Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-09-21
lancaster fntrlligemrrr.
FRIDAY EVENING, SEPT, 81, 1893.
A Doubt.fuI Power.

IL is exceedingly doubtful whether
the power OF supervision over the con-
tents of the mails, claimed by the post
master general, is one which the public
good requires to be conceded to him. 1t
Is certainly desirable that the contents
of the mails should he free from es-
pionage, and that their use by the peo
pie should be free and unrestricted. The
government claims q monopoly in the
carriage of mail matter; and serious
danger to the rights and liberties of The
people is threatened il the postmaster
general is to be permitted to decide who
shall and who shall not have the use oi
the mails.
The late Postmaster General Key pro
hibited the New York and New Orleans
postmasters from paying money orders
or delivering registered letters to the
Louisiana lottery company. Afterwards
the order was rescinded. The present
Postmaster General Gresham has le-
newed and extended it so as to forbid
such delivery to this company at all
postoflices and when the letters intend
ed for it were directed to one of the
national banks of New Orleans he
further ordered that bank under his ban,
declaring that it could not " be permit
ted to stand in the shoes of NJ. \,
Dauphin." Following up the logic OF
this order, everyone, whom the post
master general believed to be receiving
registered letters for the obnoxious lot
terry company, would be refused the
letters sent to him.
Obviously that is tremendous power
with which to invest an officer, exercise
ble at his discretion. If exercised judi
ciously and justly no harm may be done
to offset the good accomplished. But it
is certainly not safe to concedc to the
postmaster general this authority and it
should not be given unless absolutely
necessary.
The necessity for It is said to come
from the need of refusing mail facilities
to unlawful projects. Thus, lotteries
being unlawful, it is said that the United
States mail should not afford their pro
pretors its aid in violating the law
That is true but il the only way tO
avoid this wrong involves the danger
of a greater one, it is better that the
smaller injury should be suffered It is
certainly desirable that the mail should
not be used to forward unlawful designs ;
yet if the postmaster general should
propose TO withhold the delivery of all
law, he would undertake something
clearly impossible to accomplish. And
no sufficient reason can be given why
lotteries should be selected rs the un.
lawful schemes particularly to fall under
his anathema. II is true that they are
more readily reached by him than are
better concealed schemes of lawlesSness;
but for this reason also, they are more
readily reached by the police,
Unlawful projects should be attacked
by the officers of the law : not by the
postmaster general. II is wholly uunpC
essary for him to raise his hand. There
is no need TO conCede him the very dan
gerous power of directing who shall aud
who shall not use the mails 1t is al
invasion OF the duty Of the officers VII,
are especially designated to correct Grim,
and arrest and punish criminals. Whcr
lotteries are unlawful those who are eu
gagged in them should be arrested by tn,
Jaw. The postmaster general KNOWN.
of the crime may properly disclose til,
criminals to the officers Of the law; bu
he need be given no power himself t.
convict and punish them.
Tie Louisiana lottery, however, hap
pens to be lawful scheme in Louisiana
where its business is done. It's officers
there are therefore not punishable by til,
law. Neither then should they be pun
ishable by the postmaster general /
no law exists in Louisiana TO punish lot
tery dealers, wherefore may the pOstmaS
ter general be permitted TO lay his han,
on them there Certainly not because
1t is unlawful in the state from whCl
the letters come because there is thc
place in which to invoke the law.
1t certainly seems a safe doctrine t
declare that the law and its officers arC
sufficient for the suppression of crime
and that the postmaster genera! shouC
not interfere in the work unless he il
summoned by the officers Of the law t,
their assistance.