Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-01
Every Concern Which Appears to Be
Conducting Fraudulent Business
Will 30 Investigated as Fast as the
Department Can Get to Them-Frsud
Orders.

the postmaster generals announced
purpose. To begin with, the post
master general issued instructions to
the law division of his department to
its face appeared to be conduct
ing Il fraudulent business as fast
as they could be reached, without
waiting, as has been the custom with
former administrations, for some per-
son who had been victimized to file q
The result has been that a
larger number of fraud orders hive
been issued during the last month than
in any previous month In this history
of the department. With the reorgslnl-
cation of the postoffice department the
inspectors have been placed under the
direct supervision OF the postmaster
general. instead Of being in the bu-
reau OF the fourth assistant, as here
tofore, and inspectors realize that the
evidences OF their vigilance come to
SO there is every incentive to do thor
ough work. In time the postmaster
general hopes to develop this good
work to an extent that will enable him
to hold responsible the inspectors or
the officials of the law division wl1en
an apparently Objectionable adyer-
tisement appears continuously for a
given period In the newspapers with
out Its authors being inspected by the
postal authorities.
But Postmaster General Cortelyou
has not confined his engeries to the
Issuance Of fraud orders against con-
Germs doing dishonest business. He
has also instituted crusade against
persons conducting or acting as
agents for lotteries. In this work, in
which the postoffice department has, In
1.-THE past, been hampered by lack Of CO.
operation from other departments,
Mr.. Cortelyou has enlisted the sympa-
thies and cooperation of the treasury
and of the department OF
justice. Already raids have been con-
Quoted and numerous arrests were af-
fected In the last named city. Within
a few days raids will be conducted In
eleven other cities where lotteries or
their agencies are fourishing, accord
ing to information which has reached
the postoffice department or the Sc
cret service men. The men thus far
arrested claim that they represented
the Mexican lottery and that the tick
cts seized were for Mexican driving,
but the secret service men are OF the
opinion that the concern has head
quarters in San Francisco. They
claim that the printing Of the alluring
tickets took place In that city.
In addition to the efficient assistance
rendered to the postoffice inspectors
by the secret service men, who track
suspects and aid in the arrests, the
department Of justice has issued In
structions to the United District att
torneys, wherever raids or arrests are
ance to the representative of the ether
departments. The cooperation Of the
detectives Of two departments and the
lawyers of q third will, in the esti-
nation Of the high officials, render
life unbearable for lottery agents in
this country and they are confident
the evil will be thoroughly eradicated
within short time as a result OF the
drastic course now being pursued.
Within the past few days the postoffice
department has, moreover, issued fraud
orders against agents of the German
state lottery, and the Hungarian lot
terry, both of which appear to have
been doing thriving business in the
United States.
Another reform which Postmaster
General Cortelyou is setting on foot
concerns political activity by post
masters and other employees Of the de-
partment. Altho the law and the civil
service regulations strictly forbid per-
nicious political activity on the part of
the federal employees, postmasters in
various sections have been in the hab-
it of writing to the postmaster general
or his assistants for special rulings in
their cases, hoping, of course, to secure
more lax construction Of the law than
has been general. Mr.. Cortelyou now
purposes to have prepared and sent to
all postal employees circular of in
structions on this subject, clearly de-
fining the extent to which they are
entitled to engage in politics and par
tisan undertakings. Offensive parti-
sanship will be comprehensively defin-
ed and 1t will be made clear that no
postmaster or similar employee can as
sociate himself with any committee or
society, the purpose OF which 8 the
raising of campaign funds. There
will be nothing particularly new IN the
circular" said the postmaster general
1,a lot ,o1, En-
leave no ground for reasonable doubt
in the minds of those to whom it is
directed. The very best service post
master can render his party is to be
good postmaster. Once circular is
issued it will constitute the only reply
sent to those who ask for further in
formation, and those who violate its
injunctions will do so at their peril :.
Their punishment will take the form
of discipline, even to the extent Of dis
missal IL the violation is of gravity
which merits it,
Postmaster General Cortelyou has
some other reforms of importance in
view, but as his plans are not vet for
mulated he does not care to discuss
them for publication at this ti1na. AL
together, the administration of the new
postmaster general, even should. 1t be
brief, will doubtless see much needed
Improvement in the postal service,
especially II congress is willing to CO.
operate with him and to aid by legts-