The record-union., 1892-02-05
1T THROWS UP IT'S HANDS.

1T THROWS UP IT'S HANDS.
John A. Morris, the lottery king of
Louisiana, has thrown up his hands.
In circular just issued he declares that
the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States upholding the Federal
anti-lottery postal regulation has sur
prised him, and that he is prepared to
quit" He adds that he is satisfied that
large portion of the people are unalter-
ably opposed to the continuation of the
lottery, and that persistence on his part
would result in continued and annoying
agitation, both inside and outside the
State. He has therefore resolved to
abandon the lottery campaign, respect
the Federal law concerning lottery mat
ters In the mails, and to refuse a new
charter for his lottery, even should the
constitutional amendment permitting it
DE adopted at the approaching election.
II Morris is sincere in this declaration,
and by authority voices the judgment of
MS co-incorporators, it is one of the most
striking cases on record of the power of
public opinion to down viciousness. In
nearly all the Eastern States anti-Iottery
funds are now being accumulated, mass
meetings are held denouncing the lot
terry, and petitions are being sent on to
Washington beseeching Congress to exer-
else Its power, to the full limit of Federal
jurisdiction, to throttle the lottery evil.
All the magazines and reviews are loaded
with essays and exposes in opposition to
the lottery, and not a solitary leading
journal of the great East has failed to take
side against the lottery. 1t is only in
California and Louisiana that foremost
journals are found defending the pro-
posed renewal of the lottery charter. In
short, on no other subject which we can
recall has there been such remarkable
unanimity of sentiment as on this.
The surrender of Morris is, therefore.
either trick upon his part, or is the re-
suit of the pressure of public opinion.
which he sees must soon work the defeat
OF the lottery, though in Louisiana, by
Tree use of coin and the purchase of poll
lcians, he had almost certainty of car
rying the constitutional amendment per
uniting the renewal of lottery life for an
other quarter of century, and though
ne and his co-incorporators had almost an
absolutely safe guaranty of making from
three to five millions of dollars year by
the renewal of their charter.
But we have not faith as vet that
Morris is sincere. His lottery has
three years of life yet in which to
do harm. The constitutional amend
ment is before the people of Louisiana.
The McEnery wing of the Democratic
party is supporting it. and there is no
means OF preventing a vote being taken
upon the proposition short of an extra
session Of the Legislature being held to
lntervene-even if it has now the power
TO do so. If Morris declaration of with
drawal should so much allay the opposi-
ton as to result in the amendment being
adopted, there is nothing to prevent either
OF two things during the three years:
change of mind by John A. Morris-and
political wire-workers are noted for
changes of front-or the appearance of
others of his company, should he with
draw, to claim the rechartering.
The only safe thing to do is to continue
the opposition to the amendment, pre-
vent, if possible, incorporation into the
sub-structural law of the State of a pro-
vision that will give any Legislature of
the future power to charter the present or
any other similar concern. The people
must not be thrown off their guard by
this declaration of Morris, for he is but
one OF corporate company operating the
Louisiana, and his mere declaration that
he will not apply for new charter is not
binding. Indeed, if the company by cor
porate act should file a notice Of non-in-
tention to ask for new charter, there
would be no reason to expect new Board
of Directors to keep faith. If the amend
ment is adopted the ulcer remains; the
only right thing to do is to kill it at the
ballot-box.