The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-02-17
PRESIDENT PoLK's MEMORIAL
TO CONGRESS.
Prohibition of Lotteries.

Alliance ana IuQuSLF1aI OA4OH1 PAoy
ing for the passage by Congress of a
resolution proposing an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States,
prohibiting lotteries. The memorial
which was referred to the Committee
on the Judiciary, is as follows
To tie honorable the President and mem
6ers of the Senate of the United States
and the honorable the Speaker and
members of the House Of Representa-
toes of the Uaited States, composing
the Congress Of the United States:
The memorial of the undersigned,
President ofthe National Farmers Al
lance and Industrial Union of Amer
icL, with respect shows
That on the first Tuesday of De
cember, 1890, there assembled at
Ocala, Fla a convention composed OF
the delegates of the National Far
Alliance and Industrial Union of
America. The convention thus as
sembled consisted of delegates duly
accredited from tw~enty-eight States
and Territories, to wit, Arkansas, AL
ALBANIA, California, Florida, Georgia,
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, Miss
issippi, New York, Nebraska, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Kansas Penn
sylvania, South Carolina, South Da
kota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West
Virginia, Indian Territory, and Okla,
homa.
TLo ooo-or+ioD g oesauob Iad 1nan-
inously adopted the following resolu'
ton /:
"WHEREAs lotteries are most per
nicious in their effects and are de
structive of the morals of the people
as well as of their material interests,
and are condemned by the virtually
unanimous sentiment of the people of
the United States, expressed by the
highest courts of the land and by the
laws of forty two STATES of this Union.
"Whereas the Louisiana State Lot,
terry Company has grown into gigantic
proportions; has become a national
evil; is cole citing an annual tribute of
nearly $28, 900, 900 from the people Of
the United States; is operating its ne
farious business upon a scheme which,
even from the standpoint of gambling,
is grossly unfair; has spread It's agen
cies over the whole country and has
endesvored to lay the temptation of
gambling in the way of every man,
woman and child in the land; and,
unsatisfed by the accumulate On OF the
enormous wealth of which, during the
last quarter OF a century, it has spoil
ated the people of the United States,
now striving by the use of all lis tire
mendous power and uncounted gold to
obtain from the people of Louisiana
an extension of life for twenty FIVE
years from January l, 1894;
"Whereas the recent attempts of
the Louisiana State Lottery Company
to possess itself of the government of
the State of Dakota, and it's unparal
lele1 audacity exhibited to the whole
country during the recent session of
the Legis allure of the State of Louisi.
ana, show beyond all question its
power to make dangerous attacks upon
any State of the Union;
"Whereas it is the duty of the Con
gress o. the Uni ed States to protect
each and every State of the Union
against the great evils arising from
the Louisiana State Lottery Company,
and all other lotteries, and especially
against the tremendous dangers of an
onslaught by the Louisiana State Lot
terry Company upon their governments
for the purpose of obtaining so-calIed
lottery charters, thereby fostering the
corruption of public men and exciting
political commotion of the gravest
character;
"Whereas Congress has partially
performed its duty to the nation by
the enactment of the recent antilottery
law, but the same will prove Intellectual
because of the immense power and
wealth of the Louisiana State Lottery
Company, and especially because of
its determination to violate the law
and the ~subterfuges it is c~ontriving to
evade the same:
Whereas the only means by which
the Louisiana State Lottery Company
and all other lotteries can be efec
tually destroyed for all time, and the
people of the United States relieved
permanently from one of the greatest
evils of the times, and the States made
absolutely secure from attacks upon
their governments by such corrupt
corporations, and the national senti.
ment against all lotteries be material
lied and enforced, is the adoption of
an amendment to the Constitution of
the United States forbidding the
States from establishing or maintain
ing any lottery or from granting any
lottery charter:
Whereas the Farmers State Union
of l. Juisiana has arrayed itself against
the Louisiana State Lottery Company,