The Colfax chronicle., 1890-12-20

an alien, bayonet-supported Legislature
now grown insolent and tyrannical
through long sufferance, proposes,
through the same corrupt means, to ex-
tort from the pretended necessities OF the
commonwealth another long lease Of DOW
er. This enormous franchise is to be be-
slowed upon a few men, only one OF whom
| is named 1t is to be bestowed wholly
without reference to the rule Of adiuiica-
ton TO the highest bidder which prevails
in all government contracts. It is ac-
companied with no safeguards for the
fairness of the schemes which these men
are to carry on.
Even the reconstruction Legislature,
corrupt. as it notoriously was, in grant
ing the original chatter, pretended to
throw around the exercise Of the franchise
exactions that the scheme should be
honest and the prizes in just proportion
tothe lottery drawing. The franchise now
proposed to be granted to a few selected
and favored men is utterly unrestrained
in any particular, leaving them the fullest
and most absolute power to defraud and
to despoil. Disguised as philathropist
under the mantle Of charity and the mask
Of humanity, it now seeks to purchase
the liberties of the citizen and barter for
the good name and fair fame of Louisi-
ana. For the privile ge OF conducting for
twenty-five years longer grossly fraud
ulent gambling scheme, the estimated
revenues of which approach twenty-eight
millions OF dollars annually, il promises
to pay the State the sum of u million and
a quarter per annum as the price OF her
degradation and shame.
Considering the proposition from the
standpoint of cold and sordid business
TRANSACTION alone. the bare mention of
the comparative amounts it involves
would counsel its instant rejection as
more manifestly disproportionate in
adequate and fraudulent than the prom
ises of gain and sudden enrichment with
which it deiudes the blind victims of its
wheel.
For this meagre pittance it seeks
franchise which in eight years would pass
through its Golfers an amount equal to
the present assessed value OF the agRre-
gate wealth of the whole State. This
corporation once again entrenched in the
organic law, this enormously vast amount
would be used with lavish hand to fortify
beyond successsfui assault it's otherwise
precaritus position. Self preservation
must and will urge it to supremely con-
troll by corrupt means the executive,
legislative and judicial branches of the
State government in order to protect its
proposed charter from attack.
To attain this imperial power it will
serupie at no subterfuge or pretense.
Contributing by it's demoralizing and i'm
poverishing rapacity to a larger degree
than any other known agency in the ruin
ing Of homes, the yrecking OF families,
and the despoilment of the hard earnings
of the poor and the wage winner, it seeks
to pose as q public benefactor by pretend
ed beneyolcnce to the INDECENT poor and
insane. BIZ carrying ON the public schools
with money supplied by a gambling in
stitution, it would, under the prefcxt Of
aiding education, imbue your children
with the principles and lust OF the gambler.
by poisoning the fountains OF their moral
institution. For this purpose it proposes
to contribute the meagre sum Of 81 on
per capita for each educable child in the
State. BY Offering assistance to protect
the alluvial lands from overflow, it pur-
poses to open wide the f1oodgs.cs Of
most insidious vice, and threatens to de-
luge your own and your sister States with
a flood thousand fold more destructive
and disastrous TO the whole priceless do |
main OF good morals.
To the dwellers in the valleys we desire |
to sound the warning that If this lottery |
proposition be adopted, il the people OF |
Louisiana enter into partnershi ip whose |
avOwed purpose Is to break the laws OF |
our sister States, and to levy tribute upon |
their people, all sym pathy and support will |
be Withdrawn from your struggle with |
the flood, and all National aid for levees |
will DO withdrawn.
Bear in mind that the United States
House Of Representatives and Senate who |
nave just voted three and quarter mir
ION Of dollars for improvement Of the /
Mississippi river and building OF leyees,
have unanimously passed a bill excluding /
lottery matter from the mails, and not
sing Q voice, Democratic or Republican,
was raised in defense OF the lottery, the
members from our sister Southern States |
joining In the universal condemnation VI |
this gambling concern.
Beware, lest the outraged American
people refuse to give any fnrtner assist
snce to the levee system il 1t be identi-
bed in their eyes with the gigantic cor
engaged in conducting
business In violation OF their !
laws. NOte, tildt 4 reu9Idl. dtQ TO l1Ouf6l-
ana levees has exceeded 81 100000 in the
past eight years. Note, that in the fifth
Ievee district, Of this amount, over 3l,-
i00, 900 was spent along the Tensas front
more than can possibly be expected to
be. derived from this, pefarious lottery
Bear well in mind that all this govern
ment aid has been given at time when
he sentiment Of the national government
and Of its officers was doubtful as to the
efficacy Of ievees, and when every levee
Dill passed by Congresses prohibited the
of leyee5 with Federal
money. save as an adjunct to the i'm prove
nent OF the chanDeI OF the Mississippi for
purposes of navigation. What then may
ve expect now. when both houses OF Con-
yress, the President and the Mississippi
liver commission, yielding at last to the
efforts Of onr Senators and
and taking lesson from
he experience Of eight years OF obserya-
,oQ and -rivnouf In, aceord rvitt.