The morning news., 1890-07-30
WAR ON THE LOTTERIES.
HARRISON SENDS IN A MESSAGE
ON THE MAIL QUESTION.

He Urges that Congress Enact Le9isla.
tion That Will Even Govern the send
ing Of Lottery Tickets by Express
Wanamaker Says the Letters Are
Great Temptation to the Postal
Clerks.
WASHINGTON, July 29.-President Harri-
son to-day transmitted to congress a letter
for Postmaster General Wanamaker in
regard to the use of the mails by lotteries.
The President urges upon congress the
necessity of legislation which shall be
effective in debarring from mail trans
portation everything that aids the lottery
companies, and he suggests that it may be
necessary to regulate the carrying Of letters
by express companies to prevent the use of
these agencies by lottery companies.
TEXT OF THE MESSAGE.
The following is the text of the Presidents
message:
To the Senate aud House of Representa- tues:
The recent attempt to secure a charter from
the state of North Dakota for lottery com
pany, pending the effort to obtain from the
state of Louisiana renewal Of the charter Of
the Louisiana state lottery and the establish
ment OF one or more lottery companies at
Mexican towns near our border, have served the
good purpose OF calling public attention to an
evil OF vast proportions. II the ba eful effects
or the Lotteries were confined to the states that
gave the companies corporate powers and
license to conduct business the
citizens of other states being powerless to
apply legal remedies, might be dvested of re-
sponsihility by the use of such of the agencies
as were In their reach. But the case Is not so.
The people OF all the states are debauched and
defrauded. The vast sums of money offered to
states for charters are drawn from the people
of the United States, and the general govern
ment. through its mail Is made an effective
nj N 1aftr ha LOFT
companies and their victims. The use of the
mails is quite as essential to the companies
as state licenses. IL would be impossible for
these companies to exist IL the public mails
were once effectually closed against their adver
tlsements and remittences. The use of the
mails by these companies is a prostitution of
an agency intended to serve the purposes OF
legitimate trade and decent social inter
course. It is not necess Try, / am sure
for me to attempt to portray the robbery
OF the poor aud the widespread corruption
OF public and private morals which are neces-
sary Incidents OF these schemes. The capital
has become a subhoadQuarters Of the Louisiana
Lottery Company, and It's agents and attorneys
are continuing here business involving prOba-
bly, larger use of the mails than that of any
legitimate business in tine District Of Columbia.
There seems to be good reason to believe that the
corrupting reach OF these agents has been felt
by the clerks in the postal service and by the
police officers of the District Of Columbia. Sc
we're and effective legislation should be
promptly enacted to enable the postoffice de-
partment to purge the mails of all letters,
papers and circulars relating to the business.
The letter OF the Postmaster General. which |
transmit herewith, points out the inadequacy Of
the existing statutes and suggests legislation
that would be effective. 1t may also be neces-
sary TO regulate the carrying or letters
by express companies to prevent these
agencies from maintaining communication be-
tween the companies aud their customers il
| other cities. 1t does not seem possible thai
| there can be any division OF sentiment rs &
| closing the mails against these companies /,
| therefore, venture to express a hope that suct
| powers as are necessary to that end will be
given to the postofice department.
| BENJAMIN HARRISON
Erecutiue Mansion, July 30, 1890
WANAMAKER's EPIsTLE.
In his letter Postmaster General Wana.
maker says he feels compelled in view Of
the urgent necessities of the case to antici-
| pate and report in regard to the use of the
mails by the Louisiana Lottery Company.
He says that notwithstanding the declara-
ton that no letters concerning lotteries
shall be carried in the mails, and public
sentiment condemns the use of the post
| office for lottery purposes, every
| railroad postal car, star route
and registry office is in daily use by the
Louisiana Lottery Company; that its busi-
ness seems to be tirmer, its operations
wider and its enterprises bolder than ever
| before. This vast business is terribly de-
morallzing to the postal service. The pos
| tai employe readily assumes that letter di-
rected to the lottery company contains
money that 1t is In the mail in violation OF
| the spirit of the law; that it's loss would be
| difficult to trace, and that the attempt tc
| punish the offender will be more likely t.
| fail than prosecution of ordinary char.
acter. Hence the temptation to purloin is
great.
WANAMAKER POwERLESS.
The postmaster general says further that
with all the evils within and without the pos
tai department resulting from this nefariou:
traffic as the head Of the department he II
| powerless to act. 1t is humiliating position
and more humiliating to contemplate that
the postoffice department is, in point
Of fact, principal agent Of the Louisiana
| State Lottery Company, and that every
extension Of the postal system spreads the
hurtful power and influence Of that com
pany. The Postmaster General gives a
review of the legislation for the purpose OF
| denying the use OF the mail!
to lottery letters and circulars, and
the failure following all attempts
to enforce these statutes 1t is manifest
that the object Of the law has been success
fully thwarted and that without additional
legislation the mails must continue to carry
| tais class of matter. He presents for the
consideration of the President a draft OF o
| bill which, if enacted into a law. will en-
able the department to get this business
| under ;control. The bill IS the one re
ported last week TO the House from the
| committee on postoifices and post roads,
and Sc S forth the report Of the committee
| MI Ihlishad nj that time