Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-11-30
Fraud Order Absolutism.

LIZ 10 Ill OloCl w O0otbAh LIZ oANS
of the controversy, but every letter
addressed to Mr.. Lewis was re-
turned to Mr.. Post, the represen-
tatives of the post-o office depart
ment explaining that E. G. Lewis
had been denied the use of the
mails under a fraud order. Mr..
Post asked the postmaster general
whether this order prohibited the
delivery to Mr.. Lewis of all mail.
Mr.. Post received reply to the
effect that it was impossible for
the postmaster to determine
whether letter addressed to Mr..
Lewis related to the fraudulent
business" with which he is charged.
Mr.. Post then directed the depart
ment's attention to the fact that he
had caused to be endorsed on one
Of the envelopes to Mr.. Lewis this
statement: "This letter contains
nothing of pecuniary value. The
addressee can by no possibility
use it's contents to defraud. Please
deliver and oblige the writer"
But even with this endorsement
the postmaster refused to deliver
the letter and it was returned to
the writer.
In recent number of The Public
Mr.. Post devotes considerable
space to the Lewis affair. He
clearly establishes as state Of
fact that determinations between
persons and businesses are made
in the delivery of mail matter, by
arbitrary decree of the postmaster
general. That these DEGREES are
made upon no other evidence than
the postmaster general chooses to
consider, and with no other op-
portunity to the accused to be
heard than the postmaster general
chooses to grant. That the courts
have no jurisdiction to interfere,
and that the decree of the post
master general is absolute.
Mr.. Post contends that the postal
censorship is inimical to popular
government, and that altogether
too much power is by this censor
ship placed in the hands, of the
postmaster general. The evi.
tendencies of such a censorship
are pointed out by Mr.. Post in ar
interesting way when he says
''Let us suppose great nationa
election involving the possible de-
feat of the party in power, not Of
political issues, say, but on al
issue affecting the pecuniary in
terests of banks and insurance
companies. And let us suppose
that the financial combines tina
control these powerful concerns
feeling, as Mccall honors himsel
for having felt, were to embezzl
banking and insurance funds ant
turn them over for campaign use
to the treasurer of the nationa
committee of the party in power
Suppose, then, that these lavisl
contributions enable the party l.
power to win the election, and tina
by one Of those curiosities in poll
tics which are not impossible, tn
treasurer of that committee wer
to happen to become postmaste
general. Suppose, then, that tn
great bankers or the great insu1
ance men, feeling the competitiy
pressure of some new movemer
in the banking or the insuranc
business, should advise this post
master general that this new move
, ment was fraudulent scheme
, In those circumstances what woul
happen?"
Mr.. Post does not undertake t
say exactly what would happel
but he says that thing that coul
happen is this: "a complaisal
postmaster general could cut Q
that new movement in banking {
I insurance from the use of tf
mails, at the same time proscrit
ing every one of it's manager
whose prescription might be DE-
sired by the banking or insurant
ring. This could be done if TIL
postmaster general happened to (
willing to do it, and there woul
be no redress in the courts. Ca
any party or any country afford |
/. leave open this gateway to opres
: sive corruption? Can any part
or any country afford to subjet
persons or businesses to the whil
or the cupidity OF one official *
the right to use the common mails
Can any Congress Of this Republ