St. Landry democrat., 1891-02-14
The Three Lottery Evils.
Baton Rouge Advocate.

Baton Rouge Advocate.
The anti lottery newspapers nave OPP
posed the recharter of the lottery on three
principal grounds. First, because 1t Is
a vice second, because it is Il monopoly,
and third, because it interfercs i'll poll
tics They have almost been driven
from the first ground 10y the fact that
other vices, much more hurtful to SoCi-
ETY., are licensed by the State and Fed
eral Governments for Il comparatively
small revenue and without any great
restrictions as to the scope of their in
jnry in any direction. This considera-
ton has at least diSarmed that viu-
lent opposition which at first took al
most the form of fanaticism in some
minds, and has called halt that is very
hopeful for calmer consideration and
more moderate methods of dealing with
the question. AS for the monopoistc
feature, it may be said that a vice should
always be brought under the best sub
lection, with two objects in view first,
TO keep it in the best shape to do the
ir,st injury to society, and second, TO
M Ike it pay the highest possible rev.
cliue to society for the privilege Of
protection andexistence. If the lottery
proposition, as it is about to be
submitted to the voters Of LouiSi-
ANA, is in this shape, as practical
proposition, which we believe to be
the case, there is no wisdom in Quibbling
over features that are merely theoretic-
ally wrong, judged by rules that apply
only to legitimate lines of business.
The government of Great Britain, for
example, though favOring free trade in
the fullest sense, mOnopolizes absolutely
the sale of tobacco in the realm, with
good results to society and to the State.
The kingdom OF Sweden, though broad
and liberal in granting liberty to the
people, found it necessary not many
years ago to put the LIQUOR traffic under
governmental ban and it is now practi-
Cally monopoly 10 the hands of those
who control it under legal restrictions
that reduce its evils to the minimum
and raise its tribute Of taxation to the
maximum. The change has been so
beneficial that the vice of drunkenness,
once so prevalent, is now almost un-
known in Sweden, and all the worst fea-
lures of the liquor traffic have been
eliminated. It is the part of statesman
ship to deal with questions as they are
practically presented, and not from the
high technical standpoint of pure NOR
ality that takes no consideration of hui
man nature. We propose to consider
IulS ItdluIc VI tue SUBJECT 1uTlnef ID
the future, and also to discuss the evils
of the lottery and its alleged interfer-
ence in politics. 1t is not expected to
show that the lottery has "divine
mlssion,' but we may show that the
evils will be more than compensated |
for by the immense revenue which will |
be paid for its existance.
1.-THE Item believes that the only way
to take the lottery out of politics is by |
the adoption of the constitutional |
amendment. Strictly a money making
enterprise, it can have no desire to en-
gage in the expensive and troublesome
faction fights except detensively.
Hence ia its constantly threatened posi-
ton, it has assisted Nichols, Or whoever
else promised it immunity from attack.
The proposed contract with the State,
while enormously remunerative to the
public treasury, evidently would be at
the same time a relief to the Company
from eXactions which late disclosures
show that it has been subjected to from
even the most preten tious "moralists"
in our politics. Let the lottery have
the safe legal status provided by the
amend ent, and it can give the politi-
clans hereafter the widest sort of a
berth and very cold shoulder. IN. O.
City Item.