The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-03-06
LOUISJANA'S LOTTERY.
FIVE YEARS YET SECURE FOR THE
INIQUITY.


Tho recent effert to secure a lottery
charter in North Dakota has had the ef-
feet of filling the press Of this country
with much misiniorna ton. Among
o,Hrr thi'gsi it has been said that the
LoulelaDu Lottery, knowing tina, it was
impossible to SECURE an extension Of its
charter in Louisiana, had determined 10
make preparations to Withdraw from
the State, and for that reason had sought
to secure charter elsewhere Few peo
HE in Louisiana who have watched the
current ofevehts thought for . moment
that the Lottery company hAd tho slight
es' idea of abandoning the State. Taey
regarded the attempt to secure h ,harter
in Dakota only as means to ges better
terms at home and provision against a
possible failure to secure a rcnowai Of
the franchise.
1t has also been charged that the Lou
isiana Lottery Company w,ll now try to
buy an extension of its charter through
the State Legislature, and will offer 70
retire the State debt Of $12, 900, 600 for .
twenty. tiva years lease of corporate
| life.
There is, as far az can learn, no such
proposition to be made, The Lsgisla.
turs is absolutely powerlesS in the mat
ter. The people Of Louisiana and they
alone can extend the charter. The lot
terry was chartered in 1868 aud its fran
chise does not expire until 1895. In
1879 the Legislature, in the exercise OF it's
police power, abolished the lottery, but
before the legislative Act went into effect
q constitutional convention met. The
lottery question was taken up in that
body, and ma jority of the members held
that the Legislative Act was uuconstitu-
tional, inasmuch Us it violated O cou-
tract.
| A paragraph was, therefore, inserted
in the new constitution continuing the
lottery until its charter expired, and Civ
ing the Legislature power to establish
other lotteries, none of them to extend
beyond the time of the expiration of the
Louisiana State Lottery Company's fran
chise, and after January 1, 1805, no lot
tercs were permitted to exist in the
State. There was an acrimonious debate
on this proposition and rccrimination
among delegates to the Convention, but
it was finally embodied in the Constitu.
tion of the State, voted on by the peo-
pie and adopted. SO the Legislature is
poWerless in the matter further than tx
submit constitutional amendment tc
the people. It will require s."Swo-thirds
vote to do this.
The next session of the Legislature
which must act upon the matterif re
neWal of the charter is secured, will
meet in May. 1t is unders' ood that tho
lottery company will 60 before tina,
body and ask that the proposition be
submitted to the people in tho form of q
constitutional amendment TO extend its
charter for period Of twenty-five years
The lottery now pays an annual license
into the State treasury OF $40, 900. This
is set apart for the maintenance of char
ity hospital in the city.
WILLING TO PAY.
am reliably informed that the lottery
will propose for an extension Of its char
ter to pay an annual license ranging from
$2e0, 900 to $500, 900, the sum thus raised
to be devoted to the charitable institu
tions Of the State and to educational
purposes. There will be g hard fight
over the proposed amendment in the
Legislature, but the indications are thai
the necessary two-thirds will be secured
and the amendment submitted to the
people.
The argument that will be used by
those who will favor tho amendment viii
be that in q matter Of such Importance
involving the payment Of $4,000, 600
the people should haye the rivght to de
cine upon the matter. Those who op
pose the lottery will do SO upon purely
moral grounds, holding that all lotteries
are pernicious and demoralzinI ant
should be prohibited, and the peopl,
! have virtually passed upon the queStiol
by declaring ten years ago that no lotter,
should be established in the State after
, 1895. The moral advocates are, as ia
as my observation goes, in q minority
I but will make most determined fight
They will have Governor Nichols Will
them. The Executive declared himsel
D within week aa against an extension q
) tide lottery charter. The Methodist Con
feronce has also declared against it. S.
I has the Pfesbytery of Louisiana and The
q a Farmers Alliance. On the other hanc
the lottery people will be backed by man
of the largest financiers of the city
most Of the influential politicians
j and by the great bulk of those who sc
e no harm in buying lottery tcket
n These latter, it is safe to say, judgin
d from the evidence one sees around him
n constitute large majority of the popv
n lation. SO in spite of the Governor an
i the moral firce Of the religious elsmen
:, l see no reason to doubt that the propc
Q ston Of lottery, with some modification
Il In favor Of the State, will bo submitto
- to tho people.
o The disposition OF the amendment
o more problenstical. The question, if
l. iG Snbmitted, will not be voted upon III
10 til 1892. In the meantime great dei
{, Of missionary work can be done on bot
n sides. Nothing il more certain tha
ft that the opposition will not cease wit
the action Of the Legislature, provided
Of course, it is favorable to the lottol
g company. In fact, such action will on
IL intensity it.
'S This campaign 10 certain to be one
I tho hottest ever fought in tho State. A
10 attempt will be made made to get one
"a both OF the political parties to deea
D, against the lottery in the party pla
a form, but it is not likely that either vi
W inject the question into it's declaratiC
Gu OF purposes. The Republican par
at IL. 4 -. 4