_PUCK, May 28th, 1890._
Of all the disreputable schemes for illicit money-making that ever
flourished in this country, the Louisiana lottery is probably the most
iniquitous and inexcusable. No agency of modern times has done more to
send boys to the devil, to tempt unprotected women into squandering
their subsistence, and to lure decent men from their daily duty by the
temptation of illegitimate gain. At the best, every public lottery
is a danger to the community; but of all public lotteries of modern
times, the Louisiana lottery is easily the worst and most dangerous.
At no time has it enjoyed the reputation of being even what is known
as a square gambling game. An honest lottery--that is, a lottery
honestly conducted--may be profitable to the people who get it up.
But the Louisiana lottery has never earned the name of being honestly
conducted in any respect. Its only claim to respectability--and it
is the thinnest sort of a claim--has lain in its employment of two
ex-confederate officers, General Jubal T. Early and General P. G. T.
Beauregard as the overseers of its drawings. The fact that they were
ex-officers of the confederate army alone gave these men a right to
consideration. Personally, such adventurers could be bought by the
pound, like a side of pork, for any purpose.
This cartoon appeared at a time when the state of Louisiana was making
a vigorous attempt to rid itself of this hideous disgrace. The attempt
was but partially successful. Dauphin, the original agent of this
infamous concern, is dead, but his successors’ advertisement is still
to be found in certain public prints where everybody can see it, except
the United States District Attorney.
[Illustration]