Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-06-23

HE acton OF the postmaster OF ii PasO
in refusing to allow the FL Paso TiHts 70
be transmitted through the mail simply
because it contained as news an Asso-
ciated Press dispatch giving 4 synopsis OF
the opinion Of the Supreme Court OF
Louisiana compelling the Secretary OF
State b. submit at the next election a
constitutional amendment passed by the
last general assembly extending the
charter OF the Louisiana State Lottery
twenty-five wears, is deserving OF the
severest condemnation and censure, not
only because Of the injustice OF such an
arbitrary proceeding, but upon grounds
OF public policy. The business manager
Of the Times very properly had this post
master. who bears the historic name OF
smith. arrested Tor unlawfuIly OBTAINING
mail mat err, and he was bound over to
appear before commissioner for trial,
but the punishment whatever II will be,
even If ever melted out after many
months Of delay, will not lit the crime.
Nothing short OF absolute and immediate
official decapitation, with whatever other
punishment the law provides, would be
proper for such otticiOus intermeddllng
with the mails. If the United States
mail is to be subjected 10 such scrutiny
and exclusion by the postmaster AT T.
Paso, the pOstmasters at the various
other cities. towns, villages, hamlets and
crossroads in the State and throughout
the United States have the same right,
mower and authority, and areof course at
liberty to do lust as the postmaster At ii
Paso has done. Ii the postmaster can
stop the transmission Of newspaper
u Fl,a decision
court in regard to the Louisiana lottery,
he can also stop it because 1t mentions
the name OF the lottery in 1t, and II he
can do this he can stop the Post, because
( il incidentally mentions the name OF the
I Louisiana Lottery Company IN critters
ing his official conduct. II he can de
+ this. however, he can override the
strongest bulwark Of the liberties OF the
people and violate one OF the plalnes'
provisions in the constitution OF the
! United States, thereby completely throt-
Tnon grounds Of public policy the
+ Tinted States government should NOT
tolerate such tampeling with the mail.
/ II throws open the doors to fraud and, II
identified will tend to make the service
inefficient and unreliable. Why not de
r5ir q letter suspected of containing 3
Lottery advertisement, and why not open
i tn ascertain If the detention ls legal
II lis contents are legal why then OF
course il might be permitted to continue
on its journey.
The great wrong done newspaper pun
.l;sLars however, Is 10 allow postmaster
"a sutboritativelv detain nail matter
,yhirh in his opinion is illegal. ht
"ntbt NOT 10 be permitted 10 do this. i
tbe publisher has committed any Wrons
Wa csn he held responsible and be madt
IN suffer the penalty; but postmastel
',,s,, 5ataiu an entire edition OF news
,,sner eptailing heavy loss upon th'
ar6iisber and vet when the matte
lines In A nal trial the court may dc
,.;Ie tha. the papers are mallaOie' NJ
3a,,,ara has then tvtn done the puplsh
ar aT1 there seems to he no adequate
rsmedy for him. SUP" the pohtic
~ - nsvspaper are objectionable to TN
,,,s,n,astfrs generally, and Throughout
f., Stgfe they chuos 10 hold paper be
cause in their opinion It Is n9t ll"llN .,'e
il would thus put 1t WITHIN tne Pow g y
fine postal department TO STOP Tue NtiN "a
lati6n of a newspaper and oahA'Hp' -
leaving the publisher with d iel ot s,'i'
against postmasters as assets ouVil
stata II affairs leaves newspaper PA
fishers without adequate remedy anu ~, = !
allow such arbitrary conduct on llle pa
nj officious postmasters Is contr"ry 70 IN
;tstitntions of this government, ana
yinjation of the legal maxim that ea'i
wrong .r,, has its adequate remedy
i houston Tex Post, May To-