Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-08
NO LOTTERY FOR HIM.
Governor Nichols Vetoes the Bill Be-
slowing a New Charter
ON TIE LOUISIANA CORPORATION.
He Indignantly Denies That the State is
Poverty Stricken, and Says
THE GRANT WOULD CAUSE TROUBLE

Poverty Stricken, and Says
THE GRANT WOULD CAUSE TROUBLE
BATON ROUGE, July7.-Governor Mich
oils this afternoon returned to the House the
lottery bill without his approval. The fcl-
lowing is his veto
| To the Honorable. the Speaker, and Members Of
the House Of Representatives:
GENTLEMEN-I have had under considera-
| tton bill, which originated In the House OF
Representatives into an act providing for the
| submission to the electors of the State for
| adoption or rejection, an amendment to the
| Constitution of the State by inserting therein
an article on levees schools. charities, pensions.
| drainage, lotteries and general fund, which 1
return to your honorable body without my ap-
proval and signature, and with the following as
my objection therefor
eral Assembly at the opening of the general
session referred at some length to measure
which felt satisfied would be placed before 1t
for consideration-an attempt on the part OF
the lottery company to extend or renew its
charter. 1 assigned various reasons why a
proposition looking to the realization, in any
shape, of lottery should be instantly rejected.
and why legalization at the time and in the
mann er and form in which it would undoubt-
edly be sought to be brought before it would
be fraught with danger and disaster.
WARNING TO THE PEOPLE.
warned the General Assembly as to what,
in my opinion would be the inevitable result
of such legalization. not only upon the material
welfare and prosperity of our people. but upon
their social and political condition, and not
only upon the honor and good name, but upon
the peace of the state.
1t becomes my duty to urge by way of execu-
tive 0hiactiOn hat ppd nm
der act No. II of the Constitution by way of
executive counsel. Taking up that portion of
my message alluded to which had reference to
the lottery question generally, 1 make 1t part
OF this, my present message, and the reasons
therein brought forward against a favorable
consideration Of any lottery proposition are
now presented as direct objections made by
me to the bill presented to me-
My views as heretofore expressed not only
remain unchanged but my conviction has
deepened and strengthened during the session
Of the General Assembly. If inIthe discussion
of this lottery question In my first message, 1
failed to do SO in connection with the financial
condition of the State it is because, in my
opinion, in point of fact, there was no occasion
for so doing. The persistent efforts which have
been made to present Louisiana as pauper,
unable by and through her own legitimate re-
sources to sustain and carry out the duties of
her statehood, are
UTTERLY WITHOUT FOUNDATION.
The reports of the Treasurer and Auditor of
the State show this. The reports of the Board
of State Engineers show this. The reports of
the Board of Administrators of the various
charitable and educational and other public in
stitutions and those of the various committees
of this very General Assembly sent to examine
into the situation and condition of these insti-
tutions all show. The State, and the different
parishes of this State, were never since the
late war in better condition than they are to-
day, moving forward to an era Of assured pros
perity.
Suddenly the dark shadow of deep disgrace
is thrown across their path, and the honor Of
Louisiana, maintained in the past on the field
and in the council by the patriotism and the
valor and sacrifices of her sons living and
dead, is to be tarnished forever, her position
what she has been-exalted and justly proud
but in the dust, as the degenerate
partner in gambling corporation designed,
organized and TO be carried out, not for her
good or her advancement, but as 1 have before
said, for the personal and selfish interests of .
handful OF men, many of them Connected with
repeat, it is for them and to them we are selling
out our birthright for mess Of pottage. Who
are the six unnamed men who
Known srs one 1ein to WIN consa,tuts s''di the new
lottery company How comes it that we are
not informed as to their identity and enabled
ordsi There is world Of meaning in that
silence. In the most tr1fiing affairs of lite men
seek TO know with whom they deal. How comes
it that in q matter of this Importance the
General Assembly has been willing up to now
to close Its eyes and move blindly in the dark2
STRIFE WOULD FOLLOW.
call upon it to pause before it takes, finally,
that step and plunges this State into untold
trouble. Is there nothing significant in the
vote by which this bill has passed? The exact
two-thirds vote in each House, and nothing
deeply significant. Is not the future shadowed7
70 me it most certainly is. say to this Gen.
eral Assembly, In all earnestness that, should
this measure be passed, we will enter upon
period of strife, such as has never been
seen before in Louisiana, and should this
contemplated corruption ever be formed upon
an era of corporation and degradation, beside
which the era of reconstruction Will appear as
one of honor and happiness. And let me say
to you that should this measure be adopted
and carried out, in my opinion, no good Will
ever come of the money which we will receive
as the price of our honor and our liberty. Ex-
travagance. profligacy and corruption will as
suredly follow the receipt as night follows day:
feel thoroughly satisfied that the effect OF
the adoption Of the measure will be that, while
the 6mill tax would be kept up, there, will be
an immediate falling off in the legislative ap-
propriations for charitable and other purposes
for which this money will have been directed
to be applied, and a wondrous corresponding
increase of the application of the general fund
to the payment of the interest bearing debt.
NO BENEFIT TO ACCRUE.
Ibelieve that, at the end Of 25 years, we will
not only find constitutional bonds outstanding
to the utmost limit of the funding law, but l
believe there will be an additional immense in
terestbearing debt, which by that time will
have been acknowledged and provided for as
to interest but not as to capital, and that IN
those rs 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 de-
velop.
claim of poverty of Louisiana, and the same
claim on its behalf for the continued existence
of the lottery. So far as q claim Tor the neces-
sity of the present measure is sought to be
predicated upon the assumed condition OF the |
poverty of Louisiana, !, as its Governor, pro- |
nounce is totally without justification or |
warrant. Some other motive for this |
are unable to honorably carry out the |
duties of statehood. Knowing this measure |
as do-one dishonoring and degrading Louisi- |
ana-it has met. as 1t will continue TO meet, my |
most determined opposition.
At no time and under no circumstances, will |
permit one of my hands to aid in disregard-
ing what the other was lost in seeking 10 uphold
-the honor of my native State. Were l TO afhx |
my signature to the bill, would, indeed, be |
ashamed to let my left hand know what my |
right hand had done.
i place the honor of the State above money, |
and in expressing that sentiment l sincerely |
voice that of thousands Of brave and true men, |
of good and devout women of the State.
Very respectfully,
FRANCIS T. NICHOLS,
Governor of Louisiana
Mr.. Shannick introduced a resolution |
that, inasmuch as there was some question |
as to the constitutional right of the Governor |
to veto the amendments, further considera- |
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