New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-30
LOTTERIES AND THE MAILS.
THE PRESIDENT SENDS MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS.
URGING LEGISLATION THAT WILL ENABLE THE
posToFFrcE DEPARTMENT TO CLOSE THE
MAILS AGAINST THE coMPANIEs-THE
PosTMAsrER-GENERAL's LETTER.


Washington, July 49.-Prcsdent Hrrisoh 'ou"'
sent the following message 10 Congress
To the senate and House OF Representatives:
The recent attempt to charter from tne sta"
North Dakota for lottery company inc p',us ,s
to obbn from the State Louisiana renewal Oh 'hc
charter Of the Louisiana state lottery anu ''e c'
mont ~ one or more lotery companies at Mexican towns
near our border have served good purpose o' ..'e
public attention to evil OF vast p'oror"oh'. - VIZ
baneful effects the lotteries were cohhhe" " ' ~
that give the companies corporate powers su ! "'''
business the citizens OF o.ne' o''. o,i
poweres 10 amply legal remedies might clear themse'ss
OF responsibility By the use OF such moral Ase"''e -
were within their reach. But the case Is not So Inc
people OF all the debanched ana uelrauuea' INC
OF money the states Tor charters or
drawn from the people OF the United States ana inc
general Government through It's man sysV""' i "''
tho Profitable medium OF intercourse pc'"ce
the lottery company ana IT. victims
The use the mails is quite as essch'ia u '"v '
panies a. the state license. 1t would be pracucay I'M
possible for those companies to exist II tno puoi' ~
eiToctuay closed against their aoFer'Se','
and r,nittances. The OF the mails by nese c0np'e
is prostitution OF an agency only INTENDED U STRIVE
puros ~ legitimate trade and decent social INTERCOURSE
It Is not necessary am sure for to attempt |" portray
robbery Of the poor. and the "idespr'ad eoruP "
public and private morals which are the necessary Incl
dents Of these lottery schemes
The National capital has become sub'h'ooqnai''o u
the Louisiana Lottery Company and It's numerous agents
and attorneys conducting here business hNo''!ne
probably larger mails than that oi any oohe'
legitimate business enterprise in The District OF Columbia
to believe that the corrupt
ing touch Of these agents been felt b. the clerks IN Tue
postal service and by OF the police officers OF vi"
effective legislation should be pron.
y enacted enable PostOce Department 10 purge e
mails OF all letters newspapers and circulars relating to
the business the PostmasterGcnera when
herewith points out the inadequacy oil te en-
listing statutes legislation that would be eec
tive also DE to 30 regulate the carry
N companies U prevent
use these agencies 70 maintain communication o'"ee
the lottery companies and their agents or customers IN oth
cities IT docs possible that there can De an!
division " sentiment the proprey Of closing the
mails AGAINST these companies therefore venture TO
express hope that such powers as are necessary
to that end Will be u the postohiee department
BENJAMIN HARRISON.
Executive Mansion. July 30, 1890.
In the accompanying letter Of the Postmaster-'en
eral. Mr. Wanamaker says he feels compelled In view
Of the urgent necessities Of the case, TO anticipate the
annual report in regard to use OF the mails oy inc
Louisiana state Lottery Company. he says mat' Nt-
outstanding the declaration that no letters ana CIR
cuars concerning lotteries shall he carried In the mails
and that public sentiment condemns the use OF uie
postofhcc for lottery purposes. evory railway posai
car star route money order and registry Office Is 10
active daily use by the Louisiana Lottery Company :
that the foothod Of the business seems 10 De hrnei'
II, operations wider and It's enterprises holder than
ever before Ihs vast CUISINES Is teIaH odjIy
,imcs tkat letter directed to the lottery company
contains money that II i In the mails In violation OF
the spirit Of the law, that It's loss would be uIhcuIl
t. trace and that attempt to punish the oucnneF
who shall abstract il will more likely fail than posecu
ton5 Of an ordinary character. Hence the temptation
10 puro.n IL is exceptionally great. go
The Postmaster General add mat WIN an n me AL
mittcd evils within and without the Postal Depart
7cnt resulting from this ncag.ouS traffic a. tte nean
~ the Department lie IS powerlesS 10 act IL ]. a
bumiattng position, and IL Is even more Illuminating
10 contemplate that the entire PO>toihce department
IT, IN point the principal agent 81 the LOUISIANA
state Lottery Company. and that every extension OF
the postal stem spreads the hurtful power ana IN
nuelce II that company. The Postma5tcrNeneral TO
ycvs the legislation enacted for tie purpose OF dei
ing the Use ~ mail, 20 lottery letters ana CIT
cliars and the failure following all attempts TO enforce
these STATUTES II is manifest. he says, ;hat the Oh
iert .. the law has been successfully thwared. and
that v1thout additional legislation the mails mast
continue 10 carry this class OF matter. .
The Postmaster General presents for Ue conslccra
ton Of the President the draft Of tho hIl. winch "
enacted into law VIII enable The Department 10 get
this business under control The bill IS the ono re-
ported last week the House from the Committee On
os;oices and Post R0ad and set forth in the report
Of the committee, published AZ that time.