New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06
THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY.
ITS PRESENT STATUS, AND IT'S FIGHT FOR CON
TINUED EXISTENCE AND POWER.

| ITS PRESENT STATUS, AND us FlGHf tOi' CoHS'
TINUED EXISTENCE AND POWER.
New-orlcans, Nov. 23 SpeciaD.-In conversation
| with correspondent the Hon. Euclid Borand TO-DAY
| gave n succnct and comprehensive account OF the
struggle over the Louisiana Lottery Mr.. Borand Is
chairman of the Ways and Means Committee In Tie
State House OF Representatives.. ard Is leader Oh Ie
movement against the lottery company
| "The Louisiana Lottery Company, that curses us
| with It's baneful influence morally pohtlcaly
| and commercially, is not" he said, "a state
| institution as 1t falsely pretends, by pub
| fishing itself as the Louisiana state Lottery Com
many The only connection the State has with 1t IS
the leyyfng OF an annual license tax, totally disprO
pot,oned to the value Of the privilege. Its present.
charter will expire al the end OF 1894, and IL IS seeking
| a renewal OF life for twenty-five years from that
date To this end 1t had proposition to amend our
Constitution which forbds all lotteries after the above
date passed by our Legislature mt its last session.
TO be voted on by people at the next general ecc
ton in April 1892 This proposed amendment re-
oured two-thirds vote in each house, ana was hohy
and stutborny contested at every point, Dut was
finally passed by just the requisite number OF votes
and 10 more in each house. 1t took weeks to get tne
required number but day by day we who held Out,
saw our numbers decreasing and going over to the
majority.
1.-THE lottery company maintained an army OF ioDoy-
lists with a regular bureau which directed the move
ments Of its supporters in the Senate ana House. lhe
conduct Of this lobby and the lottery leaders gave
grounds for charges Of bribery and corruption and such
charges were freely and openly made inc evidences
Of bribery and corrupt practices became so patent and
the charges so open and persistent that felt called on
10 Get and did by introducing resolution OF inquiry
but my resolution promptly voted down Oy Tue
Lottery contingent who had good reason 10 lear tit AZ
least some of their number could not stand the test Oh
scrutiny This was easy, the lottery forces were III
the majority from the beginning. similar resolution
| ipf,,,ducad Ia fhe senate also voted down.
At length the necessary twothirds were obtained
in both bodies, and the bill was sent to Governor
Nichols who vetoed 1t Of course. An attempt was
then made to pass IL his Veto which succeeded IN
the House. but failed in the Senate by the death OF
lottery Senator The senate tlereupOn passed resou-
lion by a majority vote declaring that the Governors
assent was not necessary and the House concurred,
notwithstanding its previous action OF passing 1t over
the veto The next step was the prOmulgauon OF the
bill by the Secretary of State. and upon his refusal The
matter was brought before our supreme Court on writ
of mandamus Again the lottery won by just the one
vote needed. And that one was the vote OF eX-tiov-
ernor Samuel d. McEnery who. from his famous anti
lottery message when Governor, we hoped was on our
side The standing Of the other four judges was pretty
well KNOWN but he doubtful on account OF his
political connection with the leading supporters OF the
lottery.
Note the sequel: S. D. McEnery is now the lottery
candidate for Governor before the convention that
meets in Baton Rouge on December 49, Think Of 1t I!
A Judge OF Supreme Court decides In favor OF
the lottery amendment, and then allows his name and
influence to be used by the supporters of the lottery
as a candidate for the highest Office in the state.
If there be no connection between the decision and
the apparent reward, decent regard for convention
aities and judicial seenness should have forbid
den it,
Democratic primaries now being held through.
out the state for delegates to the nominating con
vention. This convention the lottery Is sparins
Iyun,v that tharu an anil
lottery plank will be put in our state platform The
primaries were held in this city on November 10,
and the lottery carried every ward 1870 delegates, by
the most lavish expenditure OF money, false registra
ton papers and repeaters To gain this end the lot
terry Joined hands with the corrupt old ring OF city
bosses that we drove from power nearly four years
ago Our only hope now is the country parishes.
Had / time / could describe how every amend
ment offered to the lottery bill was Systematically
rejected though framed solely in the interest OF and
TO protect the state how this cunnngly drawn instrl
ment dives everything to the grantees for most made
ouate compensation, and leaves the State powerless
TO enforce compliance for any failure their part;
how ingenously IT is worded to catch the votes OF
all classes ana mslead the unthlnkng masses. IL
is well the note OF alarm has been sounded, and thai
the other States awakening TO the danger, for,
knowing the prccariOus tenure OF It's privileges. which
are not vested rights but simply license, revOcabe
Mt the will OF the donor, without compensation, the
lottery has continuously meddled in and largely in
1uenced politics In this State, and now seeks to dom
male Them and should Il succeed in intrencng itself
behind our constitution 1t will prey upon the resources
OF our sister commemorative since II boasts that
90 per cent OF It's revenue comes IRON without our
twenty eight TO thirty millions per annum. You may
look to IL take hand soon in National politics,
a. Il has grave 10 fear danger from that quarter
the postal law having already dealt 1t a telling blow.
II ii Is not baked now, you may, ere long, expect
TO see ito lobby around the halls OF Congress, backed
by It's corruption fund OF mlllions-Senators and Con
gressmen are but men,