We'll address the last question first because it is the one that is being debating most often. While we wish some parts of the legislation were stronger, the package of four laws that would go into effect with voter approval is basically sound.

The state Ethics Law applies to Alabama Education Lottery Corp. officials and employees. Members of the corporation's board of directors cannot have held elective office for a period of five years prior to their nominations. Various other provisions protect against conflicts of interest and self-serving deals.

Although the corporation is exempt from the state merit system, the law sets high standards for both employees and vendors.

The appointment process for board members would have been better if some nominations were made by elected officials other than the governer. However, the staggered terms, the use of congressional districts for seven of the nine members and the requirement for Senate confirmation should prevent the board's being a closed club. Regular financial reports and audits are required.

For the most part, the state's open meetings and open records laws apply. We are concerned about exemptions for ''information concerning bids or other contractual data, the disclosure of which would impair the efforts ... to contract for goods or services on favorable terms."

While this might help get better terms on its contracts, it could also be abused. The legislative oversight committee created by the lottery legislation must keep a close watch to be sure the public gets all the information to which it is entitled.

The lottery corporation would be exempt from the state bid law, but it still must solicit competitive proposals on major procurement contracts. Given the relatively few businesses qualified to fulfill the specialized needs of a lottery operation, this approach may actually be better than following some of the more cumbersome bid-law rules

As with any organization, the integrity of the lottery corporation is dependent on the integrity of the individuals who will operate it. But to the extent that laws can safeguard that integrity, the plan does so.

One concern not addressed by Siegelman's plan is gambling addiction. There is no provision to set aside a portion of the lottery revenue for treating people with gambling problems. It may be that an Alabama lottery will have only a nominal impact on the number of problem gamblers. Still, it is a social problem that ought to be addressed and the lottery is a logical place to get the money to run a treatment program.

Then there is a politicial problem that creation of the lottery will likely acerbate: The refusal of elected leaders to acknowledge the flaws in Alabama's tax structure

If the lottery is approved, politicians will say education has all the additional money it needs, which isn't true but does move us from the lottery's downside to a consideration of the programs it would fund.

First, both in legal priority for funding and in its public appeal, is the HOPE scholarship program. There is much to be said for encouraging high school graduates to attend college or to obtain post-secondary technical training. The scholarship component of the governor's plan is worthwhile. However, we would not put it at the top of our priorities.

Our top priority among the three lottery-funded programs is legally the second, a voluntary pre-kindergarten program. Research is making ever more clear the importance of the early years to childhood development and academic achievement. The pre-kindergarten program has the potential to reach at-risk children who might otherwise become dropouts and future burdens on society. With or without the lottery, this program is worth implementing.

The third lottery-funded program would bring newer technology to public schools. It's a worthy idea, although we would give greater priority to other educational needs.

Aside from the merit of the programs, the strongest argument for the lottery may be that it would keep money in Alabama that now flows to lotteries and casinos in other states. Of course, it would be better for our children if that money were available for their education.

However, the worthiness of the three programs and the desire to keep money in Alabama do not offset our reservations about the lottery being an appropriate way to fund the programs. Even more than sales tax revenue, which follows the economy, lottery income will fluctuate. As a voluntary tax, lottery revenues depend on the whims of those who buy tickets and the competition for entertainment dollars, including out-of-state lotteries and casinos.

American history is filled with lotteries that went bust, often because of scandal, but also because the American people tired of them. How long will the current infatuation last? What happens to the programs then?

Are there better ways of funding the three programs and other educational needs? Absolutely. Any number of taxes could be used to spread the burden of paying for the programs fairly across society.

Are such taxes politically feasible? Perhaps not. For too long state politicians have been spreading the lie that state and local governments have all the tax money necessary to meet society's needs.

Simply requiring every public school system to raise more money through local taxation — particularly the property tax — would do more for education than the lottery because most of those new local taxes would be collected in areas where schools are most underfunded.

Even if the lottery is approved, the need for more local support will remain. As will the need to take several other steps to improve public education. We'd place better teacher training and evaluation and the provision of basic school supplies far above technology on our list of priorities for kindergarten through 12th grade. For higher education, we would place increased direct state funding of university and post-secondary schools ahead of the scholarships and their indirect funding.

However, our biggest reservations are the dependency the lottery would create on fickle gambling revenues and the likelihood that its implementation would further delay fundamental reforms not addressed by the lottery. Given the strength of these reservations, we cannot recommend approval of Amendment 1.

YOUR VIEWS

GOP tax cut is good public policy

THE MAIL

The proposed tax cut was only a small fraction of the increase imposed upon us in 1993 by Clinton and the Democratic congress. The bulk of the cuts didn't actually take effect until the out years and there was a "trigger" that suspended the cuts if the surplus didn't actually materialize. No, this was good public policy and if Americans finally learn the details of the bill, they will be more than a little upset with Bill for his veto and with Democratic members of Congress for not supporting an override of his veto.

Ron Harlan
2045 Shandwick Terrace

Without sin

So, Terry feels it would be "special" for the "Red" members of our country to "fly Old Glory" and say, "I'm an American and damn proud of it!"? I'm looking forward to Terry's next fervent article lambasting those whose ancestors inflicted the unimaginable horror upon our "Red" neighbors. Obviously, Terry is one of "those without sin."

Armond "Si" Simmons
104 Wadsworth Lane
Pell City

Not so common

Your parents, grandparents, teachers and pastors have told you all of your life that these things are wrong and that they will not be tolerated by a civilized society, so not only do you know that these things are wrong, you are aware of the consequences if you commit these offenses. Common sense should tell you don't do it, but obviously, common sense is not so common.

If you find yourself in prison and on a work crew, you know what is expected of you, and if you know in advance that if you refuse to work, you will be attached to a hitching post, common sense should tell you what to do if you do not want to be attached to a hitching post.

The bottom line is this: The Department Of Corrections does not decide to hook you up to the post. The choice is yours and only you can make the decision.

H.C. Hall
4309 Meadowbriar Court
Montgomery

How valuable?

If gays and homosexual lifestyles are to be permitted in our country, then how is the equivalent to murder and other crimes going to be controlled? Just how valuable are their votes?

Henry L. McShan
97 Graymont Ave. West

Value too little

Recently an FM radio station joked about suicide saying that each has the right to kill himself, without mentioning an alternate view, Do we value life? They also laughed at a law against suicide and gave misinformation on life insurance. Do we value life?

When tragedies occur we call sociologist and psychologists to our schools, not God, to help resolve a question. The reason: God implies religion and much of society mistakenly believes this to be counter to our Constitution, It is the freedom to practice religion (First Amendment) that differentiates the United States from all the rest of the world and allows our superiority.

Violence will never end as long as parents and society value life so little. We must not allow sports maiming, suicide misinformation and restriction of expression of religion to continue without comment to our children, government representatives, judges and news media.

John E. Schoen
P.O. Box 100954
Irondale

Fox at henhouse

The Post-Herald's Sept. 4 editorial points out that the militias that rampaged through East Timor were armed and funded by the Indonesian army. But it neglects to mention that the Indonesian army has been armed and funded by Washington for decades.

It was aided by Washington in 1965 when it slaughtered hundreds of thousands of supporters of the Communist Party of Indonesia. It was aided by Washington during the decades of military dictatorship that followed.

The Indonesian army was armed and funded by the United States in 1975, when it invaded East Timor, and during the decades of genocidal warfare against East Timorese independence fighters. And it is armed and funded by the United States today.

The governments of Australia and New Zealand are also accomplices in the crimes of the Indonesian army.

The Post-Herald editorial says, ''The best course would be for Indonesia's regular forces to work with the U.N. peacekeepers to disarm and disband the militias." But ''Indonesia's regular forces" helped their puppet militias to slaughter East Timorese. And the East Timorese are not helpless victims. They are fighters whose determination and decades of struggle — including guerilla warfare — forced the Indonesian government to agree to the referendum on independence.

Evan Roberts
304 Penthouse Drive

LOOK BACK

50 years ago, Oct. 5, 1949:

Former Gov. Chauncey Sparks of Eufaula, announces candidacy for governor in 1950 race.

Hurricane with 100-mph winds hits Houston and Galveston, Texas, driving 50,000 people from homes, causing $2 million in damages and wiping out rice farms in area.

25 years ago, Oct. 5, 1974:

Bluff Park holds 11th Annual Bluff Park Art Show featuring 85 artists and craftsmen from seven states.