The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-03-05
LOgISIANA'S LOTTERY.
FIVE YEARS YET SECURE FOR The
INIoUITY.

Letter TO the New York Herald.
The recent effort 10 secure lottery
charter in North Dakota has had the eff J
feet Of tilliug the press Of this country
with much mislnforma ton. Among
other TIL, gs it has been said that the
LOUISIANA Lottery, knowing that it was
Impossible to secure an extension of it's
charter in Louisiana, mad determined to
make preparations to withdraw from
the STATE, and for that reason had sought
to secure charter elsewhere. Few peo-
bile in Louisiara who have watched the
current OF events thought for moment
that the Lottery company had the slight
es- idea of abandoning the State. They
regarded the attempt TO secnre charter
in Dakota only as means to ges better
terms at home aud q provisioa against
possible failure TO secure q renewal Of
the franchise.
Il has also been charged that the Lou
isiana Lottery Company VIII now try 10
buy an extension Of its charter through
th- State Legislature, and Will offer 10
retire she State debs OF $l2, 600, 900 for
twenty live ysals' lease Of corporate
life.
There is, at far as can learn, 40 such
proposition to be made, The Legisla.
turs Is absolutely povcrlesa ia the nat-
ter. The people of Louisiana and they
alone cau extend the charter. The lot
terry was chartered in 1858 and it's fran
chise does not expire until 1895 In
1879 the Legislature, in the exercise OF its
| police power, abolished the lottery, but
before the Legislative Act went into effect
constitutional convention met. The
lottery question was taken up in that
body, aud ma jorlty of the members held
that the Legislative Act was unconstitu-
tional, inasmuch as it violated a con-
tract.
A paragraph was, therefore, inserted
in the new constitution continuing the
lottery until its chatter 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 l, 1895, no lot
teries we're permitted to exist in the
State. There was an acrimonious debate
on this proposition and recriniustion
among delegates to the Convention, but
it was finally embodied in the Constitu-
tior of the State, voted on by the peo-
pie and adopted. So the Legislature is
powelless in the matter further tbau tc
submit con.titutional amendment tc
the people. 1t will require two-thirdE
vote to do this.
The next session Of the Legislature.
| which must act upoo the mst,erif a re
newal Of the charter is secured, will
meet in May. Its unders ood that the
lottery company will 60 before tha
body and ask that the proposition bt
submitted to the people in the form of {
constitutional amendment tc extend 1t:
charter for period of twenty five years
Thc lottery now pays an annual hc-as'
into the State treasury OF $40, 900. Thl
is set apart for the maintenance OF a char
ity hospital in the city.
WILLING TO PAY.
I am reliably informed that the lotter,
will propose for an extension of its char
ter to pay an annual license ranging iron
S2cO, 900 to $500, 900, the sum thus raiaet
to be devoted to the charitable institu
tions Of the State and to sduca:ioua
purposes. There will be a hard fsh
over the proposed amendment in th
Legislature, but the indications are tha
the necessary two-thirds will be uecure'
aud the amendment submitted to th
people.
The argument that will be used b.
those who will favor the amendment viii
be that in matter Of such Importance
involving the payment OF $4,000, 900
the people should have the rivght to de
cine upon the matter. Those who op
, pose the lottery will do 80 upon purel
, moral grounds, holding that all lotterie
are pcrnicious and demoralizing an
should be prohibited, and the peopl
have virtually passed upon the questl0
by declaring ten years ago that no lottoE
should be established in the State afte
1895. The moral advocates are, as ia
as my observation goes, in a minority
but will make most determined fight
They will have Governor Nichols wit
them. The Executive declared himsel
: within q week as against an extension @
tide lottery charter. The Methodist Con
ference has also declared against it. s
) has the Presbyte!y of Louisiana and tn
. Farmers Alliance. On the other ham
the lottery people will be backed by man
of the largest fnanciers of the city
, most Of the influential politicians
} and by the great bulk of those who Sc
, no harm in buying lottery ticke,
, These latter, it is safe to say, judgin
, from the evidence one sees around him
} constitute d large majority of the popr
lation. So in spite Of the Governor an
the moral free of the religious elemen
I see no reason to doubt that the propo
sision of lottery, with some modification
. in favor of the State, will be submitted
to the people.
; The dis position of the amendment j
more predetermined. The question, if j
is snbmitsed, will not be voted upon uu
I'LL 1000. AZ Vic WSduGiluC uC1
} of missionary work can be done on bot
sides. Nothing is more certain tba
that the opposition will not cease witt
the action Of the Legislature, provided
OF course, it is favorable to the lotter,
company. In fact, such action will onl.
intensif:: it.
This campaign is certain to be one o
the hottest ever fought in the State. Al
attempt will be made made TO get one o
both Of the political parties to deelar
against the lottery in the party plat
form, but it is not likely that either viii
inject the question into its declaration
OF purposes. The Republican part.
chartered the lottery and its representa-
tives have always voted for it, both il
the Legislature and Convention. Th'
Democrats have always divided upon th'
question, the majority beine opposed te
the lottery, formerly on the ground tina