The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-11-26
Efforts for Reduced Postage.
A CONFERENCE BETWEEN POSTMASTER. GENERl
IEWELL AND SEVERAL PUBLISHERS.

CONFERENCE BETWEEN POSTMASTER. GENERAL
JEWELL AND SEVERAL PUBLISHERS.
Mr.. Appleton, of the publishing house OF
D. Appleton g. Co.; Mr.. Sheldon, publisher
of The GALAXY; Mr.. Smith, publisher of
ScrtbnerS Monthly ;sMr. Brakeman, Of the
publishing. house OF Ivisop; Brakeman &
Co.; and Mr.. Farrelly, vice-presidenr Of the
Board OF Trade, met Postmast er. Ger eral
Jewell yesterday at the offi:e of Postmaster
Jamts, and Informally discussed the question
OF the repeal of the law imposing double
rate of postage on tbrd.class malmatter,
which consists of books, magazines, transient
newspapers, maps, prints, and things of like
character, and bulbs, roots, and seeds. As
the law no stands pcs age ut the rate Of one
cent for each ounce or fraction thereof must
be paid on third-class matter, while under
the old law only one half cent per ounce was
charged.
Mr.. Sheldon said that if the law should be
repealed this winter the book trade of the
entire country would greatly improve. Nr.
Smith thought it was for the interest of the
Government to build up the literature OF
the country and to establish a nalion.l lite
nature, and that the repeal of the law would
be useful to this end. PostmasIer-Grnerai
Jewell suggested that news papers be sent by
mail at the rate Of one cent for every four
ounses, but did not favor the reduction of
the present postage on books, because they
were merchandise. "Well,' said Mr.. Ap-
petoD, eve receive the mail sample.books
from foreign countries upon which the pcs :
| age has been paid, and though such books
are dutiable as merchandise We pai nothing
for them" Mr.. jewell asked Mr. james if
dutiable articles were passed through bis Of
! fee, and Mr.. james replied that lie did not
/ think sample books we're dutable as mer-
chandisa. Mr.. Youmars, superintendent OF
the newspaper department OF tie pcst-ot:e
in this city, said that now only one book
to twenty magazines was sent BY
mail. MIR. Apple on remarked that
postage on books should not be more
than eight cents per pound. Mr.. Farrelly
suggested that postage on transient nawSps-
pers should be at The rate OF one cent Tor
every four ounces or fraction thereof Post
master-General Jewell said be had heard a
great deal of talk about the Departments
charging more for sending matter TO Chicago
than it charged for sending such matter to
Liverpool or Russia, but that ne did not
think it was generally known that it cost
more to send Matchmaker to Chicago than il
did to send it TO Liverpool or Russia. The
,Xp9Lsas of bis Department were S35 O00,'
600 year, while the receipts were only S2I.-
600 900. and with deficiency of SS,00O.O0C
staring them in the face he doubted il Con
grcss would look fivoratly upon PROPOSE
ton to reduce the present rate OF postage OIL
mag iziUes and books.
After some further discussion the Post
masier.G Cereal said be supposed al pub ISL
crs were interested in having the postage on
books put back At the old rate. or less, acn
that he would consider The mittar and give
bis opinion respecting it in commnn,ra'
ton he was preparing for Congress- Ne"
York Tribune. PAIR.