Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-14
A DEATH BLOW
Given the Louisiana Lottery
Company in the Senate
BY a Favorable Report on the
Proposed New Law.

Phe Bill to BE Made a Special Order IL
the House-SentimeDt of the Various
States in Regard to the Lottery Ques
tion-Attorney General Miller Give
His omcial Opinion
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14.-The Louis
lana lottery is doomed. The senate
committee on postotfica3 has recon-,
mended the passage of the proposed new
law, and the house committee on rule,
has agreed to give the house committee
IL day for the same bill. The senate
committee amended the measure in only
one particular, 1t excepted foreign
newspapers advertising lotteries, unless,
III the opinion of the postmaster general,
they are being circulated for the purpose
of advertising lottery schemes in viola
ton of law But this would be mat.
ter easily arranged in conference.
Letter From the Attorney General.
Accompanying the bill was letter,
dated July 2l, from Attorney General
Miller, giving an opinion upon the
other anti-lottery bills before the COM
nittee. Legislation Of this character,
that is designed to exclude newspapers
containing lottery adve. tisements from
the mails. says the attorney general,
has beeh upheld by the courts, and it
seems to be settled that it is competent
for congress to authorize the postmaster
general to refuse the use of the mails to
any persons engaged in the lottery
business. The attorney general thinks
there can he n0 question Of the power of
congress to make the mailing of lottery
letters, circulars, etc, n continuous
Offense to and including the place Of
delivery, or ut least there can be no
question that it is competent for con-
gress to make the offense punish lble, as
well in the dijtric1 in which the post
office of destination is situated, as that
in which the unlawful matter is mailed.
Whether it is competent for congress to
make the ffense triahle or punishable
in an intermediate district, adds the
attorney general, is not perhaps so
clear.
All Eyes Upon Congress.
The pressure upon songress to act in
this matter is Unprecedented in tine case
of any proposed antl-lottery legislation.
The disgraceful spectacles in Louisiana
and the new states, and the ringing ad-
dress of citizens of Louisiana. have
reused both houses rs they never have
been before. The whole country ap-
pears to be awake on the subject.
Congress cannot reflect the public
sentiment of the states ii its members
fail to pass this law since the eXamina-
tion Of the state constitutions and
statutes show that the policy Of the bill
is III perfect harmony with nearly every
state in the Union Four years ago lot
terieS were under the almost universal
ban of the states.
Sentiment of the States.
A report made to the Forty y-ninth
showed of the thirty-eight
states then composing the Union only
three had failed t. denounce lotteries,
and to endeavor to protect their citizens
from them. AT thai time lotteries We're
prohibited by constitutional provisions
in Alabama, Arkansas. California, Colo
RADIO, Florida. Georgia, Illinois. Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan,
Mississippi, Nebraska, Ne
vada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia West Vir-
ginia and Wisconsin-total 27; by stat
utory provisions, in Connecticut, Ken
tucky, MARYLAND. massachusetts, Mis-
souri,, New Hampshire. No. th Carolina
and Pennsylvania total. 8; by constitu-
ton or statute, or both 80.
Delaware ana y Ncrn.ont prohibit all
lotteries except those authorized by the
laws of the state.
Louisiana, by constitution u provision,
authorizes lotteries until 1895, after
which they are prohibited.
Lottery advertisements are prohibited
in California. Colorado, Florida, llli-
nois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Mary
land, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mime
sofa, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New
New York, Ohio, Oregon,
Pennsylvania and " isconsin--total 20.
From the foregoing it clearly appears
that the bill reported by the committee
is not only within the power and duty
Of congress, but is also in harmony
with and support of the policy of nearly
every state of the Union.
Newspapers Advertising Lotteries.
In report in favor Of . law to ex-
clude newspapers advertising lotteries
from the mails, Senator James f. Will
son said:
1T will be observed that the states
have acted resolutely and with marked
unanimity in their endeavors to sup
press the malign presence of the lottery.
Louisiana stands almost alone in her toll
aration of the evil. and she, by constitu
tional provision, prOnouhces against it
after the year 1895. Vermont and Dela
ware qualify their prohibition by allow
ing such lotteries as may be authorized
by their own laws, while denouncing
those recognized by the laws of other
states. And it seems to your committee
that this almost unanimous movement
Of the states to defend themselves
against the demoralizing effect Of bot
teries ought to be recognized and pro
motea by the nation At all events To-
postal system ought not TO be degraded
10 the condition of an instrument for
the promotion Of crime.
"TheIurpose Of the bill herewith re-
ported Is 10 and the states in their eff
forts TO suppress the crime which they
nave denounced with almost entire
Il is intended TO close the
United States mails and the entire postal
;ystem and all of its agencies against
he transmission Of lottery advertise
nents of every kind and character.
Without some such law as this Lill pro-
poses, the invidious temptations con
iained in the cunningly devised lottery
will continue to invade
every state. family, shop. Office or other
place of business, or of pleasure or pub
lie and private resort. in spite OF the
effort which the states have made to
prevent it. 49,.
1t is well TO consider in this connec-
ton that nothing is allowed to ente. the
mail except in pursuance of law. Let
ters. newspapers, public documents.
packages of merchandise, in short,
everything in the list Of mailable mat
ier are Transported in the mail because
the law so provides Congress shall
hava r,oNper 10 establish postofiices