The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-11
The Press Cannot Urge the
People to Obey Laws That
1t Violates.
VIEWS OF JUDGE MORROW
The Vice That Has Made MANY
~ Men Poor and That Keeps
Them So.

advertisement lnntne columns or the GALL;
whether it pays or not, whether it is liked
or not, the new departure is permanent
fixture. The policy of the paper in regard
TO the lottery and its advertisement was
clearly outlined in the following editorial
which was published few days ago:
The proprietor of the CALL is informed by his
subscription agents that a few persons have
quit taking the paper because it does not pub
nsh the lists of winning numbers in lottery
drawings. We would much rather not have
any of our readers state this as reason for not
taking the paper, for we should prefer to be-
lieve that all of them agree with US in regard
ing lotteries as an evil to every individual who
has dealings with them, and to every cOmmu-
nifty which tolerates their operations. We
should prefer to think of every member of this
community that he has so high regard for
himself and for the moral and financial welfare
OF the city and State as to be proud of the ex-
-istence here OF q great newspaper which has
the courage and the sense of duty TO denOunce
the sWindling and corruption which lotteries
represent. We should be proud to be able to
announce that the CALLS opposition to this
shameful evil is one of the very reasons why
every good man and woman in the community
supports it with subscriptions.
If there are any readers of the CALL who
Imagine that it will publish anything of de-
d. grading disgusting or otherwise injurious ma
;ture they VIII be disappointed, for this paper
:: is not published in the interest of anything
that is low and corrupting. If there are any
of our readers who, in spite of our pleadings
ghd warning, still insist on buying lottery
tickets, they can easily procure the lists of
winning numbers from the agents who sell the
tickets, and at the same time can be taking
clean, high-class paper, which gives all the
legitimate news without regard to the cost,
and which is devoting all of its energies not
only TO the protection OF the community against
wrongs, but also to the promotion of those ma
terial enterprises which develop the resources
OF the State and contribute to the happiness,
security and prosperity OF our people.
The CALL has good reason to believe that
the public approves its course. Many of
the leading clergymen Of the city, men
that are revered by many and respected by
all, have expressed their views on the sub
= ject, and without an exception these views
are.indorsements of the papers policy.
Judge W. W. Morrow of the United
States District Court expressed himself as
::tollows on the subject of lottery publica-
**'tioRs IN newspapers:
-I.fhink that the course of the CALL in that
respect is one of the most important depart
.ufes have observed in some time. The United
STAGES Government has been legislating and
6n9eaVOrlng with the statutes enacted to pre-
vent the distribution through the mails of
matter relating to lotteries, and believe that
. this course meets with the approval OF all the
best people. am oTten called on 10 instruct
5uries called TO try poor men for sending lot
terry matter through the mails and it looks odd
TO step out OF the courtroom alter trying one of
those cases and find the lottery business fully
presented to the public in the newspaper OF
course there is nothing in the law to prevent
newspapers from publishing this matter pro-
Yided that they do not circulate through the
what they do is contrary to the well-known
and well-defned policy OF the Government.
The Rev. w. D. Williams of the Plymouth
Congregational Church said:
I believe that it is just as reprehensible for
the newspapers to publish the lottery adver-
tisements as it is for the dealers TO make use of
the mails TO circulate such matter. The news
papers are supposed to be the natural safe
guards Of commercial integrity. Evasion and
1ndIectlon are just as bad morally as direct
violation of laws, because the moral delin-
quency is in the intention. We ministers do
not believe in lotteries at all, and am sure
that that IS the position OF most OF the public.
! am satisfied that lottery gambling is a very
widespread evil. I have had many means of
knowing OF the harm it does among the very
poor people. The newspapers have a CREST
power Tor good or evil by their example, and
In this case do more harm than could be done
by all the ticket-sellers and others interested
in the lottery business.
Rev. George E. Walk, rector of Trinity
Church, asked his opinion of the move
, 'ment against lotteries:
MY opinion on the subject Of newspaper
refusing to print any matter relating to lot
.teries can be sta ted in q very few words. 1t is
that there should not be any such publication.
= ! AM pleased 10 know that the CALL has made
q movement in that direction, and hope that
all the papers will do likewise. There is
: great deal of harm done by the printing of
such matter for it demoralizes the people OF
the country. Charles NJ. Shortridge is to be
commended for the stand he has taken in this
matter, and he viii maintain IL. No good fol-
lows the pubnclty given TO Lotteries or any
other kind OF gambling, and everything that
can be ought to be done to discourage such
publicity.
Rev. DR.. Ollie of the Central Methodist
Episcopal Church expressed himself in
few words when asked about the move
ment against lotteries. He said:
The CALL is to be congratulated on taking
the initiative in suppressing lottery advertise
=ments and every right-thinking person will
commend 1t for so doing. There is too much
gambling going on in this community, and too
much lottery Everything that can be done to
stop such wrong should be done, and the re-
iusel 10 print advertisements of this class is
:one way 10 stop It. In our church have fire.
quently preached against this evil, and have
sAown the young men the bad influence of
having anything to do with lotteries.
The Rev. NJ. J. Furgeson of the Christian
Church is strongly opposed to lotteries of
all kinds. On this subject he said:
1 gratifed to note that the CALL has
started q movement against the lottery, which
l consider the most pernicious form of
gambling. 1t is demoralizing, and infiicts
great hardship on many people, who could use
= the money spent in that way for better pur-
poses. II has been matter of establishment
TO me that people who declare that they abhor
gambling with cards and the like can deal in
lotteries. | am at loss to understand how
they can reconcile their actions with their eX-
pressed opinions.
have noticed that the attention of the minis
tiers has been called to this matter, and be-
.lieve it is right. l am opposed to lotteries in
every shape-out of and in the church. do
not believe that such means should be resorted
to in order to raise funds for the church.
Money for that purpose should be raised by
contributions. II every one who attends church
donated in proportion to his means, churches
would not resort to raff1es and schemes of that
kind to raise funds. / have preached against
lotteries, and will say that newspapers should
not print anything in regard to them. ! am in
full sympathy with the CALL in its movement
against this kind of gambling.
The Rev. w. H. Moreland. rector of st.
Lukes Episcopal Church, in speaking of
the CALLS movement in regard to lot
teries, said:
l rejoice that the CALL has decided not to
publish anything that will advance the in
terests of lotteries. The refusal to publish
lottery advertisements is q step in the right