New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-15
is another committee this body that sometimes has
subjects before 1t that relate to the Post ONCE De-
nartment

ts another committee in this body that sometimes mas
subjects before 1t that relate to the Post ONCE De-
partment.
Mt West-I wish they wouhi take them oil.
Mr. HamIin-Tne Committee on Appropriations does
not absorb all the information there Is In this body and
10 the country all subjects Laughtcr In other
words want TO say that while concede that they
know everything am not quito willing to admit that
there is not any body else who knows anything Laugh
teri Now will read what the Postmaster General
Gays
The ce-President-Th Chair will remind the Senator
that his time has expired
The amendment was agreed to.
1t will be seen by the above that nothing was said
by any Senator about the application of this amend
ment to transient newspapers and periodicals, and
it is doubtful if the majority Of the Senators had
any idea of its application. Senator Hamlin must
have known. for he was member of the Commit
tee on Post-O Offices and Post Roads, and is now its
Chairman He cannot plead ignorance of the effect
of the law.
The Sundry Civil Appropriation bill was sent to
the House after midnight on the last night of tie
session, and the Senate amendments were considered
between and o'clock in the morning. The Com-
mittee on Appropriations recommended concurrence
in the amendment in question: and 1t was agreed 10
without debate Nobody knew anything about IL
until the change of law announced by the Post
Office Department. The Appropriations Committee
is in measure responsible for this outrage, because
it's members either knew what the effect OF the
amendment in question would be- or they did not
give the bill the careful examination it should have
received.
Senator Hamlin u.s. after all. the man who is re-
spODsble for this legislation and had he done 1t for
the purpose of njuring the newspaper press OF the
country, it would have surprised no one. Several
years ago he allowed himself to be made the iDstru-
ment of Conkling in of his attacks upon an
agent of the Associated Press in Washington, and
since that time he has more than once, both in
public and in private given evidence of his hatred
of the press. The same Congress which revived the
franking abuse in order that its members might
clog the mails with the documents that had for two
doubled the postage on the poor mans newspaper
in order to meet the increased expense of the Post
Office Department.
Postmaster General Jewell was in the Senate at
the time Mr.. Hamlin offered his amendment, and
supposed as did every one who noticed 1t and had
not been let into the secret that it applied only to
merchandise. Members Of the House say that they
knew nothing about any change of rates of postage
to be made in the Sundry Civil bill. Mr.. Bangs's
letter. mentioned by Mr. Hamlin, referred only to
samples of merchandise and stated simply that, if
the same amount of merchandise should 20 through
the mails under the increased rate as now, the
amount of revenue would be increased S20O0'OOO.
The only communication of the Pc tmaster-G General
was brief note, calling attention TO the letter OF
Mr.. Bangs.