The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-12
BECAUSE IT rs RIGHT.

The cordial commentator given to the
CALL by the pastors of the churches of all
denominations, for the stand it has taken
in opposition to lotteries, should not be
overlooked by any citizen who has a re-
gard for the welfare of the City and a
knowledge of the extent to which the lot
terry evil has been developed.
That the course taken by the CALL in re-
gard to lotteries entails loss of money is
well understood. That, however, is but a
minor consideration which need not en-
gage the attention of the average citizen.
1t is of more general interest to know
that the CALL, while losing money itself in
the loss of the advertising patronage of
lotteries, is engaged in saving money for
the people by continually warning them
against the enticements of the insidious
evil. If it could be made known how
many people have been induced by the
CALL to save the dollar they would other
wise have expended for a lottery ticket, it
would doubtless be found that the money
saved to the City and the people in this
way would far outweigh any loss that oc-
CURED to us, and to effect this great gain
we are perfectly willing to forego anything
that might have come to US for advertising
the lotteries by publishing their lists of
winning numbers.
The moral aspect of this question, how
ever, is of far greater importance than that
seen when looked at solely from the stand
point of economy. This truth was forci-
bly, emphasized by every one of that noble
company of the pastors of the City, whose
words we published yesterday. These men,
representing all denominations and occu-
plying the foremost pulpits of the City, are
from the very nature of their calling
trained to judge everything by its moral
effect and its tendency to promote vice or
virtue. The undivided consensus of their
opinion is that the tendency of lotteries is
distinctly evil and vicious as well as vast
full and foolish. The man who INDUCES in
the practice of buying lottery tickets not
only wastes his money, but encourages in
himself desire to get something for moth
ing that sooner or later develops passion
for gambling and ruins the moral fiber of
his character.
Weighty, grave and serious were the
words in which the pastors expressed them
selves in regard to the great evil. To their
solemn significance an added weight was
given by the opinion of Judge W. w. Nor
row of the United States District Court.
Speaking the sentiments of a humane man,
as well as those of a just Judge, he said:
The United States Government has been
legislating and endeavoring with the
statutes enacted to prevent the distribution
through the mails of matter relating to
lotteries, and I believe that this course
meets with the approval of all the best
people l am often called on to instruct
juries called to try poor men for sending
lottery matter through the mails, and it
looks odd to step out of the courtroom after
trying one of these cases and find the lot
terry business fully presented to the public
in the newspapers"
Of course, the newspapers that publish
lottery-lists do not violate the letter of the
law, but they do violate its spirit. They
are, therefore, to be justly condemned at
the bar of public opinion for encouraging
a contempt for law as well as for morality
and economy. Such a course should not
be continued by any journal that aims to
be a great newspaper. The CALL, in its
devotion TO legitimate journalism, gladly
places itself on the side of the churches,
the courts and the savings banks, and
urges in opposition to the lottery the cul-
tivation OF morality, law and thrift.