The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-25

account
its partner, and protects itself against loss
Inserting in its wheel the uusold tickets. if
are any, so that the prizes OF those tickets
aie tnen paid to itself. This is surely a good
o.slness Tor men who would ACQUIRE wealth
without risk
tsesenth-It IL charged that the lottery is
Hauoulent institution How can a conoern
which brides men to be false 10 tba,, ostbs IN
sahinister the laws for the interests of the state
NO" can such concern be trusted 10 conduct
s own business, In the giving OF prizes accord
rug 20 justice? How is the public to know that
s.e men VINO receive these prizes are not work
az ~ sns company company that refuses
"a ihsestigation of its books, that breaks the
laws OF God and of man, that keenS legfsIstors
~ i1s pay, according to the universal testimony,
- 10y 70 De trusted to keep any of its promises
sutn-Oppositon TO this company at the
present time will do more than anything else
=. can 90 TO break up the solid South Both
~. ciasm 10 desire the freedom of the bal.
10y anu an honest count. We may be- sure that
AZ the spring election the governor of Louisiana.
,, 80 - au sntl-lottery man, win see 20 IL that
oiacxs and whites of both parties haya an opnor-
sunity 70 vote ss they wish The blacks of
louisiana are said 10 be in control of the lot
80 purse. But II is also said that If they
knew what Northern men think on this subject
tney will not so easily be bought IL IL csn ha
.naoe 70 appear to them a matter of patriotism
- opPose the lottery many will oppose IL who
other"ise would be careless aud allow the usua,
- 70 sway them. 1t is in our power by agita
ton 10 wipe this scourge away II the people
- tna' oevoted state learn that millions OF
nearts seek their release from bondage. If they
nave SUFFICIENT funds to carry forward an ar.
sressive campaign the result cannot be doubted.
Ninsn-opposition to the lottery is a national
issue. In Louisiana the company saws to the
people: why do you oppose the lottery here?
me money that supports it comes from other
states IL Is Tor your interest tovote for 1t, and
AVOID heavy taxes" But in the North the COM
pany says: "what right have Won to he med
Jung In the affairs of Louisiana? Arc you your
orothers keeper? This is thing that does not
concern you" Thus, in reality the company
i'sen can be convicted of saying that matter
concerns the whole country By the eompany's
admission more than 90 per cent of the whole
snouht collected by 1t comes from outside the
state Hence, 1t is a subject that nearly con.
Germs as. But much more money is taken from
tne pockets OF Louisiana people than the entire
amount promised as gigantic BRIDE to the
state. The daily drawing in the city of New
orleans alone amounts, 1t is said, to about
s.,uU0,ooO IN the year. We have an interest in
tnis matter, that the resources of this section
snail not be drawn upon TO enrich one or two
INDIVIDUALS who already enormously
wealthy.
Tenth-But last and principally we oh
lecf to the moral influence of the lottery.
BODY.
out the temptation to gamble is an intoxication
OF the mind. 1t is q twin vice with intemper-
anee. Each helps the other on. The influence
OF the gambling spirit 10 abroad Men who are
fuIi OF zeal, but not discri minating In Judgment
say that the purchase OF corner lots for specula-
tion is gambling. But the experience OF hun
oreds OF years shows that the purchase of rea-
sonably well located lots in large cities repays
the investors invariably, with at least fair in
terest, alter period of years. The gambling
spirit as applied to grain speculations is not so
nearly misnomer. But aside from these
doubtful matters, there are enough manifesto
lions OF the real gambling spirit to make every
one OF US crusaders against the evil as against
the drink habit 1t has been found in Louisiana
that the gambling spirit has debauehed the
moral tone OF the state. This spirit has found
wide field among servant girls SO that rep
utabie judge declaring pilfering OF market
money to buy lottery tickets widespread evil
Aged women. in want, facing the gates of the
grave, hold out in trembling hand their last
quarter in the delusive hope of obtaining the
means for comfort In old age And the raven
GUS agent goes about devouring the earnings of
the widow and the orphan This aspect of the
evil 10 more humiliating than anything else to
the good people of the lottery state.
Now these evils are too apparent to permit
even the disposition TO deny them among
people who have aseertained the facts Even
In Egypt there are arguments against gambling.
The old argument that thoy cannot be
enforced applies equally to the law against
breaking the seventh commandment Men
forget that the enactment of just law, founded
on the moral sense, deters many from commit.
ting crime. Unless the law of the state of
Louisiana 10 changed 1t will have after 1898 a
more stringent clause against lotteries than the
state OF Washington. Our constitution says:
1.-THE Legislature shall never authorize any lot
terry" The statute law SAYS: Every person
~ N bal ael1 kots sv,
any lottery, for the division OF property 90 be de-
termined by chance, or shall make or draw any
lottery or scheme for division of property not
authorized by law, on conviction thereof shall
be fined in any sum not exceeding $500; pro-
vided, that nothing herein containei shsll apply
to any property for charitable purposes"
Now ] beg you TO notice that under this prec-
ious law the Louisiana lottery could openly do
business In this state provided 1t sent dollar
year to hospital
The Christian people OF this state do not, I be-
lieve, need this special license to gamble OF
course on the face OF the law 1t appears that the
legislators were so anxious Tor the freedom of
the churches and charitable organizations that
they granted them liberty to do what they have
made crime for Others. But the law is too
fiimsy piece of tissue 10 deceive anybody, or,
ii its intention is good, 10 hinder any man or set
of men from gambling. am crediby informed
that lottery tickets are sold in this city am be-
young men have been ensnared in the vice. In
an institution not a thousand miles from Seattle
six young men were suspended for freQUenting
gambling places. There are not two positions
to be taken on this question. The sentiment of
the community cannot be doubted The police
of this city can close the gambling houses. Why
don't they do it? We have heard men in au-
thority tell US why, but their words were ex-
euses, not reasons. IL is nonsense to say that If
we furnish the evidences they will arrest the
men, They can obtain the evidence, and as men
who have sworn 10 WORK for the advantage of
this city IL is their business to obtain the evil
dence A man in whose hands the power is 1
have heard confessing that there six gam
bling places here.
But do we need 10 ferret out such places?
Some of the merchants vie with one another in
schemes which they call drawings, 10 obtain
custom. 1t Is not a question whether these
schemes are contrary to law, for were they ille-
gal the slightest change in their terms would
make them legal The question Is whether we
shall permit this practice to go on unchallenged.
IL il becomes evident to the merchants OF this
CITY that the sentiment of the community is
against them, they will cease TO adopt such
schemes. II seems easy to make it appear that
we are so opposed. II every lady who makes q
purchase does so as far possible where these
Objectionable methods are not used. or II III case
a purchase is necessary where these methods
are used she refuses TO take these bats for Gus
tor. she viii do much toward toning up the
sentiment of the community The papers are,
edi,orially. with Us, or at least we believe so.
One other thing let us do Let ne endeavor 20
blot from our statute this shameful proyiso
which makes churches licensed gambling
places The churches oil this state may be poor,
but they can afford TO continue so. let us not
4. a. ...F.s F.rn fish