Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-08-07
THE LOTTERY QUESTION.

| Tho President sends n Special Message TO
Congress In Which Ho Treats of the EylIa
| of Lotteries.
WASHINGTON, July 81 President Har-
rison has sent the following message TO
Congress:
TO the senate and House OF Representatives;
The recent attempt to secure a charter
from the State OF North Dakota for lottery
company, the pending effort TO obtain from
the State of Louisiana a renewal of the char
Ter OF the Louisiana State lottery, and the
establishment OF one or more lottery COM
panies at Mexican towns near our border,
have served good purpose Of calling pub
lie attention TO an evil OF vast proportions.
II the bancful effects OF the lotteries were
confined to the states that gave the oompan
les corporate powers ana "A license 20 con-
duct business the citizens of other states.
being powerless TO apply legal remedies,
might clear themselves Of responsibility by
the use OF such moral agencies as were With
In their reach. But the case Is not so. The
people OF all the States are debauche1 and
defraudcd. The vast sums OF money offered
TO the States for charters are drawn from
the people OF the United States, and the GEN
eral Government. through its mail system,
ls made the effective and profitable medium
Of intercourse between tho lottery company
and It's Victims.
The use of the mails Is quite as essential
TO the companies as the State license. IL
would be practically impossible for these
companies to exist IL the public mails were
once cffectually closed against their adver-
tlsements hnd remittanccs. The use Of the
mails by these companies Is a prostitution
OF an agency only intended to serve pur.
poses OF Legitimate trade and decent So
eial Intercourse. II is not necessary, am
sure, for me to attempt 70 portray the rob.
berry OF the poor aud the widespread cor
ruptlon of public and private morals which
are the necessary incidents OF these lottery
schemes.
The National capital has become a sub
headquarters Of the Louisiana Lottery Com-
pany and IT'S numerous agents and attor-
neys are conducting here business inyolv-
ing probably larger use OF the malls than
that OF any legitimate business enterprise
in the District of Columbia. There seems to
be good reason to believe that the corrupt
ing touch OF these agents has been felt by
the clerks In the postal service and by some
Of the police officers OF the District. Severe
and effective legislation should he promptly
enacted 20 enable the Post office Depai g.
ment to purge the mails OF all letters, news
papers and circulars relating to the busi-
ness.
The letter OF the Postmaster General. |
which | transmit herewith, points out tho |
inRdequacy of the existing statutes and |
suggests legislation that would be effective, /
II may also be necessary 20 so regulate tho /
carrying OF letters by the express com
panies as to prevent the use OF those agen-
ctes to maintain rommun ication between /
the lottery companies and thcir agents or
Gu toners In other cities. lt does not seem
possible that there can be any Diysiun Of
sentiments as to the propiiety closing
the mails against thu companies, and |
therefore venture 70 express the hope that
such proper powers as ara necessary TO that
end will be given TO the l'ost- office Depart-
ment
The letter of the Postmaster General
TO ky the President calls alton
tion to the ineiliciency OF the present
law and recommends the passage OF the
Anti Lottery bill recently reported to
tho Hnngn