Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-07-31
THE LOTTERY WAR
The President Sends a Message to
Congress ON the Subject.
Attention Called to the Magni-
tude of the Evil.

He Urges Legislation That Will Give the
Postmaster General Authority to Pro-
tect the Mails. and Suggests Law to
Prevent Express Companies Carrying
Letters for Lotteries.
WASHINGTON, July 91.-President
Harrison has sent the following message
to congress:
TO the Senate and House of Representa-
tiYes
The recent attempt to secure a charter
from the state of North Dakota for a lot
terry company, the pending effort to obtain
from the state of Louisiana renewal of Il
charter of the Louisiana state lottery, and
the establishment of one or more lottery
companies at Mexican towns near our
border, have served good purpose of call
ing public attention to IN evil of vast pro
portions. II the baneful effects of the
lotteries were confined to states and gave
the companies corporate powers and II
license to conduct 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 within their reach.
But the case is not so-the people of all
the states are debauched and defrauded.
Tie 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,
is made the effective and profitable me-
diam of intercourse between the lottery
company and its victims The use OF the
mails is quite as essential to the compa-
nes rs tine state license. 1t would be
practically impossible for these companies
TO exist if the public mails were once
effectually closed against their advertise
ments and remittances. The use of the
mails by these companies is prostitution
of an agency only intended to serve pur-
poses of "a legitimate trade and decent
social intercourse. 1t is not necessary, |
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 incidents of these
lottery schemes.
The National capital has become a sub
headquarters of the Louisiana Lottery
company, and its numerous agents and
attorneys are conducting here a business
involving probably larger use of the
mails than that OF any legitimate enter
prise in the District of Columbia, There
seems 10 DE ROOu reason 10 Dtllcft Inht
the corrupting touch of these agents has
been felt by the clerks in the postal serv-
ice and by some of the police officers OF
the District. Severe and effective legisla-
tion should be promptly enacted to enable
the postoffice department to purge the
mails of all letters, newspapers and clrcu-
lars relating to the business. The letter
of the postmaster general which | trans
NIT herewith, points out the inadequacy
of the existing statutes, and suggests leg
lation that would be effective. 1t may
also be necessary to so regulate the carry
ing of letters by the express companies rs
to prevent the use of these agencies to
maintain communication between the lot
terry companies aud their agents or custo-
mers in other cities.
1t does not seem possible that there can
be any division of sentiment as TO the pro-
priety of closing the mails against these
companies, and /, therefore, venture to eX-
press the hope that such proper powers rs
are necessary to that end will be given to
the postofiice department.
BENZ HARRISON.
EXECUTIvE MANSION, July 29 1890.
The letter of the postmaster general
referred to by the president calls atten-
ton to the inetfciency of the present
law. and recommends the passage of the
anti-lottery bill recently reported to the
hOnse