The Anti-Cigarette Chain-Letter Scheme
Worthy objects are often made the pretext for very questionable schemes. An instance in point is an alleged monster anti-cigarette movement in the interest of which a “chain-letter” was set in motion. A correspondent of the Union Signal inquired at the address in Philadelphia where all letters were to be sent, but could not find the parties. He inquired of the owner of the building, made inquiries at the post-office, and finally placed the matter in the hands of the postal inspector. That official now reports that such mail matter has been coming to the Philadelphia post-office for over a year, and has been unclaimed; hence it is sent to the dead letter office. The Signal says: “It may be well to state for the information of those who have not given the matter serious thought, that lists of the names and addresses of young people are often sought and paid for by selfishly-interested or unprincipled people. Trashy papers will then be sent to these addresses, filled with advertisements of objectionable schemes. They are deadly enemies of the home.”