The true northerner., 1874-02-20

Department for the year ending June
80, 1874, was confined to that business
alone.
Having passed the House, it came to
the Senate Feb. Z, 1873 was read and
referred to the committee on Postoffices
and Postroads /; and on Feb. Ia, was re-
ported from that committee with amend
ments. The Senators composing the
committee were Ramsey of Minnesota,
Pomeroy of Kansas, Mcdonald of Ar
kansas, Hamlin of Maine, Cole of Cali
fornia, Gilbert of Florida, and Thurman
of Ohio. When reported back to the
Senate by the committee, it contained
ten amendments, the last one being at
the end of the act, as above quoted, and
cutting off all free matter from the
mails. These amendments we're adopted
in the Senate with some opposition, in
which Senator Ferry Joined.
The House disagreeipg to the Senate
amendments, conference committee
was appointed, and this was where the
fun came in. On the part of the SEN
ate the conference committee was Messrs.
Cole of California Kelley of Oregon,
and Ramsey of Minnesota ; on the part
of the House it was Messrs. Palmer of
Iowa, Sargent of California, and Farms
worth of Illinois. This committee made
some changes, but agreed to deal their
secret, cowardly blow at the country
newspaper press.
The bill as agreed on by the con-
ference committee went through the
Senate under the lead OF Senator Ram.
sey; and when it came up in the House,
Mr.. Frank w. Palmer of Iowa. as
Chairman, in effect said that it was all
right, and he would answer any ques.
tion which any gentleman might desire
to ask about it, Every member knew
that the Postoffice Appropriation bill
must pass, or the mails must stop; and
nobody suspected an African in the
wood-pile. No questions were asked
and through she went,-or through hc
went. We mean the African aforesaid
with Mr.. Palmer pushing him along
Mr. Palmer was Just then going out
Of Congress, and had purchased share
in the Chicago Inter Ocean, and it ii
said he has since become the owner of a
controlling interest. He contemplated
founding great heightened, magnani
nous, staunch Republican journal il
the Northwest, and this was the means
he took to secure advantages of circula
tion over the small weak country news
papers. Like the noble man and glo
t rious Representative that he was, h,
5 pledged himself on the floor Of th
2 House to answer any questions about I
< bill which he knew and every member
. knew had got to be passed in hurry
r without looking into details, upon conf
: dence in his honor Here was dlsin
e terested, high-souled legislation for you
Had this great change been made up
D on petitions Of the people, or after
-. hearing before committees, in which tn
= country and city newspapers could hav
Y had an equal chance and full discussion
!; we should have no words to offer. &" lie
e justice be done. though the heaven
a fall"
c OF course tue city press can do with
h out free exchanges. They make u
0 their columns Of telegraphic news, col
n respondence, original locals, and markt
+, reports, and they care for very few e2
(, changes excepting from the great cite
Payment Of postage on these exchange
II would not affect their business mucI
o where hundreds OF dollars are daily ey
t. pended in obtaining news.
e But the case IS very different Wit
It struggling country editors They CO,
l. not afford to buy telographic dispatche
h or pay much for correspondence or Il
d Gals They depend mainly upon the
:. exchange. list for the means OF maxim
y their columns interesting To tax thcl
le in a new and unexpected way, by ii
secret change Of law that had existe
D. over 50 years, was mean thing, an
s. doubly mean when done by grand co
II mopolitan newspaper publisher takiu
y advantage of the public position he VI
about to leave.
,e The circumstances under which sue
d law was passed. and the infuenc
ct which brought it about, always come I
ii legitimately in discussion. And havir
ID exposed the foul" blow dealt by
le competitor for subscribers in Michiga
'y we leave the practical measures Of reli
to to be considered by the State Convc
or tion which assam hloS pavt wool