The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-17
It is URGENTLY NEEDED
A Revision of the United States
Postal Laws.
A SPECIAL REPORT MADE
Private Postoff1ces and Lstter Boxes Are
Observation-Disclosures for Dep
redations--F Failure to De-
liver Mail

Washington, Feb. 16.-The report of
the United States criminal and penal
laws is about completed and the por-
ton of it covering offenses against the
postal laws has been submitted as a
special report to congress. The post
master general has communicated with
both houses of congress, asking for i'm
mediate enactment of the entire report
on this subject, pointing out its urgent
needs. The laws revised embrace all
up to and including the first session of
the 55th congress. The report in brief
follows:
I'm numerous instances where penal
ties have been recovered by civil pro-
cess in the nature of actions for debt
provisions for criminal prosecutions
have been substituted as more effica-
cious. Other changes are reported hav-
ing in view more proportionate adj
justment of penalties to the gravity of
the offenseS respectively defined, in
which the present laws, having been
adopted from time to time, are faulty.
provision has been inserted inhibit-
ing the maintenance of private post
offices and letter boxes. Another sec
lioH lOID LIE UNLAWFUL eNeTclSe Oh Lne
office of postmaster by other employees in
the postal service, to prevent practice
more or less common. Section BATS, re-
vised statutes, has been amended to
meet the question whether United
States protection can be extended over
depreciation offenses against other prop
erty by reason of postoffice location
in the same building. the provision add
ed being with intent to commit therein
any offense defined in this title or to
steal or purloin any money or other
property of the United States "
Sections 399O-91-92, 5467- 1910 deal
with a large but substantially the same
class of mail depredations and have
been embraced in one section, an add
ed provision giving a liberal elasticity
to the penalties. Punishment for depre-
dations on the mails in transit who fire.
quently heretofore have found immun-
ity through difficulty of securing eri-
dence as to the particular in which
the offense was committed is provided
for in two new sections. making it an
offense for an employee to fail to deliver
the mail or any part of it to the re-
quired person and to carry into any
district any letter or contents thereof
unlawfully distracted from the mail in
any other district, knowing it to have
been so distracted.
POstmasters selling stamps to persons
outside of their respective Jurisdiction
to increase their compensation are to
be subjected to penal punishment. Sec
| tons 3922-25. inclusive, and amendatory
act prohibiting removal and reissue of
| stamps, have been consolida ted into a
| single section WITH a maximum and
minimum penalty. To meet supreme
| court rulings in, constituting the act
of September g. 1888, amendatory of
| section 1898 as to obscenity, ETC.,
| these have been revised with an addi-
| ton of the words Indecent filthy or
| vulgar.
The postal transmission of poisonous,
| infectious and explosive matter also is
prohibited in a new section with Ger
| ton discretion as to the admissibility
vested in the postmaster general. The
| language respecting misrepresentation
of postal funds or property is so ampli-
| fled that it's protection may be extended
| ito money or property, which shall have
come into the possession or under the
control of any officer or employee Of the
postoffice department in execution of
such office or employment or under col
or or claim of authority as such