Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-03-29
THE NEW POSTAL TAX.

Ihc history OF thls new postal act is
very simple and very shameful. On the
18th of February of this year Postmas-
Ger General Jewell wrote to Senator Ram.
say, of the Post.offiee Committee, upon
the subject of merchandise in the mails.
He stated that it did not seriously Oh
struct nor threaten to obstruct mail
transportation upon railroads, but that
1t was embarrassing upon some Of the
trunk stage routes. He said that the
law had been 50 long in operation that
changes were difficult, but he finally
suggested that 1.-THE rate of postage on
merchandise be doubled" Now ..mer-
chandise" is included under third.class
mail matter, to which oelong
"All pamphlets, occasional publica-
tions, transient newspapers and maya
zines, hand-b bills, posters, unsealed cir
culars. prOspectuses. book. book manu.
script, proof sheets. maps, prints, cn-
cravings, blanks. flexible patterns, sam.
Piles of merchandise, simple cards, pho
tographIc paper, letter envelopes and
wrappers. cards. plain and ornamental
paper, Photographic representations of
different types, seeds, cuttings, bulbs,
roots and scions.
MIR. Bangs, the General Superinteud-
ent of the Railway Mail Service, stated,
on the Sth of February, that the def
cheney in the Post office revenues was
not due to this matter of the third. class
of which tweuty-four pounds in thirty
consist of transient publications, manu-
scrps, etc. Mr.. Bangs advised that if
any change were made, it should be in
the increase of rate.
The Senate rejected proposal by Mr..
Ramsay to increase the postage rates,
but on the night of the Sd of March, at
the last moment, when there is no time
for consideration. discussion. or intelli-
gence, and when members are only too
eager to vote upon any pending propo-
sition IN order to secure q chance for
their own bills, Mr.. Hamlin, of Maine.
introduced very quiet little amend.
ment. merely changing the words 1.-TWO
ounces, IN the regulation for third.class
matter to ounce" 1t was very simple
and very modest. 1t merely doubled
the rate on everything included in the
third class. Had he followed MIR. jew
els suggestion, Mr.. Hamlin would have
said ''merchandise" in tine third class ;
but that was unwise. for it would have
necessarily provoked injury. Mr.. Sar.
gent, OF California, moved to lay the
amendment on the table Dir. Hamlin
then said that he had IAN express REQ
ommendation" of the POSTMASTER Gener.
al IN its favor. He added that It would
operate as no hardship whatever upon
persons whom we design to benefit by
allowing merchandise tn go through the
mails. ." That is, it is no hardship tc
make poor people pay six cents instead
of three, and eight cents instead of four
IN sending transient papers and period
icals. ''l-et us replenish the Treasury
said Mr. Hamlin. who, we believe, voted
for the restoration of the ranking pow
er. Mr.. West said that the amendment
proposed to make the carriage of mer
chandise sixty cents on four pound,
instead of thirty.two, and that the Sen
ate mad voted it down when it came from
another quarter Mr.. Hamlin retorted
{ The Vice. President reminded the Sena
t tor that his time had expired. 9Th
amendment was agreed to- 1t cam
{ into the House, and was read. Mr
Garfield said that ithet the concurrence
of the Committee on Appropriations
! The amendment was concurred in
r HayPer's WeeGly.