The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-10-28
SHALL WE LEGALIZE
LOTTERIES


Article 3, Section SO, of the Con-
stitu|tion of Maryland says: mo
Lottery Grant shall ever hereafter
be authorized by the General AS
sembly."
The 1885 General Assembly pass
ed Chapter 463, introduced by Sen
ator Wyatt which submits this sec
tion-to the vote of the citizens at
the November s, 1888, election.
The Maryland Civic Committee re-
quests your cooperation to defeat
this Referendum, now prohibited
either by the Constitution or Statu-
tory Acts of every one OF the AZ
States, including Alaska and Hawaii.
We may as well make up our
minds. Common sense, that rarest
of vitues, is sadly needed. Business
is struggling in quicksand OF prob
lens. The depression is with us,
still with us, yet with us and ap-
parently still to be with us. Billions
are pouring out in pump-priming,
pubic works, relief. Other billions
are pouring out of the same pockets
into the tills of the drink trade, into
the pockets of profiteers in vice. The
ancient moralities and maxims are
suspended, some of them by law,
others by common consent. Having
"cured" the depression by legal
izing a vast trade in liquors, a pol
icy which has reduced CID taxes,
solved the crime problem and ablish-
ed drunkenness ca, we are now led
further on the same road and prom
ised another social solution
through the legalization of lotteries.
1t is time to think. 1t is time to
s1ook at the record" And there is
a record-fortunatel History stands
ready to tell us what the legalized
lottery is, what value it has as an
instrument of public finance, how it
''solves" the grambling problem, and
che results, benefcent or otherwise,
which flow from it's liberation. 1t
has all happened before. All the
needed facts are written in the rec
ord of the world, of Great Britain,
of America. Unless it is true that
the human race is incapable OF
learning from past experience, unless
it is true that every genera ton must
repeat the errors of it's fathers, un-
less Puck was right when he ex-
claimed, What fools these mortals
be-" we find a judgment in history
and render it now-empha tically.
1t is impossible to avoid the con-
clusiOn that many of those seeking
repeal of the anti-gambling laws are
motivated by vindictive desire to
heap contempt upon the moral prin-
ciples of the Protestant Churches.
Their ultimate objective is a radical
change in the fundamental character
of American civilization-its divorce
from the customs and traditions
which have set the pattern of our
living heretofore. In other words it
is only part of struggle to wrest
control of the American future from
"Puritans" and "nativists. The
proposal to legalize lotteries consti-
tutes a distinct departure from pol
icies which for more than genera
ton have recognized in our daily
political life the considered moral
judgment of Americans whose fore
fathers made use of the lottery as
a political and social expedient and
found it anything but good.
These remarks are not an prlorl
Judgment. In the words of the Royal
Commission on Lotteries and Betting
which made it's Final Report in
Great Britain in June, 1888, "All
serious writer's who have recorded
their views upon the subject have
roundly condemned lotteries" There
is not in the United States differ
ence of opinion SO much as diff
ference in motive and purpose.
The lottery as source of revenue
is negotiable, frightfully expensive
and painful to the public because OF
the disappointment and dissatisfac-
ton in general. AS a device to sup
port charities, it still further re-
duces voluntary contributions and
brings charity itself into disrepute.
A lottery automatically increases
the relief problem as its funds are
principally drawn from ignorant
and "shiftless" people. The money
which should be spent for clothing
and food is not only lost to legitimate
trade but must be drawn from the
pockets Of more forehanded citizens
who are burdened with the support
of those who have gambled away
their scant funds.
The churches in the United States
are opposed to the legalization of
lotteries, despite the fact that some
members of all of the churches have
forgotten our historic position.
Is 1t not about time for this coun-
try to return to the principles of
common sense which have been so
fruitful In our history? Shall we