Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-04-21
THINGS you MAY NOT DO
Am Easy Thing TO Break the Law and
Still Mean Ne Evil.

Am Easy Thing TO Break. the Law and
Still Mean Ne Evil
Even In a free country such as this
there are things that one may not own
or have In his or her possession, how
ever innocent may be the intent. Pos
session frequently may mean legal
ENHANCEMENT and State or National
Government must be reckoned with.
For instance, a garden full of Cana
da thistles is calculated to make a
deal of trouble for the owner of the
ground, even though he may not know
Ia Canada thistle from currant bush.
These 'thistles are persona non grata
in the United States generally and a
substantial fine awaits the person
who allows the weed to grow upon
ground under his control.
1t is not a good thing for the citizen
to make collection of burglars tools,
however scientific may be his study
Of the criminal classes, for In the mere
possession Of them the law comedies
that the holder has Interior motives
regarding them. At any rate 1t re-
Quires good round sum to make such
collection, as frequently a single
tool out of kit may cost $25. II
some burglar should be scared out OF
your house, leaving his kit or any
portion of 1t, safe place In which
to put 1t Is ethe nearest police station.
The United States Government will
make trouble for you If you have any
portions of a brewing or distilling
plant. Beer watts and distilling kettles
may not be used for any other pur-
pose than brew and distfiling, and If
a person should go only SO far as to
make bathtub out of one or the
other Of them he would be incurring
the displeasure of his government.
Possession of counterfeit money is
a felony. 1t is presumed that man,
woman or child should be able to de-
termine whether a coin or bill is gen.
u.ne, and the attempt to pass 1t may
be followed by extreme consequences.
If you should be at a country rail-
road station and see mail pouch
lying on a rail, where the incoming
train would cut it In two, you would
better let 1t lie. Touch ng pouch Of
United States mail with even a foot
Is technical crime. and tt is alto
gether owing to the disposition Of the
postmaster and the United States mar
shal Of the district how much trouble
may be made for you.
Altogether the postal department
has some stringent regulations. If
you receive letter from friend on
which the stamp is not Cancelled it is
against specific statute for you to
pluck off the stamp and use it again.
There are several kinds of vigorous
language which you cannot transmit
by letter.
While one may not touch a mail
pouch, it is different with letter
which a carrier has delivered at the
address on the envelope. Dropping
the letter at the place marked. the car
other respons; ;bility, and if after the
letter has been delivered another per-
son takes it and opens it there is no
recourse through the Postofice De-
partment.
y Carrying conc aled d adlyr weapons
almost universally is against the pro-
visions of both State statutes and city
ordinances. In this connection there
is queer fact concerning the carry
ing of a revolver in some places. If
man has one In his pock,t and /
arrs sted incidentally on susp. cion he
was locked up and assessed the usual
fine; If he chances to be carrying on
and is attacked by thugs he may use
the weapon, killing one or two of his
assailants, and not even be arrested.