The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-07
WIPE OUT THE VAMPIRE.
Patriotic Address of the Louisiana
Democratic Anti Lottery Ex-
ecutive COMMITTEES.
The Appalling Magnitude of the
Business, With Profits in
Proportion.
Politics and Press Corrupted and Silenccd
by the Glitter of Its Money-The
Present Fight.

by the Glitter of Its MOney-Tho
Present Fight.
New ORLEANS, Nov. 6.-rhe following ad-
dress to the people of the United States was
TO-DAY issued by the democratic anti-lot-
tery executive committee of the state of
Louisiana:
"Your fellow-citizens of the state of
Louisiana, opposed to lottery gambling and
lottery charters, make to you this appeal
for aid in their struggle with the powerful
gambling co poration, known as the Lou,sl-
ana Lottery company. which is domiciled
among us. but has acquired a footing in
almost every hamlet in the land. That We
have your sympathy we know by the unani-
nous voice of the free press of this coun-
try, which, unpurchased and unpurohasable
by lottery influence, has denounced the in
fanny we are combating"
The committee sketch the nefarious
methods by which the lottery company first
got a foothold in the state, by corrupting
press and politicians by the lavish use of
money, aud then say:
1.-The market valus of their stock in
creased from 1856 per share in 1879 to $1,000
per share in 1890; representing twice the
value of the whole banking capital OF the
state. They have built up the original cap
ital, which was never subscribed, and have
accumulated an nor surplus of I'M
known amount, while declaring dividends
of from 50 to 40 per cent. per annum quito
only one-half Of the net earnings, the other
half belonging to the ~lessees, Howard and
Morris.
"Definite information as to their list of
stockholders, officers, profits and business
affairs cannot be obtained, as they are
strictly concealed from the public. The
scheme of their drawings has increased
from a monthly capital prize of $4,000 to
a monthly capital prize of $3O0,0OO, and a
semi-annual prize OF $60O,OOo. The aggre-
gate of the schemes of the monthly and
senli-annual drawings is the fabulous sum
of $2s, 900, 900 per annum; and the aggre-
gate OF their daily drawings is over $50
600, 900 more. They receive annually $780,
600 from the written policies sold on the
numbers of the daily drawings apart from
the regular printed tickets. They receive
annually about $22,OOO,OW from their
monthly and seml-annual drawings. Inc
schemes of the more recent drawings are SO
arranged that they can sell 70 per cent. of
their tickets, pay 10 per cont. for selling
them. lose all the prizes provided for in the
schemes, paw $1.OOO,OOO for expenses, and
still make 100000 profits per annum:
that 80 per cent of the enormous revenue
of $22, 600, 600 received from their monthly
and semi-annual drawings-a revenue
greater than that of any five average states
in this ~union-comes from the people of
this couptry,who live outside of louisiana:
sd So aJvoo,%au urna THO fACk no an arOu,
ment for its rc-charter by the people of
that state.
Through the purchase of stock by its
stockholders and friends, it has obtained
control of a large portion of the organized
capital of the state. It's strong land on
munity is 30 masterful as to silence the OPP
position of tho cautious. and attract the
support of the timid.
"By the force and glitter of its money
power. it has warped the judgment and
blunted the conscience of many good peo-
pie, making them first apoloaists for and
then DESTROYS of such riches.
TT has captured three-fourths of the
Louisiana press.
SIN localities where it could not purchase
the local press it has started a press of its
own. To emphasize this assertion we state
the fact that the most vehement anti-lot-
terry papers in the state Of a few years ago
are the violent lottery partisans of to-day.
"It is estimated that until checked in its
boastful career by the enactments of the
last congress one-third of the whole local
mail that passed through the Now Orleans
postoflce was lottery mail, and that $780, 900
per diem in postal notes and money-orders
were paid to its s~talking-horse bank"
The present fight is against a proposed
constitutional amendment granting to the
lottery company the practically exclusive
privilege of drawing lotteries in Louisiana
from Jan. l, 1894, in consideration Of the
payment to the state of $31 ,250, 700 in an
nual installments of 81, 25O,ONO.
1.-The statement of this proposition dem
onstrates the enormlty of the crime involved
in it.. These mn seek to purchase q
sovereign state, to convert her territory for
a generation at least, into a gambling snare
for the unwary of this whole country. and
to fitch from them by fraudulent lottery
schemes untold millions.
There are no limitations on this pro-
posed grant. There are no penalties for
it's abnse. 1t ia placed beyond the regI-
latlng power of h elegislature. All amend
msnts tending to prevent the drawing of
fraudulent lottery schemes were voted
down.
'In this momentous conflict, Louisiana is
simply the battle ground where the com
mon interests Of the moral and patriotic
people of these United States are at present
staked. On her good citizens devolves the
duty to bear the heat and burden of the
day This they realize, and this they ex-
pect TO do in all fidelity.
'If the faint of a state organized crime
could be confined within the limits of the
organizing state, the evil, comparatively
speaking, might be small. and the ground
of complaint mainly local; but it is against
the fundamental principles of this govern
ment, and violative of the sacred sisterhood
of the states, that one of their nurnbe,
should, for n plttance of revenue, charter a
piratical corporation, to prey upon the
ignorance, the credulity and the cupidity oil
the citizens of all the others. and station
its creatures throughout the land to violate
their laws.
pending the present campaign in Louis,
lana, We need all the help our fellow clti
zens of the sister states can contribute, ant
this we ask in the name of our common
citizenship. in the behalf of right, and 70
the general welfare of our commonwealth
of %states."
The address is signed on behalf of tn
democratic anti-lottery executive commit
tee of the state of Louisiana by G. Harrison
Parker, &c. Zacharie, Charles Parlange
George u. Johnston, special committee.
KoodIer and periurer.