St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1891-10-10
OPELOUSAS, LA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1891.
TRYING TO BRIBE A STATE.
From New York World.

TRYING TO BRIBE A STATE.
From New York World
There is to be State election in Loui
lana next April, and the chief issue in th
canvass that will soon be under way is th
constitutional amendment which provide
for renewal of the charter of the Loui!
lana Lottery Company for a period {
twenty-five years 1t is strange thing
see the people of proud commonwealth
dividing upon the question whether the
will give an infamous and perniciou
gambling concern the sanction of a cor
tract with the State for mutual prof
Public sentiment in Louisiana is alread
sadly debauched by the operations of tn
lottery in New Orleans since 1868, but
the naked proposition were presented O
renewing the charter of the company b,
law or by constitutional amendment ther
is no doubt that it would be defeated
The company has acquired much influence
and would not scruple to use corrup
means to affect the action of the Legisla
ture and of the voters, but it would no
| hope to prevail but for the enormous brib,
which it offers to the State itself in tht
contract which the people are asked t.
ratify.
The lottery was one of the infamou.
creations of the Reconstruction" govern
mcut oi LOulsldna III 1905, anu the new
constitution, adopted in 1879, decreed tha
all such institutions should cease to exis
after the expiration of its charter in 1893
As the time of its doom drew near, the
company set to work, not merely to get rid
of the prohibition, but to secure in the
constitution an actual contract with the
State for new lease of life, and it offered
to pay into the public treasury the annual
sum of $1,25OU00 for twenty-five years
To make this huge bribe more enticing,
the purposes for which the revenue should
be used are specified. To.the people who
live in the dread of the overfows of the
Mississippi, the prospect is held out of an
annual expenditure of $350,O00 for levees.
Another $3.50 900 is to go to the support of
public schools, $50 600 for the support of
public charities, $4,000 for pensions to
ing the drainage of the city of New Or
leans, and $250,O00 is to be turned over to
the general fund of the State. Here is an
appeal to sordid sentiment craftily de-
signed to secure support from all classes
of citizens who desire the benefit of the
expenditure of these sums without having
to contribute directly to them by taxation,
and this is the chief reliance of the lot
terry company for obtaining support for its
scheme. Nobody can defend the lottery
itself as an institution, or deny the injury
that is done by it's operation, and all argu-
ments for the constitutional amendment
are based upon the public benefits to be
derived from its corruption fund
This puts the State of Louisiana in
humiliating position, which should make
it, if it yields to the vile enticement. the
scorn of all civilized people 1t has of
late taken pride in its growing prosperity
and its hopeful prospects. 1t is amply
able to provide from the resources of its
people, contributed by honorable taxation,
for the support of its schools, its eharita-
Bile institutions, its public works and It's
general administration and the character
and self,respect of its people would be
fostered by reliance upon their public
spirit and patriotism for the maintenance
OF all public interests. And yet the organs
Of public opinion are stopping to the grove
ling pretense that the State can not carry
On its government without accepting aid
rom gambling concern that draws its
revenues from the weakness and vicious
cupidity of the people. This would be
regarded as an agency for drawing money
oy such vile means from the people of the
State who were to enjoy the supposed
benefit, but the lowest depth of deprayed
moral sense is reached when it is argued
hat by this infamous device the State of
Louisiana will be able to draw a large
hare OF its revenues from the people Of
lic TcSI VI Tic COuIlJry DV panQerlng TO
he gambling spirit and playing upon the
lopes of the poor, the ignorant, and the
eckless throughout the land. Nothing
,ould be more shameless than the avowal
involved in these arguments, and yet they
.re used by nearly all the newspapers of
he State, by public men of both parties, |
md by citizens who deem themselves res
,ectable.
The contest against the lottery is carried
N chiefly by the Anti-lottery League,
which has been foced to establish a news
'aper of its own in New Orleans in order
0 reach the people with its appeals and |
rguments, so thoroughly has the press
,een subsidized by the eerrupting concern. |
here is hope of arraying the great mass
+ respectable and thinking people against
he insidious evil that MANAGES the State,
ut there is a large ignorant and venal
lement in the body polite upon which
he lottery company will work with all it's
over. The sentiment of the country at
arge is undoubtedly strong against the
ottery and all its works, but It is to be
cared that it can not exert any great in
uence upon the action of the people of
.ouisiana in this matter. 1t might, per
APPS, by its unanimous voice shame that
tate into an appreciation of the degrad-
lg position it is in danger of taking
mong the Commonwealths of this Union,
nd awaken some sense of self-respect.