The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-08-13
The Anti Lottery Convention Sends
Forth a Long Address to the
People.
The GREAT CHATTANOOGA VICTORY
The Republican Stronghold Captured.
Registration did the
Work.
The Australian Law Also Secured
the Democrats a Fair Count
Democrats ,Jubilant.

BATON ROUGE, La, August Sat the
anti-lottery convention here committees
were appointed on resolutions; on al
to the people of the United
on a memorial to the president
and to congress requesting the enact
ment of Legislation against lotteries, and
the appointment of IN executive COM
of 20 to conduct the anti-lottery
campaign.
President Adams of the State Farmers
union being invited to a seat On the plat
form, briefly acknowledged the compli-
ment. He said it was a fundamental
principal of his order that honest men
should rule the state. God never in
tended that anything in the shape of a
lottery should manage her affairs. The
Farmers union stood %squarely shoulder
to shoulder with the anti-lottery league
in the fight and would stand up to the
line, no matter where the blow fell. The
order has unanimously passed a resolu-
ton endorsing the expressions in his
message on the lottery question and it
will stand true to its colors to the last.
The following resolution was adopted:
Resolved, that this convention recog-
nizes with gratitude the fact that the
Farmers Alliance, a body of men com
prlsing a large portion of the bone and
sinew OF the state, men whose hearts are
always for right and whose hands are
ready to exacute their sentiments, have
made their initial steps IN the war against
lottery companies and was the first organ
lied body of Louisiana's brave sons to
denounce the scheme of a re-charter.
In the anti lottery convention at a late
hour last night the committee to formu-
late an address to the people of the United
States and to memorable the president
and congress made the following report,
which was adopted:
To the People of the United States:
Your f~ellow-citizens of the state of Louis
lana, opposed to lottery gambling and
lottery charters, assembled in convention
at Baton Rouge this 7th day of August,
1890, make to you this appeal for aid in
the struggle they are engaged in with a
powerful gambling corporation, which
sits here like a giant octopus and
stretches its arms to the remotest hamlet
in the land. For your sympathy they
ask not, because that they have. This
we'll they know by the unanimous voice
of the free press of this country, which.
untouched by lottery influence, has de-
nounced, in no uncertain tones, the in
fanny We are combating.
We desire briefly to state to you facts
In 1868, a carpet bag Legislature OF
Louisiana, at the instigation of John A
Morris, Ben A. Wood, G. H. Murray and
others, chartered the Louisiana Lottery
company, with a capital of 100000
giving it a monopoly of drawing lotteries
in the state for 25 years. This grant was
obtained by bribery and corrupt means
At that time the public regarded it witt
horror and the men connected with il
were pursued with public and private
condemnation and disgrace. For 10 year!
it maintained itself against constant leg
~islative assault by similar corrupt can
In 1879, the legislature repealed this
charter, a result accomplished by a ma
jority of only two votes in the senate
This repeal was practically nallifed by
an injunction issued by Edward G. Bill
lings, United States district judge fol
Louisiana, who held in the very teeth Of
a decision of the supreme court of the
United States, rendered In Il similar case
Boyd VS. Alabama, that an immoral bar
gain, such as this charter, was a sacret
contract, protected by the constitution Of
the United States and binding upon tn
police power Of sovereign state.
The same legislature that repealed this
charter called constitutional convention
This convention was attacked by the lot
lery people with money, with Judge Bill
ling's decision, with promises to give VI
its monopoly, to retire from politics ant
to allow a provision to be inserted in tn
constitution prohibiting all lotteries afte
January /, 1895. Several distinguishes
attorneys of the lottery company wer
elected to this body. The whole CONVEX
ton was surrounded with a strong lobb
of purchased responsibility. Under thes
combined influences, a provision was il
serted in the constitution, reinstating tn
repealed charter without the monopol
feature, permitting the legislature t
charter other lotteries, providing ths
after January /, 1895, all lotteries shout
be prohibited. This provision was II
tended and regarded as a compromls
and rather than defeat the whole const
tuition, in which it was imbeded, peopl
adopted it.