The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-15

| am sure the federation IS IN cordial
sympathy with this work, and though 1t
has its own work already mapped out for
it, l do not believe it will hesitate to take
determined stand in this matter
When questioned as to the legal status
of the case, District Attorney Barnes did
not hesitate to say, yesterday, that he did
not think the existing laws conce ming the
advertisements OF lottery concerns were
adequate or far-reaching enough.
"You might ask me why no indictments
have been brought against the newspapers
that continue to advertise the lotteries"
he said, land | should answer that it is be-
cause the law is insufficient for that pur-
pose. 1t is q sort of ex-post facto law, in
truth, which permits man to have lot
terry tickets III his possession after the date
of the drawing named on them, and also
permits newspapers TO advertise a lottery
after its drawing has occurred. OF course
that was not the intention of the law, but
that is its effect nevertheless. AS the law
stands to-day it would be impossible to
convict a newspaper publisher of adver-
Using lottery concerns unless it could be
proven that the advertisement complained
of mad reference to drawing that had not
yet taken place. And if you will notice
the advertisements of lotteries in the news
papers you will see that all men
ton of any future drawings OF
the concern is carefully avoided in the
made to any but the drawing that has just
occurred. The law should be changed so
as to embrace all mention of lotteries
Then the evil could be stamped out. l
am quite sure of II. OF course, it ought
not to DE necessary to change the laws.
The newspapers should be public spirited
enough TO follow the spirit OF the law
rather than its defective wording. So
great power as the newspapers should
be above taking advantage of a flaw in the
statutes. If the exa mple set by the CALL
were 10 be followed by the other news
papers, it would save the State great deal
of trouble and expense, and go very far
toward stamping out the lottery evil in
this State.
81 do not favor the recommendations of
the Grand Jury to make the selling of lot
terry tickets or the advertising of lotteries
felony, and for the reason that such a
law, am afraid, would die of its own
weight. You could not get the iuries to
send men to the penitentiaries for such an
offense. l remember when it was felony
IN this State to even attend a priZe-fght.
That law could not be enforced. 1t died
of its own weight. 1t is rot necessary TO
make such stringent laws. All that is
needed is a statute that will be able to
stand the test of the Supreme Court so far
as technical flaws go, and then elect Oil
Gals who will enforce the law. To my
mind the lottery traffic is one of the great
est of the gambling evils, and | hope the
present agitation will result in it's eventual
suppression in this CITY,"
Lester II. Jacobs, vice-president of the
Good Government Club said that although
the suppression of gam bling evils and kin
dred vices had not heretofore been in
direct line with the work of the Good Gov
eminent Club he knew the mem berS of the
organization were heartily in apathy
with all efforts that are made toward the
moral advancement of the community.
No one member of the club is author
lied to speak for the whole organization or
attempt to prophesy what actions it may
or may not take in the future" said Mr..
Jacobs. Speaking for myself alone, how
ever, l think that not only the members OF
the Good Government Club, but all we'll
meaning and public-spirited citizens must
appreciate the stand taken by the CALL on
the lottery question. I look at it in this
abiding and law-respecting institution,
and surely If the newspapers OF the
City are not to obey the laws, then
who shall obey them? What a pernicious
example it is to see the daily newspapers
arrayed against the law. Possibly they
think the law is not just. l am not arguing
that question. Let them have the law re-
voked, then, and SO long as the law is not
revoked there can be no excuse for its in
frlngement by such powers for good or evil
in the community as are the newspapers.
And, certainly, the lotteries are great
frauds and very harmful in their effects I
do not favor umptuary laws for their sup
preston, and should not favor increasing
the present penalty to that of an offense
Tor felonleS, but l am in favor of having
the laws enforced, and | think I can safely
say that every member of the Good Gov
eminent Club is of the same opinion"
John NJ. Reynolds, an influential men,
l,nr ~ 4ha ni,-,o I'D
avowed friends of the anti-lottery agita-
ton.
ut really affects the community more
than any other form of gambling, 1 be-
lieve," said Mr.. Reynolds, mot, perhaps,
because the offense is SO heinous in itself,
but because it is such an innocent-looking
vice, because it has the support of all the
newspapers except the CALL, and because
1t is, in consequence. so far reaching and
all embracing in its effects. Peddlers OF
lottery tickets go around from door to door
inducing women and children to buy. 1t
is shameful traffic and should be stamped
out most summarily. l am more than
glad to see the stand taken in the matter
by the CALL. L am sure its influence for
good will be far reaching. l am in favor
of the attitude Of the Grand Jury on the
question, and do not believe the penalty
can be made too heavy to stamp out the
detestab BILE business. 1t has always seemed
to me extraordinary that there should be
such laxity in the matter of selling lottery
tickets and advertising the drawings in
the newspapers in this City.
"In the East and elsewhere the traffic
has been almost, If not quite, e1tinguished,
and l cannot understand why our COM
munity should be SO far behind others in
this respect. If the newspapers would
only do as their contemporaries in the
East do and as the CALL has set the exam
pie in this City, am sure the evil would
be great deal easier to suppress. 1 be-
lleye the present agitation will have bene-
terry evil will be thing of the past. hope
it will, at all events, and am sure the bet
ter element of the community is on the
side of the CALL in this crusade