New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-21
Tho New Postal Rates.

the members of the Senate and House of
Representatives who were present at the
time the act increasing the postal rates on
mailable matter of the third class was
that has proved to be . mystery to
tho public, Times reporter called
ON Senator p. w. Hitchcock, of Ne
braska, at the st. Nicholas Hotel. The
Senator said that the first change in
the law had been proposed, he thought, by
Mr.. Dorsey, of Arkansas, q member of the
Committee on POstoffices and POstr0ads,
who had introduced an act to reduce the
weight of packages of this class of matter
allowed to be carried in the mails from four
pounds to two. This measure had met with
much opposition from the Senators from
many Of the Western States, because of
tho fact that the law, as it stood, had
been found to be very satisfactory, and
the privilege of sending packages through
the mails had proved to be of such
great convenience and utility, espe-
cially in the far West, in places where
there were no express offices, that they
were unwilling to deprive the people Of it's
advantages. This aot, therefore, had been
voted down. The last act, that which was
passed on the third instant, and which in-
creased the fares to one cent an ounce,
was introduced by Mr.. Hamlin, of
Maine, also member Of the committee,
and the increase in the rates had
been proposed on the ground that the ex-
pense Of transportation was too great, and
that the government would lose money
Mr.. Hitchcock said, seemed to be q fair
argument, and the act was passed. So far
as he was concerned he had voted for it un-
der the impression that it was intended to
apply to articles Of merchandise only, and
not to newspapers and printed matter, ETC.,
and he had been much surprised when
he learned that such was the case.
The act was hurried through at the
eud Of the session, when there is always
circumstances it was absolutely necessary
to depend on the committees for full ex.
animation of many OF the acts that were
passed. He was not in favor Of reducing
the weight of the packages allowed to be
forwarded by mail, but as he has under
stood that the carriage Of merchandise IN
the mails could not be done by the govern
ment at the old rates. he had thought it
right that they should be altered.
Hon. Fernando Wood said that he did not
desire to express any opinion as to the
merits of the act at present, but this he
could say, that he had not the slightest
recollection of the passage of the act by the
House of Representatives. The great fault
of our system of legislation in Congress was
that during the last few days of the session
the greatest confusion prevails, and many
bills pass without the possibility of any prop
er action being taken upon them. During
the last session of Congress he had not been
absent from his seat single day, and had
been exceptionally attentive to the proceed
ings of the House, but it was impossible for
any one to know all that was done at the
close. The act in question he presumed
had been reported upon by the Committee
on Postoffices and Postroads in the usual
way, and the parties who we're responsible
for its contents were the members Of that
committee. Mr.. Wood then went on to de-
scribe the scene of confusion that invariably
prevails during the last days of q session.
The members, he said, crowded around
the clerks desk, and each handed in
his own bill and devoted his entire
energies to having it passed, apparently
not caring hether any other was passed or
not. The noise and din were very great on
such occasions, and many acts were passed
of which the majority OF the members were
utterly ignorant until after the adjournment
Of the session. In his remarks upon the
confusion and want of order that prevailed.
Mr.. Wood said he wanted to be understood
as reffEIing to the House of Representatives
only, aud not to the Senate Chamber, and
as not referring to any particular period, as
it was matter Of long standing and seemed
to be almost tanav0idabie.-Ner York Times,
March 13.