European Lottery Epidemic Spreads Amid Bank Relief Schemes
A STRONG lottery epidemic seems breaking out in Europe; the French Exposition has been followed by one in which all France has been interested. An effort was made to establish a lottery in Glasgow for the purpose of relieving the unfortunate shareholders of the City of Glasgow Bank. The amount collected for their relief was only about $1,800,000, and it was proposed to raise $30,000,000 by lottery. The scheme at first met with much favor, but the opposition of influential ministers and members of the Scotch churches has prevented the execution of the plan. So many other schemes of this kind have been devised for relieving shareholders of insolvent banks that the British Government has been obliged to interfere, and to threaten those engaged in them with prosecution. There would not be much danger in this threat unless there is some difference between British laws and ours; for lottery dealers here openly advertise and carry on their illegal business, in spite of indictments, right under the eyes of the District-attorney.—Christian Weekly.