none
enough goes out Of the city monthly t
iDiure the volume of business, but tn
injury 10 morals is greater. | think tn
lottery business does as much damag
as the whisky business | doubt
they will be able to get rid of it,
think the business has already becom
loo large for Congress to handle.
W HENDERSON MosEs-I most en-
phaiically think that the sale of lotter
tickets is detrimental to the business G
any city or town, more especially so |
this city. as we are so largely depend
entop the Department clerk S salary
and he has so much time ON his hand
as a rule, that he is more apt to try I'll
chances Of speculation than the labo
ing nan, who is the mainstay of bus
ness in other cities. l favor any mej
sure before Congress looking to i
abolition.
+. b. HAyENNER-I think lotteriC
are bad thing. They take too muc
money away from the District. thin
the sale of them in Washington shoul
he stopped.
A. NJ LoTHKoP-There is no dou'
that lotteries are bad thing for Wasl
ington. They take great deal
money out of the city. 1t would
better for the city and the people If Il
sale of lottery tickets could be stoppt
in the District.
BENJAMIN w. GuY-I think lotteri