Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-30
President Harrison Sends a Strong
Message 10 Congress Con-
corning Lotteries.
RADICAL REMEDIES NECESSARY.
A Republican Representative From Iowa
Makes Bitter Attack on Speaker
Reed in the House,
TIE TARIFF DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Mr.. HscOck Savagely Arraigns the Democracy Of the
Empire State.

WASHINGTON, July 29.-President Har-
rison to-day 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 a lottery COM
pany, the pending effort to obtain from the
State of Louisiana a renewal of the charter of
the Louisiana State Lottery, and the establish
ment of one more lottery companies at
Mexican towns near our border, have served
good purpose of calling public attention to an
evil Of vast proportions. II the baueful effects
of the lotteries were confined to the States
that gave the companies corporate powers ana
. license to conduct a business, the citizens of
other States, being powerless to apply legal
remedies, might clear themselves of responsi-
biity by the use of such moral agencies as
were within their reach. But the case is not
so. The people of all the States are debauched
offered to the States for charters are drawn
from the people of the United States. and the
general Government, through its mail system.
Is made the effective and
PROFITABLE MEDIUM
of intercourse between the lottery company
and its victims. The use of the mails is quite
as essential to the companies as the State
license. 1t would be practically impossible for
these companies to exist if the public mails
vertisements and remittances. The use of the
mails by these companies is prostitution OF an
agency only intended to serve purposes OF
legitimate trade and decent social inter
course. 1t is not necessary.I am sure, for me
TO attempt to portray the robbery of the poor
and the widespread corruption of public and
private morals, which are the necessary Incl
dents of these lottery schemes.
The national Capitol has become sub-head-
quarters for the Louisiana lottery, and its
numerous agents and ATTORNEYS are conducting
here business involving probably larger use
OF the mails than that of any legitimate busi-
ness enterprise in the District of Columbia.
There seems TO be good reason to believe that
THE CoRRUPTING 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 be promptly enacted to en-
able the Postof6ce Department to- purge the
mails of all letters, newspapers and circulars
relating to the business. The letter of the
Postmaster General, which transmit here
with, points out the inadequacy of the existing
statues, and suggests legislation that would be
effective. 1t may also be necessary to so regu-
late the carrying of letters by the express com
panies as TO prevent the use of those agencies
TO maintain communication between the lot
Iery companies and their agents or customers
in other cities 1t does not seem possible that
there can be any division of sentiment as to
the propriety of closing the mails against these
companies, and therefore venture to express
the hope that such proper powers as are neces-
sary to that end will be given to the Postoffice
Department. BENJAMIN HARRISON.
The letter of the Postmaster General, re-
ferred to by the President, calls attention to
the ineficiency of the present law, and
recommends the passage OF anti-lottery bill
recently reported to the House.