The Colfax chronicle., 1890-12-13

Uses, pledges and agreements, q gigantic,
unpricipled gambling corporation, origin
ally foisted upon us by the purchase OF
an alien, bayonet-supported Legislature,
now grown insolent and tyrannical
through long sufferance, proposes,
through the same corrupt means, to ex-
tort from the pretended necessities of the
commonwealth another long lease of pow
er. This enormous franchise is to be be-
slowed upon few men, only one of whom
is named. 1t Is to be bestowed wholly
without reference to the rule of adjudica-
ton to the highest bidder which prevails
in all government contracts. It is ac-
companied with no safeguards for the
fairness Of the schemes which these men
are to carry on.
Even the reconstruction Legislature,
corrupt, as it notoriously was, in grant
ing the original charter, pretended to
throw around the exercise of the franchise
exactions that the scheme should be
honest and the prizes in just proportion
to the lottery drawing. The franchise now
proposed to be granted to few selected
and favored men is utterly unrestrained
in any particular, leaving them the fullest
and most absolute power to defraud and
to despoil. Disguised as philathropist
under the mantle of charity and the mask
Of humanity. it now seeks to purchase
the liberties Of the citizen and barter for
the good name and fair fame of Louisi-
ana. For the privile &c OF conducting for
twenty-five years longer grossly fraud
ulent gambling scheme. the estimated
revenues OF which approach twenty-eight
millions Of dollars annually, it promises
to pay the State the sum of q million and
q quarter per annum as the price of her
degradation and shame.
Considering the proposition from the
standpoint Of cold and sordid business
TRANSACTION alone, the bare mention of
the comparative amounts it involves
would counsel it's instant rejection as
more manifestly disproportionate, in
adequate and fraudulent than the prom
ises of gain and sudden enrichment with
which it deludes the blind victims of its
wheel.
For this meagre pittance il seeks q
franchise which in eight years would pass
through its coffers en- amount equal to
the present assessed value OF the aggre-
gate wealth Of the whole State. This
corporation once again entrenched in the
organic law, this enormously vast amount
would be used with lavish hand to fortify
beyond successful assault its otherwise
precarious position. Self preservation
must and will urge il to supremely con-
troll by corrupt means the executive,
Legislative and judicial branches Of the
State government in order to protect its
proposed charter from attack.
To attain this imperial power It will
scruple at no subterfuge or pretense.
CnntEihuxing By its demoralising and i'm
poverishing rapacity to larger degree
than any other known agency in the ruin
ing of homes, the wrecking OF families,
and the despoilment Of tho hard earnings
of the poor and the wage winner, it seeks
to pose az public benefactor by pretend
ed benevolence to the INDECENT poor and
insane. By carrying ON the public schools
with money supplied by a gambling in
stitution, it would, under the pretext Of
aiding education, Undue your children
with the priciples and lust Of the gambler.
by poisoning the fountains Of their moral
institution. For this purpose it proposes
to contribute the meagre sum OF 81 o.
per capita for each educable child in the
State. By offering assistance to protect
the alluvial lands from overflow, il pur-
poses to open wide the floodgatcs Of
most insidious vice, and threatens to de-
luge your own and your sister States with
a food thousand fold more destructive
and disastrous to the whole priceless do
main of good morals.
To the dwellers in the valleys We desire
to sound the warning that il this lottery
proposition be adopted, If the people Of
Louisiana enter into partnership whose
avowed purpose is to break the laws of
our sister States,and to levy tribute upon
their people, e,all sym pathy and support will
he Withdrawn from your struggle with
the flood, and all National aid for levees
will be withdrawn.
Bear in mind that the United States
House OF Representatives and Senate who
have just voted three and quarter mill
ion OF dollars for improvement of the
Mississippi river and building of levees,
have unanimously passed bill excluding
lottery matter from the mails, and not |
single voice, Democratic or Republican,
was raised in defense of the lottery, the
members from our sister Southern States
joining in the universal condemnation of
this gambling concern.
Beware, lest the outraged American |
people refuse to give any further assist |
ance to the levee system il it be identi- |
fed in their eyes with the gigantic cor |
engaged in conducting q |
clandestine business in violation of their |
laws. Note, that Federal aid to Louisi- |
ana levees has exceeded 81, 10000 in the |
past eight years. Note, that in the fifth
levee district, of this amount, over o1,- |
100000 was spent along the Tensas front |
more than can possibly be expected to |
be derived from this nefarious lottery |
scheme.
Bear we'll in mind that all this govern
ment aid has been given at time when |
the sentiment OF the national government |
and Of its officers was doubtful as to the |
efficacy Of levees, aud when every levee
bill passed by Congress- prohibited the |
Of leyees with Federal |
money. save az an adjunct to the prove
ment Of the channel of the Mississippi for
purposes of navigation. What then may
we expect now, when both houses Of Con-
rrnnu the Dxocs1ouk oos0 tho Msoosoos~,v,s