The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-06
WHO WILL OBJECT 2

The attorney for the Civic Fedora
ton, is preparing an ordinance for
submission to the Board of Supervisors
prohibiting the publication of lottery
drawings, winning numbers and other
similar information. This is intended to
put check to the evil custom of most OF
the leading daily City newspapers OF ad-
vertising lotteries in manner not prohlo-
tied by existing laws. In an interview
with The CALL the counsel for the fedora
ton made this remarkable statement:
There is no doubt that there will be
some opposition to this measure, but with
the public sentiment which THE CALL has
aroused against the dealers we have every
hope that the Supervisors will bow to pub
lie opinion and pass the ordinance"
From whom would such opposition
come? Surely not from any member OF
the Board of Supervisors, for If IL should
it would be taken as indubitable proof
that such opposition is inspired by an in
terest in the perpetuation of the swlndle
which the lotteries represent. Opposition
cannot be expected from the police, Tor
Chief Crowley evidently is trying hard to
break up the evil, and has repeatedly an
nounced that were it not for the advertis-
ing which the newspapers give the lotter-
les he would have no trouble in eradicating
the evil. 1t could not come from the deal
ers in lottery tickets, for that would be a
confession on their part of indulging in
unlawful practices. Then who would OPP
pose the ordinance?
We can imagine none left except the
newspaper which draws handsome
revenue from the publication of the
advertisements. If they should make any
opposition it will be interesting to see in
what manner they will proceed. Will
they attack the ordinance in their editorial
columns? They can hardly do this
without sustaining the principle of the
lottery and supporting the swindles and
the harm to the pockets and characters o.
lottery patrons which the lottery repre-
sents. In order to be consistent, if they
should attack this ordinance they would
have to assail all the laws existing for the
suppression of the infamous traffic. Under
no system of assault upon the ordinance
| could they evade the necessity for advo
eating lotteries and their swindling and
demoralizing methods on moral grounds
II, however, they should not deem
editorial opposition expedient, they may
think the bringing to bear of persona
and political influence upon the mem Der:
| of the board the better plan. A considera
| ton of some kind must be supposed in G
procedure of that character. Should the
| large revenues which the newspapers re-
ceive from the publication of these adver
tisements be regarded as possible factor
| in the exercise of the expected opposition
| that would apparently mean an attempt tc
! bride the Supervisors. If not this, then il
is conceivable that promises of benefits Of
less material sort might be made, Thi:
could be put in the form either of q
promise of support in some political am
| bition in the future or defense in case an
attack is made in the courts on the integ-
rity of the Supervisors as public officers.
The matter is exceedingly interesting in
ali its aspects, and these preliminary
observations are thrown out to serve as a
possible guide to the forming of an intel
Ggent opinion in case opposition to the
adoption of this ordinance should appear
in any quarter.