The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-27
PLANS FOR NEW REPUBLIC
Panama Official Opinion Favors
Adjustment Monopolies.
INCOME OF THE LOTTERY
Revenue from Canal Funds, from
Canal Rental, and from Gambling
and Lottery Concessions, Hopes to
Accumulate a Surplus.

and Lottery Concessions, Hopes to
Accumulate a Surplus.
Among the policies which have
been practically settled upon for the
new republic of Panama Is that con
corning monopolies These monopo
lies, or concessions" are as follows
Opium, held by Capp Kon King
two years to run; yearly rental, $40,
| 600.
Tobacco. held by Isaac Brandon &
Bro. two years to run; yearly rental,
5000
Cigarettes, held by Piza Piza; two
years to run; rental, $4,000.
Beef; one year to run; revenue at
$40 per male head and So per female
head, amounts to $150,OOO (No man
allowed to kill his own beef without
this tribute to the monopolist)
Pork; one year to run; revenue at
81 per head amounts to $4,000.
Gambling, held by Pratt & Sey.
| mour; one year to run; rental $4,000
yearly for Panama, $4,000 for Colon;
total 49,. 900 yearly.
Salt held by an Aguadulce con.
tractor: ends in May. Cost Of produc-
ton fifty cents hundredweight:
| sold to Government at Sl.S0: sold by
Government to consumers at 81.
Ice; concessionnaire unable to pay,
30 Government is running plant with
]. g. Duque in charge as receiver;
normal yield Of revenue $4,000
yearly.
Lottery. held by ]. G.. Duque and
stock company; seventeen years to
| run; yields Government , per cent
| on total value of prizes. which
| meant in old canal times 5000. 900 rev
enue yearly, but now amounts to only
500. 900.
Public and official opinion seems to
favor the abolition of all these con-
| cessions except those for the gambling
and the lottery. Holders of other
their trade thrown open to competi-
tive methods. 1t is argued regarding
gambling that to have 1t in the hands
OF one firm 'is better than to have a
roulette wheel on every corner" Such
are the habits Of the people, that to
prohibit gambling altogether is not
considered practicable. Everybody
gambles. except perhaps railway OFF,
GERS and bankers and merchants, who
desire that their credit shall be like
Caesars wife There are two roulette
wheels In Panama and two in Colon.
One Is In a doorless room on the main
floor Of the chief hotel-or open as at
Monte Carlo. Women do not play. but
those who are travelling through the
Isthmus often enter as spectators.
Either the people have not much
money. or their inclinations are un-
der control. for none of the wheels
flourish. The wheels are uncovered
only In tho evening" and often not
then II there are not enough players
to make 1t appear worth while. Lights
are put out before midnight; in two
weeks one has seen everything closed
as early a. nine o'clock. simply be-
cause there were no players loft.
The lottery has charitable features
connected with It's operation. This.
Is In the case Of the Louisiana Lot
terry. Will make It hard to dislodge IT,
BY law the concessionnaire IL re-
quired 70 give In prizes Ga per cont
Of the money taken In through the
sale Of tickets. Five per cent. must
be paid to the Government, and per
cent. must be paid towards the maiA-
tenancs Of public hospitals. At pres
at th> lott ovrnorta Sour fvaa k~a
pitfalls. Drawings are held In the
Plaza sta. Anna every Sunday At one
O'clock In tho afternoon. A consider
able crowd gathers. A little girl Ii
blindfolded, and from a revolving cy-
Under she draws four numbers. Thus,
II the frst Is 8, the second 7, the third
2, and the fourth 5. the winning num-
Der for the capital prize will be s.725.
There are approximation prizes also;
30 that in each drawing there are al
together LOIS premiums; one for $3,-
900, 1S for $3.50, 9 for $780, 90 for s.,
900 for 80. In case only 5000 Of tho
10000 tickets are sold, the lottery
would lose $42O. But it happens fire.
Quently that the number winning the
grand prize has not been sold. Con-
sequently the lottery is sure to be
profitable to it's operators in the long
run.
Doesn't it take lot Of money from
the very poor?" you ask; and the
Panamanian replies:
"Oh yes; but they would gamble in
some way; and this is a fair game.
Besides, it has given many indivdu-
ais n fortune"