The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1905-08-24
All Papers or Magazines or Cir.
cuIars Dealing With Chance
Gifts Are Unavailable
MALoNEY IS so NOTIFIED
New Order Will Effect All Periodicals
Sent Out of Kenosha and All
Notices of Drawings Must
be Eliminated

Postmaster John B. Ma1oney has re-
ceived a new order from the post
master general which is directed
against the use of the United States
mails for the purpose of advancing
any scheme which has an element of
chance in it. For some time the gov
eminent has been making an effort to
enterprises, but the present order is
one of the most sweeping ever issued
by the department. It will prac-
tica1ly make it impossible for papers
and periodicals to publish any notice
of events in which amusements are
furnished with the element of chance.
All reports of drawings of every ma
ture, whether conducted by churches
or by private citizens, must be left
out of papers if they are to be sent
through the United States mails.
The letter from the postmaster gen.
eral is as follows:
August 10, 1905.
The attention of postmasters and
railway postal clerks is directed to
section 499 of the Postal Laws and
Regulations Of 1902 Sec. /, Act of
September 10, 1900, by the provisions
of which newspapers or other pub1ica-
tions of any kind, circulars and PAM
ph1ets, containing advertisements of
lotteries, gift concerts or similar en-
terprises for the distribution of prizes
by lot or chance, or lists of the prizes
awarded in pursuance of such
schemes, and all other matter relating
to them, are declared to be nnmai1-
able. The terms lottery, so-cal1ed
gift concert, or similar enterprise Of
fering prizes dependent upon lot or
chance, = as used in that section, in
c1ude guessing" or estimating"
contests for prizes, as well as draw
ings and raff1es Of every kind, whether
general or local, whether for private
gain or in aid of charitable, educa-
tiona1 or religious objects, and
whether the consideration for'chances
be- money or otherwise. Enterprises
in which prizes are distributedlamong
purchasers of merchandise in stated
amounts, or among subscribers for
publications. or for shares of Icorpor-
ate stock, through the medium Of
drawings or guessing contests, are
lotteries within the r1eaningsof that
section. Publications, circulars, cards
or pamphlets containing advertise
ments of such enterprises, or notices
or other information of any kind re-
1ating to them, should be withdrawn
from the mails and treated in accord
ance with sections 573, 6O2 and ga of
the Postal Laws and Regulations.
endless chain enterprises de-
signed for the sale or disposition of
merchandise or other things of value
through the circulation or sdlstribu-
ton of coupons, tickets" "cer-
tifcates,' ''introductions, and the
like, are held to embrace the elemen is
of lottery, and also to be fraudulent.
Matter of every kind relating to such
enterprises should be excluded or
withdrawn from the mails, and treated
in accordance with sections 573, 6O2
and ga Of the Postal Laws and Regu-
1ations.
When there is doubt whether the
scheme advertised or referred to is
lottery, or similar enterprise, as de-
fined by section 499, the :matter in
question should be submitted to the
assistant attorney-genera for the
Postofice Department for advice as to
its admissibilitY. Communications to
postmasters from the assistant attor-
ney-general, embracing opinions or