The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

Mr.. SCoF1ELD, (rep.) Of Pa, from the Naval Com
! mtttee, reported bill changing the title OF first
assistant engineer in the navy to passed assistant
engineer, and Of second assistant engineer to as
sistant engineer. and providing that the Of
instruction at the Naval Academy for cadet en-
gineers shall be four years instead Of two, this lat
ter provision to apply to the class OF cadet en-
gineers entering the Academy In 1874, and to all
subsequent classes. After explanation the bull
was passed.
Mr.. WHITE, (rep.) OF Ala, from the Judiciary
Committee, reported bill to provide for the cleo
ton Of the two Representatives at large for Ala
bama, unless the Legislature shall otherwise pro-
vide by law before the time fixed for the election.
He stated that the necessity for the bill arose from
the failure Of the Legislature to redistrict the
State one House being democratic and the other
republican. The bill was passed.
Mr.. WHITE, (rep) OF Ala, rom the Judiciary
Committee, reported q bill to divide the state Of
Louisiana into two judicial districts Referred to
| the Committee OF the Whole.
| Mr. BUTLER, OF Massachusetts, asked unanimous
consent that the Judiciary Committee should have
leave to report at any time the bin for the distribu-
ton Of the Geneva award a, and the Senate amend
Mr.. W. r. ROBERTS. (dem.) Of N Y, objected.
| Mr. NEaLEY, (rep.l OF Pa, presented the memo
leans against military interference with the
mouth OF the channel OF the Mississippi River. Be-
THE MAIL SERVICE AND THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
The house then, at q quarter TO two O'Clock p.
documents printed by authority OF Congress, seeds
furnished by the Agricultural Department. for the
free exchange OF newspapers between publishers,
and for the Tree transmission of weekly newspa.
pers within the county where published.
Mr. KAssoN, rep.l OF lowe, gave notice that he
all extra numbers Of documents printed by order
OF Congress shall be sold and disposed Of; the
Agricultural Report and the abrldgment OF the
Presidents Message ana accompanying documents
at twenty-five cents per volume, and all other
ing and binding, and that weekly newspapers
shall 20 Tree in the mails within the county where
published but snail not be delivered BY the pos.
at the usual rates.
ar: MONROE, Gep! Of ohio. gave notice Of an
visions looking to continuance OF the system OF
distributing public documents.
would vote against the whole bill except the third
section, which provides Tor the free transmission
published, and Of newspaper exchanges. "H He
would support that, but would vote against all the
rest OF It, IN accordance with the pledge which the
republican party gave In the Convention in Phila-
delphia in 1872 to abolish the ranking privilege
and keep 1t abolished. But II the bill were to pass
he would propose an amendment to strike out the
words without CHARGE" and to insert the words,
without +, the prepayment Of postage, but the
and paid by the person receiving the same"
MR.. kASSONs SUBSTITUTE
Mr.. KASSON proceeded to address the House in
support OF the substitute OF which he had given
notice. He argued that under 1t every citlzen
would have (asa should navel an equal right with
puDlic document that gives Information as to any
branch Of the government. The effect OF the
representing twO-rhrds OF the United States but
mere traction OF the political opponents Of the
party were likely to obtain information. 1t cou0
not be defended on any osher principle than as
subsidies or perqusltes to members OF Congress-
s 6 se ns
less than the cost, he said that his object
that the rule IN England was 70 I the price Of
public documents at less than the actual cost. AS
Forty-secOnd Congress. which had been censured
BY the public for some OF Its actions, had never
privilege, but now the Forty. third Congress H was
asked TO UNDO the one special reform act OF the
nd CONGRESS He replied to the srgu
add to the cost OF mail transportation and he
showed the Ialacy Of that Idea, quoting from
New YORK paper OF yesterday to show that the mail
lettings just let were made At much less rate
than the previous lettings. He had been told this
Post once Department. That over That vast district
west OF the Mississippi and north OF Kentucky and
Tennessee the mail lettings we're fifty per cent
certainly thirty per cent less than the last let
tings.
half OF these contracts were not let on straw bids
and whether they would not be given up.
Mr. KAssoN replied IN the negative as the bid
ders were now required TO put up deposits, ana
deposits to the amount OF 81, 25o.o0o had been put
up the other day.
Mr.. EIDRIDGE also asked him whether he be.
teved that the reduction In the mail lettings was
because OF the abolition of the frauking privilege
Mr.. KAssON replied that partly 1t was owing to
other things, but that he believed 1t was largely
owing to the abolition OF the franking privilege
and the stopping OF the car loads OF books which
used to be distributed. In that great Western
country they used to take sacks OF books by the
dozen, load them on their coaches, and when the
coaches got into mud holes throw out these sacks
to nil up the mud holes, and run che coaches over
them, leaving them to be picked up by Indians or
Immigrant trains
Mr.. BECK. ldeml OF KY, called upon Mr.. Kasson
to explain why the estimated deficiency Tor the
Post once was larger this year that 1t was last
year.
Mr. KAssoN declined TO enter into q discussion OF
the finances and proceeded with his argument
He asked the republican members whether, the
very moment they were elected, they were to 60
back on the platform on which they had been
elected. He, for one would not 60 back on his
pledges until the people had manifested their viii
TO that effect He would show the House what the
voice Of the people to the Forty-second Congress
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