The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-08-30
a SCANDALOUS SCHEME.

1t has been common talk in
Honolulu for some days that bill
was to be introduced into the Leg
islature providing for the estab-
lishment Of an international lot
terry. Yesterday Rep. White gave
notice of such a bill. AS the
ADVERTISER does not enjoy the
confidence of the member from
Lahaina, we are unable to lay be-
fore our readers the precise con.
tents of his bill. If street talk is
to be taken for gospel, however,
they will include a bride to every
interest in sight. In any case it
is safe to assume that the details
of the bill partake of the moral
quality of its general object, and
that is bad, and only bad.
The State of Louisiana has just
emerged from a struggle with the
great lottery which had fastened
itself upon its institutions, and had
laid a deadening hand upon all
the virtue, honesty and indepen-
dence of the commonwealth. In
this struggle-which was a deadly
one--it was not only generously
assisted by many contributions
from without, but was supported
by the moral sentiment of the
whole nation. Yet the victory was
hardly won. If this corporation
was thus able, throughout a long
series of years, to paralyze the hon
esty and independence of a great
State like Louisiana, how much
more complete and deadly con-
troll would it, or any similar organ
ization, be able to exercise in little
Hawaii ? If Louisiana was only
able to rid herself of her monstrous
disgrace after desperate struggle,
what will our chances be ? The
fact is, that the establishing
of a rich, powerful and unscrupu-
lous corporation like the Louisiana
lottery here, would mean political
and moral death to this country.
The consequences of such an estab-
lishment would be disastrous in a
thousand ways; good from it
there would be none.
The moral sense of the most adj
vanced nations condemns gam
bling as wrong. One does not need
to seek any religious sane
ton for the condemnation of
the vice. Scientific ethics con-
dennis it as evil and pernicious.
Common sense tells every business
man, every practical man, that the
practice of gambling is injurious to
character and demoralizing to
sound habits; that it decreases
trustworthiness and impairs the
growth of those virtues Of industry
and prudence which are the foun-
dation of all material prosperity.
There is no form of gambling which
entails such widespread evil as
the lottery, simply because it is
not tied to single place or occa-
sion, but invites the whole people
to participate in the game. 1t is
true that lotteries are tolerated on
the continent of Europe, but the
fact is one of the grievous blots on
the civilization of the continent,
and the healthy moral sentiment
in that part of the world, as in the
United States and here, is unit
in condemning them. So, too,
Europe abounds in celebrated
gambling bells. The fact that it
does, however, proves simply how
hard it is to resist the gamblers
bride, hut hardly shows that gam
ing is a good thing.
1t behoves the honest men OF
this community to be up and
stirring. They must set their faces
sternly against the gamblers short
cut to prosperity, and resist every
attempt to bride the Government
and enrich the country by such de-
lusive as well as dishonest means.