The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-17

W494@4 RA4 RO9S6N W. A
q certain portion of the sum paid IN
monthly will be set aside to represent
the proceeds of the concern, tand
Justify the use of so degrading &
method of obtaining money. Probably
it might be supposed that "a per cent.
per annum, or 2 per cent. per month,
would be a fair return in this way, the
system being entirely free from risk.
This would amount to $4,000, or say
Sic, 900 monthly.
"Those. who manage the lottery are
not content, however, with any such
sum as this, which would leave $4S0,
900 to be distributed in prizes. They
distribute $2l5, 900 less, the total
amount given in prizes amounting to
only $265, 900 If the 100, 900 tickets
are all sold-and it is said that few
are ever left-the monthly profit on
the transaction is not less than $225,
900 or As per cent. on the total amount
received per month. This would cor
respond 10 $40 per cent. per annum if
it were paid on a capital of $4,000 900
But in reality it amounts to much
more, as the lottery company run no
risk whatsoever. The Louisiona Lot
terry is a gross swindle, besides being
disreputable in the sense in which all
lotteries are so. What would be
thought if a man held an open lottery,
to which each of one hundred persons
admitted paid SIS, and taking the sum
of $500, thus collected, were to say:
The lottery, gentlemen gamplers,
will now proceed; $265 of the sun be.
fore me l will distribute il prizes as
follows Indicating the numbar of
prizes and their several amounts1; the
rest, this sum of 1886, which l have
here separated, 1 will put into my
own pocket [suiting the action to the
word for my trouble in getting up
this lottery The Louisiana Lottery
is a transaction of the same rascally
type, not rendered more respectable
by being on a very much larger
scale"
If a scheme like the one thus de
scribed has succeeded during twenty
years of existence in taking from the
people of all the States of the Union
a vast sum of money annually, that
fact alone ire sistibly calls for such
action as will as render the spoliat, on
no longer possible in the uture.
The recent postal legislation forbid
ding the use Of the United States
mails to lotteries, whilst accomplishing
a benifcent purpose, will no. alone
prevent the continuance of the wrong.
Nothing could more completely prove
this than the fact, that despite this
legislation, the Louisiana Lottery Com
pany is now pressing in the State of
Louisiana the adoption of an amend
ment to the constitution authorizing
the continuance of a lottery charter
for tue periol of twenty FIVE years,
and that in order to secure Ills charter
it offers the sum of $3.50, 900 per
annum to the people of that State dur
ing the twenty-five years. This cor
poration, or its main promoters, there
fore, despite the postal Legislation,
considers that the field of its operation
will be so wide thai it is willing to pay
for the privilege of carrying ON its
illegal business tbs large cum above
named.
The reasons which it urges for the
adoption of this amendment or re
charter for another quarter of a cen
fury serve to demonstrate the absolute
necessity for Federal interference to
protect the other Sta .es of the Union
from its illicit business. One O: these
reasons, recently published in q paper
emanating from an organization hav-
ing for Its purpose the pressing of the
adoption Of the amendment, has the
har iihood to urge that as a sum of
money is paid every year by the PEG
pie of Louisiana to the General Gov
eminent under the internal revenue
sy stem, and by way of taxes on i'm
ports, the re charter of thr lottery
will enable the people OF Louisiana to
get back from the people of the other
States, in part, the sum of the taxes
paid by the people of Louisiana to the
Federal Government. Or, in plain
English, the people of Louisiana are
invited to sanction this great wrong in
order that they may obtain from the
lottery company a part of the money
which that company will illegally flch
from the citizens of the other S a es,
and that thus the people of the State
of Louisiana will practically avoid the
consequences of Federal taxation.
The cool and cynical efronery of
this unique proposition to Offset taxes
by a participation in the profits OF lot
terry gambling is so Incredible that we
beg to give the very words of the
proposition. They are quoted from a
document issued by an organization
known as the Progressive League"
which is flooding tie State of Louis.
| lana with ita ranars In favor Of tho