The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-01-09

The good that has been accomplished and
that viii be accomplished, by Postmaster
General Keys starting out war on specious
swinders can scarcely be estimated. Thous-
ands of men in this country carry on ex-
tensive business with purchasers and clients
whom they have never seen. Their busi-
ness is legitimate and hone st, but it suffers
more or less from a comparison with these
fraudulent concerns which are the object o
postmaster General Keys attack. The
lotteries, tand many other confidence
schemes, that Judge Key has throttled
very truly plead that their business has
been the scource of an immense revenue to
the government, through the Post-Office de
partment. But if this plea was worthy o
consideration, it might be answered, thai
by debauching the mails, and abusing bus
mess confidence would have accrued to the
Government through the channels OF legit
innate business. If men all over the country
whether they want to make purchase, pro-
secute claim, secure a patent or pension
could believe that advertisers do just wha
they advertise to do, business through the
mails would be immensely augmented, anc
the yexed problem of the elimination O.
the superhuous middle man. would be IL
a measure solved confidence would be re-
stored, and much better class of advertis
ers would find the press an indispensable
medium of communication. Judge Keys
work, is not vet completed, but 1t is pro
crossing, and is doubtless already reaching
in healthful extirpation far beyond the So
called firms that he has denuded of powel
to gull greenhorns through the mails.
A gigantic brokers swinde has recently
been unearthed in New York. Some time
ago the attention of the Postoffice Depart
ment was called to circular purporting tC
be issued by Lawrence Il Co., Bankers and
Brokers'" 1t was filled with seductive word:
nd accounts of poor men who had become
suddenly rich through stock specnlations
One instance in particular was given of q
clerk in the Postoftice Department here who
had intrusted 500 to the firm named, and
by allowing it to be continuously invested,
had realized no less than S26 600. The cir
cular was headed with wood cut of a large
building, with several smaller houses by it:
side and the New York custom house in the
distance. On the wall of the large bull
ding the words Lawrence & Co., Bankers
&iBrokers" were conspicuously displayed
Convinced that the frm,i it really EXISTED
was engaged in deceiving the public, the
DEPARTMENT authorized its special agent
in New York to investigate the matter and
report. The result has been to unearth one
of the largest if not the most extensive
swindling concerns in the country.
The list of swindling concerns published
by the Post Office Department is already large
and many additions will be made before the
'weeding- ut'is completed. Meanwhile many
whohaye so far escaped the yigilence OF Judge
Key, are fleeing, of their own accord, from
the wrath to come. A too trustfui public
has been put on its guard, and poor men
and women, who have given their earnings
in the feverish hope of speedy fortune, have
been taught another lesson in the education
that the only way for them lies through in
dustry and economy. Honest advertisers
doing legitimate business, have been greatly
benefited and no reform that has been at
tempted will be farther in reaching in its
beneficent influence.