The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-21

soysdea That in all where uaw papers shall mol
contain three hundred square nchss they may b.
subscribers, fourth the rates liked by Ibis ACT"
will state, in very few, words. the rsasons which
induce me TO offer this amendment. friskho@n 70 many
senators from The section OF country where reside that
have large number OF little papers, for youths in
Sabbath sckools and Tor variety oi other purposes,
no, mush sss a i.s sheet They sIs published
Of publication, through all New England at least by pri.
ya,e conveyance. They are very email and very light
They may be sent through the mail and pay the amount
of postage which have liked by that amendment and
yield some TO the post office Under the OF
this bil they will nol 90 through the mails at all but
if the amendment is adopted. these small papers will
then pay altogether only fourth part as much the
large newspapers-an amount which will be relatively
twice as much as they do They will pay ten cents
year and that way vii, y1ea considerable revenue;
Mr. RUSK Mr. President. have seen a number Of
these little papers alluded TO by the senator from Maine
They useful ones, and regret that did not provide
tor them in the bill shall sustain the amendment
cheeriully.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD ! had prepared an amendment
upoL this subject which intended to submit to The Sen
Let state to the Senate. however before do so,
what done here the other day The Senate, upon
motion OF the senator from New York; mir, SEWARD
amended this section OF the bill by striking out two
ounces and inserting three ounces That was intended
to provide for newspapers OF the very largest class.
few moments since went TO the scales aud weighed
| eral papers, among which the Daily Tribune,
double sheet, which did not weigh quite two
Now, by extending the weight to three ounces. you pro
vide for very large class OF papers IN the United States
In fact, doubt very much whether there is newspaper
that will weigh three Now, the effect OF such
provision is Just this: You put all the little country pa
pers upon the same footing that you these large CITY
papers, and those who seeking to obtain subscribers
will tell the people-"Why you have TO pay the same
postage upon these little papers as you pay for the large pa
have TO pay the same postage for little country
village paper thar you pay for city paper OF double
treble the siZeand therefore you had better take the
large paper once" Everybody will see that the effect
Of this provision will be IN favor OF the city and against
] the country PAPERS
Now, the amendment which had prepared was tha,
where paper weighed one and half ounce, it should
only pay half the rates that provided for the bill
Here is the provision Of the bill as it stands
| That all newspapers, exceeding three ounces in
weight from the office Of publication bona ds
subscribers, shall be charged with postage follows,
wit The postage the regular numbers of newspa per
published weekly, for any distance exceeding fifty
exceeding fifty miles, and no, exceeding three hundred
niles ten cents per quarter for any distance exceeding
fifteen cents per quarter" &c.
You perceive that these rates are very small Five
cents per quarter where the distance is less than fifty
miles, is a very little tax-only twenty, cents year-
and if my amendment prevails the little village papers
would circulate for ten cents year within fifty miles,
and that is almost the extent OF their circulation A
hundred miles venture 10 say, would include the CIR.
cuaton of one-haf those village papers in my
of the country and perhaps throughout the United States
The gentleman from Pennsylvania me says IL
pers in the United States. Well sir, if my amenimen,
shall prevail you will perceive that the tax will be very
slight indeed As the Senate have, therefore, undertaken
to amend the section originally introduced by
increasing the amount from two up 10 three, II
they will let that remain but provide that only one half
the rates shall be charged upon papers weighing and
half ounces or less seems to me that II Will put these
village papers upon footing which will enable then TO
compete with the large city papers, and not give The city
papers the advantage over them which they will have
If you do not make this discrimination. IT, therefore,
this amendment would meet The views OF the senator
from Maine, lMr. HAMLIS.l should be very happy to
have him accept IT, believe they will not conflict very
anna dina nj thu atnFt from Mann
vdes Tor the transmission OF newspapers containing three
hundred square inches at quarter the rates charged
in the bill Three hundred square inches would make
paper about seventeen inches square.
/ Mr. HAMLlN paper II inches square would con-
tain much more than that, II you reckon both sides
paper foot square would contain each side LA
square inches about 30s square inches both sides
That the size OF paper intended 10 be embraced BY
amendment.
concur fully and entirely in what the senator from
Kentucky has said in relation to the distinction between
country and city papers but the class OF papers that
design to reach Is one stu smaller than proposed by
ed by the senator from New York Mr. SEWARD yester-
day was adopted changing the weight from two TO three
ounces was not aware OF it; and [ will therefore go
with the senator from Kentucky very cheerully in
king another distinction in regard 10 weight, between
large, ovegrown, mammoth city papers and those Of
small size. think the senator will certainly accom-
plish his object by establishing another grade. And let
suggcst-since he has weighed the Tribune, and finds
It's weight TO be less Than two ounceshat, in order
provide Tor the little coy papers, he should fix the
weight al least as high two ounces do not know
when the weight OF paper is TO be tested-waen ii is
folded and sent from the office, or when it is dry.
/ Several SENATORS When il is dry
| Mr. HAMLlN IN that case, the senator will
plsh his object by fixing the weight al and
half; and go with him most cheertuly IN establishing
another grade for wspapers
/ Mr. SEWARD think the principle which the senator
| from Kentucky has adopted will not attain his object
He assumes that the country papers small and that
the city papers large The OF that is true
large portion OF this country There are AT least
half dozen papers, think, in the city OF New York,
smaller in their dimensions, and less IN weight, than the
country papers which, under his system IT i proposed
10 benefit, and yet papers OF large circulation. The
opel OF his amendment, therefore, would be in
favor OF the country papers There are one two
papers IN the city OF New York, for instance-the New
York. Herald and New Ysrk Mirror-,bat would fall
within the weight which the senator wishes to establish
and yet they are papers OF extensive circulation The
true way OF favorng the country papers, in my judgment
has been adopted by the House OF Representatives and
! that is, to allow circulation Free at less rate,
within a certain distance.
! MIR DAVIS, OF Massachusetts | would inquire OF
the chairman of the committee what the particular OBJ
Iect OF the committee in arranging this tariff OF prices
OF papers suppose myself II designed TO dciray
the expenses OF receiving asserting, and delivering In The
offices. Now, II is about much work to receive, as
sor, and deliver the small papers II is the large ones
There material difference in the amount OF labor to
the officers |, is all very well therefore, in my opinion
as the bill now stands. But had supposed from what
remarks have heard occasionally regard to the sys
tenn OF circulating newspapers without pay. that il
very desirable to the publishers OF papers that there
should be some compensation in the Offices. in order that
there might be assurance that this work would be
done well and faithfully Nowf il is the object of the
tanH OF rates 10 compensate tor that service and those