Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-01-11
A~NTI-LOTTERY ? E

an Appeal recently published in the
Keno Gazette, and signed by about 20.
voters Of the 10000 or more in the
State, calling upon the members of the
legislature to deprive the people of the
opportunity to vote for or against the
proposed lottery amendment. Some
Of those who signed are known to be in
favor Of the lottery. Then the docu-
ment itself contains some glarlng un-
truths.
The first, and main, argument made
IS to the effect that the lottery amend
ment Of twelve years ago was defeated
al a special election at a cost OIL near
ly S25,00o.' To call this a mistate-
ment is putting it rather mild. The
actual cost Of that special election was
$4,000 and there we're fourteen
amendments voted upon of which the
lottery amendment was but one.
Therefore the lottery may be properly
charged with one-fourteenth of that
cost. Now $4,000 is a long way
from $4,000 in the opinion of the
News, and why this misrepresentation
should be made is hardly to be &C
counted for on the claim Of "morality"
or even sincerity.
A special election would actually
cost the State about $4,000 or $l3-
900 divided about as follows: clerk hire
at the polls, $4,000; publication of cleo
ton proclamation, $500: printing of
ballots, $1,000; distribution of ballots
and collection of returns $1,000.
The publication Of the amendment
this time al be done in the Carson
Appeal alone, which is the official or
gan and therefore this part will cost
nothing. There is also a vast differ
ence in printing the ballots with but
two on them. as compared with the
former special election ballot, contain
ing fourteen amendments, and a good
round sum can be, and will be, saved
there. Registration will not be neces-
sary as the law for the last special
election could be re-incorporated and it
provided that registration at the pre-
ceding election was sufficient.
And what are these ~appealists seek
ing to accomplish Are they appealing
to the people to vote against a lottery2
They are not; but are asking the mem
bers Of the legislature to arbitrarily de-
eide against giving the people of Neva-
da an opportunity to express their right
of suffrage.
The lottery amendment of twelve
years ago was defeated by only 852
votes in the entire State, and with
money in against it from the then or
ganized lottery companies Of other
States, in such amounts as to be no.
torious. 1t is a sanguine "appealist'
who can make himself believe that the
people are not now more favorably in
clined toward a lottery than they were
in 1889, and the electors are so equal
ly divided that they are entitled to an
opportunity to vote upon this proposition
else why the anxiety to prevent it from
going to them for a decision2
Tis mistatement of expense and the
known insincerity Of some Of the sign
ers make this appear to be a sort Of a
y'nigger in the w~oodplle,"
Why is it that the Reno papers and
the signers to this appeal are so anx-
ious to prevent the people from exer-
cising their right Of votinga If the peo-
pie desire the lottery they have a right
to have it. There is no superior au-
thority as to how Nevada shall be con-
Quoted. If the people do not want it
they will vote against it and that will
end it.
The people have a right to demand