Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-24

WAR UPON INFAMTEs.

A bill is now before Congress to prohibit
the publication of lottery advertisements
in the District of Columbia, and to forbid
the transmission through the mails of any
publications whatever containing lottery
advertisements. Should the bill become
law, and the postal officials enforce it, our
contemporaries, the San Francisco Gail,
Chronicle, ErG1niner, Alto and Post will be
objects for pity, since they will be COM
PEELED either to abandon the illicit rev
enues they now receive from the lottery
managers for advertising, or establish in
dependent mail-carriage for their outlying
circulation. The law of the State of Cali
fornia forbidding such advertising they
unanimously agree to ignore and defy, but
when 1t comes to a wrestle with Uncle
Sam we doubt the ability of these western
metropolitan contemporaries to cope with
the authorities.
1t is not at all surprising that the At
ianta Constitution, New York Sun and
other Democratic journals should set up a
cry in unison against the proposed law.
Very few Democratic papers have ever
had the courage to fight the Southern lot
teries, which are nothing less than lions in
the way and roar Justify whenever assailed.
Precisely as was anticipated, these papers
have set up the old-time cry about the
sanctity of the mails, and the freedom OF
the press" VIII they never understand
that the postal system was not established
as an aid TO the schemes of robbers and
gamblers Cannot these self-important
sheets comprehend that the Government
mail service costingmore to the people than
the revenue it brings in, is maintained for
the purpose of carrying the letters and pa
pers of the people not contraband under
the laws, conservative of good morals and
the peace and order of society The
Postal Department now has a black list as
long as the longest Democratic arm. of
frauds, cheats, thieves, quacks, PRISONERS,
procurers, counterfeiters and gamblers who
are prohibited the use of the mails for the
purpose of carrying on their infamous vo-
cations. No one objects to their exclu-
sion; 1t is a wise regulation and saves
millions of money to the people who,
prior to its enforcement, were systematic
ally robbed of their earnings through the
agency of the mails as employed by adj
Using rascals, vendors of dangerous goods,
immoral publications, vicious literature,
counterfeit bank-notes, spurious receipts,
fraudulent patents" etc. 1t is now pro-
posed to add the Beauregard & Early, and
all other lottery corruptions to the black
list.
1t is no infringement of liberty of the
press TO limit its licentious business. 1t is
no trespass upon the right to be free from
search of person and papers, to declare
what matter the United States will engage
TO carry between the people The chief
surprise in the whole matter is. that
Washington newspapers, which are for
ever preaching unto Others concerning
rectitude of life, and constant in pointing
out the way in which others should
walk, wall in chorus at the bill 1t is
amazing what a wealth of rhetoric and
logic they can evoke in defense of the
monthly two-column sop of advertisement
they receive from the lottery managers,
to say nothing of the dollar-a-line"
reading notices without stars) of lucky
fellows who draw prizes.
1t is to be hoped Congress will not be
frightened by the beating of tom toms in
which the lottery advertising press of New
York, New Orleans and Washington are
now engaged. Let our legislators reflect
that ever since the courageous administra-
ton of Postmaster-General Reyes, under
Mr.. Hayes, the lotteries heve been black
listed, and their circulars, letters and doc
uments forbidden transmission through the
mails. How absurdly inconsistent it is to
shut the mail-bags to the lottery circular
itself, but permit it to gain entry beneath
the newspaper mask. The Cleveland
Leader and Herald is sound in its conclu-
sion that "the sooner newspapers are forced
to cease building up such public evils as
lotteries the better it will be for the whole
country. A paper which can't live with
out lottery advertisements should die. and
paper which can live on decent business
and takes such patronage ought to be pun
ished."
The San Francisco press itself manifests
a great deal of indignation that some lot
terry agencies in that city are maintained
despite the efforts of the police, and they
applaud with one voice whenever the Of
hcials descend upon a Chinese lottery and
carry off to the city lookup dealers, play
ers and the machinery of the game. Yet,
In the same issues, our consistent" con-
temporaries advertise foreign lottery, be-
side which the Chinese lottery is virtue in
carnate. As a matter of fact the worst
Chinese lottery is fairer, less a cheat and
fraud than the more pretentious American
concerns.
ELECTION FRAUDS AT THE SOUTH.
That election frauds are encouraged in
j Il II