Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1890-02-13
CALLS HIM DOWN.
Senator SwanstOn Saws off Fresh
Minneapolis Attorney who has u
Kind of Free.Lunch Opinion on the
Lottery Bill.

y. +. McGee is One-ldea, aggressive,
self-assertive attorney who formerly
lived in Devils Lake. What business it is
of his is lot stated, but he has evidently
volunteered an opinion on the lottery
bill, communicating the same to Senator
Swanston of Ramsey county. This is the
way the senator dresses down the fresh
young duck:
BISMARCK, N. d., Feb. 10, 1890.
J. F. McGee, Esq, Minneapolis, MINI.
Dear Sir:-H you are 'dumbfounded"
by anything heard of my actions, I can
find no adequate word to express my
sentiments on the receipt of our letter
of Feb. 9th.
Up to the reading of this epistle I had
always, never hesitating to express such
opinion, believed you to be man of in
telligence, lawyer Of ability, one whose
ideas were founded on facts.
There is hardly a moro bitter expert
ence than having our beliefs destroyed.
This bitterness was mine when you, by
your own hand, have not only written
yourself down an ass" but have joined
the party of howlers, fanatics, blgots and
''Pharisees,' adding yet another attribute,
| cowardice, when you, an attorney, an up
holder of the law, proposed to summon
| to your aid mob rule.
Another fallacy of mine, had suppos-
ed You to be man of reading. Probably
you we're "read up" on the subjects we
have discussed; otherwise how could you
1 hou hov ho tbor~h<, r hol h.,
ieved your own? ''f
It is a pity, for the sake of the others
who, like me, mistook the glittering of
the rushlight for star, that your reading
did not extend to the Bible or any other
book of information on the subject of
| lotteries"
Since your education has been SO
neglected, permit me in as few words
| as possible to enlighten you and pre-
vent an expose of such deplorable igno-
rance.
| Lotteries are older than governments;
and all governments when poor have
resorted to the lottery to relieve the
people Of the burdens of taxation, and
all churches desirous of raising funds
resort to fairs, which include every order
of lottery, grab-bag and game of chance.
| The first divisions ever recorded, divis-
ions over which, according to Holy Writ,
Jehovah himself presided, were divisions
by lot. 0...-- ...-.-..
Making skip, not to overtax your
memory, and coming down to the his
tory of our own country, George Wash
ington, who is held up for imitation to
our growing youth and who, certainly
was man of principle, owned and ran
lottery.
The proud state of Virginia, with all
her roted IF. F. Vs. granted the char
ter of lottery to that Father of States
men," Thomas Jefferson. And by this
was Thomas Jefferson supported.
All the original thirteen states, in their
days of poverty and organization, had re-
course to lotteries; many OF the other
states doing likewise.
All continental Europe, at this pres
ent DAY, resorts to lotteries to assist
in the support of their several govern
ments.
Within the last two months, the en-
peror Of Germany issued royal letters for
| the establishment of lottery, the profits
| of which were for the building of mon
| ument to his grandfather, Emperor Will
liam.
You left our poverty stricken Dakota,
not seeking to benefit her, not giving
aid to her unfortunates The only lot
terry you looked at was the lottery of
your own life, striving in pastures new''
for all the chances TO be in your own
favor.
Thank God, l am not a demagogue, not
Pharisee, not a hypocrite; nor do howl
at the bidding of any man or any body
men.
You live in state where they have
bucket shops and boards of trade, which
are ten thousand times worse than lot
terry.
BY their fruits, ye shall know them,"
and surrounding these bucket shops and
ami suicides.
No lottery has such record.
| voted for this bill because our state
is in bankrupt condition, and it is
the only way on earth to raise revenue
to support the government of the state.
1t is the only way to prevent the dis
honorinG of our states credit. I voted
for it because believe it to be an hon.
orable business. And despite the howl
ing Of hypocrites, I DO believe in the
lottery us this one is to be conducted.
as [ examined it before pronouncing
upon it.
AS to my political future l shall al
ways do what in my best Judgment, seems
best for my people. and this, regardless
of the preferments of Office. Even an
Office cannot buy my integrity, nor WIPE
out my duty to my home my state, my
country.
| Nor would / for any pasturing, desert
my state in her poverty and distress.
The passage Of this bill will secure to
| the farmers of my county seed wheat,
which is absolutely necessary for their
continuance as residents of North Da-
| kota; and should | be greeted by the
mob you mentioned, I will be ready to
meet them, if 1 can insure their future
prosperity.
My inspiration is the necessity of my
people, and is not borrowed from the edi-
torials ofnewspapers outside of my state.
for hope to see North Dakota proud
and independent state, and not an ad-
juuct of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Regrettiug that you have lived to show