Evening journal., 1890-07-08
FOR a MESS OF P0TAGE.
Louisiana, Like Esau, Has Sold
Her Birthright.
THE STATE LOTTERY BILLyEroED

Covesnor Nichols Bei~oans the shame OF
His State and Points Our Rocks Ahead.
Houisiana's Honor Is More Precious
Than Money, He Says.
BATcx RoueE, La, July s.-Governor
Nichols has vetoed the lottery bill In a
message accompanying the veto the gov
ernor says that the persistent efforts TO
present Louisiana as a pauper unable by
and through her own legitimate resources
to sustain and carry out the duties OF her
statehood are utterly without foundation.
and thatthe state and different parishes of
the state were never since the late war ia
better condition than they are, today
moving forward to an era of prosperity
Tho Dark Shadow Of Disgrace.
Suddenly says the governor, the
dark shadow of deep disgrace is thrown
across their path and the honor Of Louisi-
ana, maintained in the past on the field
and in the council by the patriotism and
the sacrifices Of her sons, living and dead,
is to be tarnished for ever; her position
among her sister states to be tested. not by
what she has been-exalted and Justly
Proud-but in the DUST as the degenerate
partner in a gambling corporation, de-
signed organized and to be carried out,
not for her good or her advancement but,
as have before said, for the personal and
selfish interests Of handful OF men, many
of them connected with the darkest days
Of the reconstruction period
sold for Mess OF Potage.
II repeat, it is for them and & them we
are selling out our birthright for q mess Of
rottage. Who are the six unnamed men
who are to join with seventh and known
one. to constitute the new lottery com
ynys How comes it that we are not in
tarmed as to their identity, and enabled to
know their antecedents and fix their rec
ords; there is a world Of meaning in their
silence In the most trifling affairs OF life
men seek to know with whom they deai.
How comes il that in matter Of this inn
portance the general assembly has been
willing up to now TO close its eyes and
move blindly in the dark? call upon it
10 pause before it takes finally that step
and nlunges this state into untold trouble.
Is there nothing significant in the vote by
which this bill has passed.
hNexact two-thirds vote in each house,
an hing deeply significant in twelve
vodSU the house and four Of the votes in
the senate by which thai majority was
reached Is not the future foreshadowedP
To me it most certainly is.
Warning 10 Clarion Topes,
Il say to this general assembly in ali
earnestness that should this measure be
passed we will enter upon q period Of
strife such as has never been seen before in
Louisiana, and should this contemplated
corruption ever be formed We will enter
upon an era Of corruption and DEGRADATION
beside which the era Of reconstruction will
appear as one of honor and happiness
~ let me say 10 you that should this
p$1sure be adopted and carried out, in nv
opinion no good viii ever come Of the
money which we viii receive as the price
OF our honor and our liberty. Extrava-
ganee, proiiigacy and corruption will as |
suredly follow the receipt as night follows /
day feel thoroughly satisfied TINT the |
effect Of the adoption OF this measure will |
be that while the six mill tax would he |
kept up, there will be an immediate fall |
ing of in the legislative appropriations
Tor charitable and other purposes far
which this money will have been directed |
to be applied and a wonderous correspond- /
ing increase Of the application Of the gen i
eral fund TO the payment Of the interest Il
bearing debt
Sold Into Perpetual slavery.
i believe that every possible outstand-
Ing claim against the state. valid or III
valid, now rated as safe of payment hy fra
state or otherwise, will be first deprecated
and while so deprecated skillfuliy bought
up, TO be by subsequent judicious legisla-
tlon recognized and provided for either
through funding operation on otherwise.
and that the reduction on one side will be
followed by an increase on the other.
In other words believe that at the end
OF twenty-five years we win not only find
constitutional bonds outstanding 10 the
utmost limit of the funding law. but /
believe there will be an additional immense
interest bearing debt which by that time
will have been acknowledged and provided
tor as TO interest but not as to capital, and
chat In those twenty-five years a vast
amount Of interest will have been paid out
unnecessarily improperly and Illegally.
In whose hands those interest bearing
bonds Will be found time will develop.
AT the end Of twenty-five years there will
be the esame claim Of poverty of Louisiana
and The same claim on its behalf for the
continued existence Of tbs lottery.
TO Uphold LTuisiana's Honor.
s'Some other motive for this Measure
must be found than that her people are
unable honorably to carry out the duties
Of statehood. Knowing this measure as /
do as one dishonoring and degrading Louis
lana It has met, as it will continue To meet
my most determined opposition.
no time and under no circumstances
will permit my one hand to aid in dis
regarding what the other was lost in seek
ing TO uphold-the honor Of my native
state. We're to affix my signature to the
bill would indeed be ashamed to let NV
left hand know what my right hand had
done. place the honor Of the state above
money, and in expressing that sentiment
sincerely voice that Of thousands Of brave
and true men, Of good and devout women
o1 the state. Very respectfully,
FRANCIS I. NICHOLS,
Governor of Louisiana
Can He Veto IL Lawfully?
Mr. Shattuck introduced resolution
that inasmuch as there was some question
as to the constitutional right Of the gov
ernor to veto the amendments, further con
slderation Of the question be made special
order for July s, at p. m.