The record-union., 1891-04-29
THE PROMISE OF AN INFL1cr1oN.

THE PROMISE OF AN INFLICTION.
That brazen infamy, the Louisiana lot
terry concern, has won technical triumph.
The bill proposing amendments to the
Constitution, that if adopted will permit
3 twenty years. renewal of the charter of
the concern, must, says the District
Court, be submitted to popular vote.
The contention was that that the veto of
the Governor estopped the Secretary of
State, despite the passage of the bill over
the veto, from promulgating the PROPOSE
ton of the Legislature, and he taking
that view refused to make the necessary
proclamation. The court DEGREES that he
must make it, and that at the next gen.
eral election it must be voted upon. Two
of the Justices of the District Court dis
sent from the order.
The battle ground is now shifted to the
broad field of the ballot box. With more
than million of dollars at command to
disburse among voters susceptible to the
temptation of bribery, the lottery con-
Germ feels confident of victory. The op-
ponents of the lottery are admirably or
ganized. They have detailed organiza-
tion in every precinct of every parish in
the State. They have four newspapers
of leading character in the chief cities
rendering them efficient aid, and a score
of lesser journals in smaller places. They
have a considerable fund with which to
TO make thorough canvass and prepare
and distribute anti-lottery literature.
They viii be able to place about fifty ac-
complished speakers and men of State
prominence upon the stump.
Arrayed against these forces are those
who believe, or pretend to believe, that
the offer of the lottery concern to pay the
State something like million of dollars
year for twenty years ought to be ac-
cepted as an economic proposition, and
offsets all possible evils chargeable to the
vicious concern. Then there are some
leading politicians of both parties who
have been retained by the lottery; lastly,
back street and ignorant classes of the
cities and the purchasable element. So it
is battle between the devil and his
allies, the Indifferent and the weak, on
one side, and decency, good government
and State independence on the other. 1t
will not be battle royal, for all the right
is on one side, and all the chivalry and
genuine manliness and courage as we'll
But it will be bitter struggle, and we
very much fear that the devil, whose
ammunition has the color of gold and the
odor of bad whisky, viii win.
The moral support that can be pro-
5ected into the fight, in the interest of
decency, from the outside, will not
amount to much. All the praying and
sympathizing that can be done between
Maine and Georgia, and the District of
Columbia and California, from now until
the day Of the election, year hence, viii
not change single vote. Material aid
may be given to the anti-lottery forces,
however. They will need more money
than they can command at home. If ever
the ends justify means, it would seem
that in this case the defense might well
fight the devil with fire, employing his
own agencies to work his defeat. But of
course that cannot be thought of The
anti-lottery people had better go to defeat
with clean hands than to employ any
vicious means TO achieve success.
1t is not improbable that the Louisiana
campaign may lead 10 renewal of 9
proposition upon which all the States
will be called to pass, to-wit, to amend
the Federal Constitution, providing that
no State shall pass laws permitting the
maintenance of lotteries. Seven -tenths
of the States would vote for such an
amendment. Yet it is not desirable &c
give the question the color of even q
peacable revolution. AL the States, with
perhaps but two or three exceptions,
already prohibit lottery drawings, and
even Louisiana few years ago provided
that at the expiration of the present char.
ter, no new lease Of life should be granted
to the lottery. 1t is best, therefore. tc
whip the infamy upon its own soil, il
possible, and before the day of election il
may be found that this can be done. But
the possibility of finfiction of the lottery
concern upon the people of the United
States for twenty years more is no
pleasant to contemplate, and if it can bC