Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-09

wage earnerS in his progress to and
! from his work. From the best infOrma-
tion we can get, the receipts OF these
shops average about $50 per diem. They
swarm daily with slatternly women,
bareiooted children, bloused working
men, youthful clerks, and household
servants sent to market or on some pur-
chasing errand. None but the poor and
ignorant enter these direful doors.
Some OF these shops keep "Dream
books" and other stimulants TO aid the
superstitious in selecting the lucky num-
bers. BY daily repetition of play thou
sands of poor wretches become ailiict-
ed with the Lottery Craze" and TO
crafty this theft and embezzlement en-
ter innumerable households. We have
the authority of the Lottery that
% per cent. of this enormous revenue
of S22, 900, 600, a revenue greater than
of any five average States in this Union,
comes from the people OF this coun-
try outside of the State OF
Louisiana. because its advocates have
the effrsntery to use this fact as an ar
gument for its re-charter by the people
of the State of Louisiana. Through the
purchase OF stock. by its stockholders
and friends it has obtained control OF
large portion OF the organized capital OF
the State. Its strong hand on the imam
cial springs OF a commercial community
IS so maSterful as to silence the Cpposi-
ton OF the cautious and to attract the
support of the timid. The ad-
dress reviews the growth Of the lottery's
influence I'm Louisiana, and concludes as
follows:
THE REMEDY PROPOSED.
To that end we recommended the i'm
mediate adoption Of an amendment to
the Federal Constitution prohibiting the
State from chartcTing or licensing any
lottery or gift prize, and abOlishing
those already established and giving the
Congress power TO enforce the prOhibi-
bition by appropriate legislation.
A proposition to amend the Constitu-
tion, covering all this ground except in
the abolition OF existing lotteries, is now
before a committee Of the United States
Senate, having been Introduced by
Senator Blair, Of New Hampshire. Such
an amendment cannot, in the natural
order of things, be put in force for some
time. Until that time comes we ask the
adoption by Congress OF some apprOpri-
ate legislation, under the existing state
OF the Constitution, aimed at the heart
of the dragon. The legislation specially
recommended by the President and the
/ Postmaster General, to exclude lottery
| business and advertisements from the
mail and express companies, is aimed in
the right direction, and we ask its
speedy adoption.
With a National evil of great magni-
| tupe to correct, with clear cOnstitu-
tional power TO crush the evil effect
lively, why should the Congress and
American people hesitate TO use this in
huence with the existing Congress to
/ have the above suggested legislation
adopted specially?
We ask that all candidates Of all par
/ ties OF the Legislatures OF the various
States be required 10 pledge themselves
to vote for the amendment proposed by
! Congress to the Constitution OF the
United States, prohibiting and abolish
ing State lotteries. All this we ask in
the name of our common citizenship of
this Republic, and in behalf Of public
honor, and public interest and the pub
/ lie and private welfare Of the common
veal OF States.
We further request the free press to
give this address the widest publicity.