The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-05-08
HARD TO BE LAW-ABIDING.

HARD TO BE LAW-ABIDING.
Even in 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 en-
tanglement and State or National Gov
ernment must be reckoned with.
For instance, a garden full of Canada
thistles is calculated to make deal Of
trouble for the owner OF the ground,
even though he may not know Cana
da thistle from currant bush. These
thistles are persona non grota in the
United States generally and substan-
tial fine awaits the person who allows
the weed to grow upon ground under
his control. The hopelessness of ever
growing figs off them has put them
beyond the pale of federation.
A mocking bird in a cage anywhere
in Illinois is trouble maker for the
average citiz n; likewise the scarlet
tanager, the oriole, the robbin and al
most any other of the wild birds which
do not come within the limits of the
"open season" law regulating the hunt
ing Of game birds. You may have in
your possession, alive or dead, crow,
crow-blackbird and any variety Of
hawk; but the owls are protected at al
seasons and all the other non game
birds.
Squirrels may not be imprisoned in
cages, however entertaining they may
be in their little treadmills. In many
ways the birds and the small beasts Of
the Illinois woods and praries have
beer protected and the possession Of
most of them at any season of tue year
is distinct violation of the statutes.
1t is not good thing for the citizen
to make a 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 ulterior motives
regarding them. At any rate, it re-
quires good round sum to make such
a collection, as frequently a single
tool out Of kit may cost $25. Ifsome
burglar should be scared out Of your
house, leaving his kit or any portion
of it, safe place in which to put it is
the nearest police station.
II you are smoker and buy cigars
by the box it is bad thing to open it
without breaking the stamp with
which it is sealed. Ifyou are dealer,
too, it is had for you to make sale
by lifting the cigars out of the box in
your fingers, for the United States
Government wishes it to be known of
all men when revenue stamp is or is
not broken, and in the lifting out Of
the box it has q guarantee that the
stamp has been destroyed.
The United States Government will
make trouble for you if you have any
portions of brewing or distilling
plant. Beer vats and distilling kettles
may not be used for any other purpose
than brewing and distilling, and if
person should go only so far as to
make bathtub out of one or the other
of them he would be incurring the dis
pleasure of his Government.
Possession of counterfeit money is
felony. 1t is presumed that a man,
woman or child should be able to de-
termine whether coin or bill is genu-
inc, and the attempt to pass it may be
followed by extreme consequences. In
case of doubt on the part of the posses
sor be may present the coin or bill at
the redemption window in the Sub
Treasury, where, il it proves to be
counterfeit, the clerk will stamp the
word "counterfeit" deep into the coin
and clearly through the bill, and you
who have brought it there will have
not one word to say against it.
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 it lie. Touching pouch of United
States mail with even foot is tech
meal crime, and Il is altogether owing
to the disposition Of the postmaster
and the United States marshal of the
district how much trouble may be made
for you.
Fifteen years ago in town not many
miles from Chicago the messenger from
the station to the post office was notori-
ously lax in his work and the post
master showed no disposition to i'm
prove the service. Two citizens un-
familiar with the postal laws under
took to teach the two of them a lesson.
One winter evening, when a 6 o'clock
train had dronnad a pouch an tho ,|,t