St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-09
THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY.

1t is fortunate for the state of LouiSi
ana to have a governor who is coura-
geous enough to place his mark of disap-
proval on the infamous lottery bill
which passed the legislature. The
moral sentiment of Louisiana has been
at low ebb for such long time that 1t
is absolutely refreshing to note this in
dication of the return of more elevated
condition of public morals. 1t is alto
gether probable that venal legislature
will pass the bill over the governors
veto, and thus perpetuate the iniQuity
which has made Louisiana reproach
and by-word all these years. Still, it
is comforting to know that in the era OF
corruption and degradation which pre-
walls in the Pelican state there is one
man in authority who has not been COLI
above price. Gov. NICHOLS exposes
the fallacy of the argument that 1t was
necessary for the state to become part
ner in a gambling enterprise IN
order that her people may be
able to carry out the duties of
statehood This was the same spe-
cious plea made by the lottery advo-
Gates in North Dakota. Ii the argu-
ment were based on facts, then it would
be better that both Louisiana and North
Dakota should be relegated to terrific
rial conditions than that their statehood
should be preserved by the sacrifice OF
honor. But there are no facts to slls-
tain this theory. North Dakota is get
ting along just as we'll without the lot
terry scheme as if it had been adopted,
and possibly better. The same would
be true of Louisiana, although the latter
gets bigger price for its prostitution
than was offered to North Dakota.
If the lottery bill passes the Louisiana
legislature, as it is apt to do, over Gov.
NICHOLS vigorous veto, then it will
plainly become the duty of the federal
government to exert its authority in
crushing out the lottery company. This
is not matter of purely local concern,
as is claimed by the lottery man
ayers. but it affects the whole
country. If the lottery business
were confined to Louisiana, the
people living outside the state would
not feel inclined to interfere with its
operations. Still, there would be asenSe
of shame that our American institutions
permitted such an Ubiquitous business
to thrive under state patronage. But
the evil effects of the lottery are felt
more outside Of Louisiana than in it.
The lottery is supported principally by
money from the Northern and Eastern
states. and is perpetual drain upon
these sections. It costs the Northern
and Eastern people good round sum
every year, running up into the mil
ions, to keep the Louisiana lottery
going. But this is not the worst feature
of it, The demoralizing Influence of this
Ubiquitous business is the most lamenta-
BILE part of it. 1t is making a nation Of
gamblers of the American people, slim
ulating vice that ought to be sup
pressed, and Turing thousands of young
men to their eternal ruin. An enlight-
ened public policy demands the sup
preston of the business, and every
moral sentiment pleads for its oblitera-
ton. 1t is more blighting curse than
slavery; and if the strong arm of the
federal government had to be called
into exercise for the extinction of the
latter, surely there would be ample
Justification for the exercise of the same
power in eXtinguishing a greater evil.