The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1890-09-20

ever endorsed by an entire people, by an
overwhelming popular vote and certain
Iy the only lottery ever thought SO well
OF rs to merit place III the constitution
| of an American commonwealth " This
boast is delud!ng, creates confidence both
=, at home and abroad; muItitudes OF tick
cts are sold, multitudes Of ignorant nn!
poor people are dupcd and piunderea.
| The law has not seen fit to legalize
gambling, because TO legalize is to ex-
| tend; to outlaw and forbid is necessarily
TO restrict. restrain and diminish. To
| suppose otherwise is to assume the cor
ruption Of public officials, and an entire
failure in consequence to enforce the law.
The prohibition Of gambling in the laws
of every civilized country is not fanati-
| cis1n-not cranllisn--hut 81 broad and
comprehensive wisdom. Jurisprudence
| is made the handmaid of morality CO.
operating with her to suppress an evil,
and to elevate the standard of public
morals. In many other ways have
Christian States sought by secular legis-
| lation to reinforce to strengthen and to
assist the moral forces of society-those
agencies Casually the Church, press and
| literature) whose concern it peculiarly is
to preserve intact the integrity Of public
morality.
The prohibition of all aleatory or gam
| bling contracts is not OF recent origin
but dates back many centuries; in fact,
! is coeVal with the dawn of civilized iuris-
prudence. In al ages and ali climes en-
| lightened legislators have deemed it wise
by repressiye and restrictive legislation
to prevent the spread of this vice, and as
far IS possible to stitle its gFowth-to de-
stroy the passion in its very incipiency
in the breast of youth. The Co institution
of Louisiana therefore commands re-
pressive legislation against gambling
when It says: "Gam0t3ng as Ierebg de-
ctare6 to DO q rice, md the General As
ssnn5ly shall enact laacs for its suppress
sion" This constitutional provision
places Louisiana IL line with the best
public sentiment Of the world and de
clares that her policy shall not lie one Of
lcgslization and regulation, but Jne OF
repression and suppression. The SYSTEM
of lotteries is d species Of gambling which
affects every class, eg cry condition Of
people-ail ages and sexes. 1t above all
demands repression, and to it particular
Iy does the constitutional mandate ap-
pertain. 1t is the nursery for gamblers;
it is the kindergarten" where young
gamblers receive their first lessons in
vice. It is through its agency that the
latent vice is called into existence. 1t
feeds, nourishes and strengthens the pas
sion. Hence the States policy should be
to nip the passion in the bud, and pre-
vent its birth in the hearts Of the young.
The fetus OF vice should die unborn. A
vice is killed when its birth is prevented.
P"ohibere nascl est occsdere. Every en-
lightened system Of domestic education
seeks by withdrawing the child from evil
and vicious associations and surround
ings to preserve the heart and mind from
contamination. Its mission is better ac-
complished when not even the seeds of
vice are planted in the mind and charac-
ter. Though it be true-as an old maxim
puts it-that you cannot make men yir-
tuous by Act of Parliament, it is never
theless true that institutions have pal
pable effect upon the formation of Ma
tional character, and reaching and
wise policy encourages only such insti
tutions as tend to elevate people and
hold them to the paths of moral rectitude
and moral integrity. Legislation, then,
supplements the influence of the moral
and conservative forces of society and all
contribute to create an upward move
ment OF the human race in a general
mental, moral and physical development
and Improvement. A policy whose iEev-
liable effect is to germinate q vice, and to
afford it every facility and schope for
growth and development, is Injurious,
fatal and unwise. The people and their
laws have reciprocal influence on each
nfh No rfr rf !, 1o
good laws and good institutions, and
existing moral condition of the masses
and to act as braces, or stays, to prevent
a relapsing, or retrograding and degen-
ating movement. In the individual, a
desire to reform or improve suggests the
selection of suitable and honorable asso-
ciates and companions and surroundings,
and these in turn by contact and the in
fluence Of associa ton exert over the in
dividual an improving and elevating pow
er, and thus transform to an enduring
good what might have been a mere spas
motto desire to do better. The influence
of Institutions on a people is perceptible
In their manners customs and character
and as legislation moulds institutions, it
therefore operates to form the manners,
customs. mode Of thought and character
of q people. The institution of feudal-
ism, the institution of chiv airy, the insti-
tuition of slavery, the institution of polyg-
amy and the institution of monogamY,
the institution Of popular free govern
ment, the institution of monarchy have
all left deep and lasting impression on
the history of mankind either for good
or evil according to their nature or char
acter. The analogy furnished by history
would indicate, therefore, that whole
sale gambling institution will produce
race Of gamblers and spectators; race
of gamblers and spectators means race
OF, idle, thriftless, indolent people whose
peculiar associations will further expose
to the vices Of drunkenness, debauchery
and RIGHTEOUSNESS. Gambling impoyer-
ishes; poverty too cften breeds domestic
feuds; domestic feuds bring forth race
of cranks. Unwedded poverty impedes
marriage by the withdrawal of the neces-
sary means to support wife and children.
Involuntary celibacy is the mother Of Ii
centiousness. Hence the policy of the
law is to encourage marriage. The pol
icy of the State in forbidding gambling,
4 500 rlx,