The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-03-23
THE NEW POSTALLAW-

a
ofdiscussion and the New York Times gives
very good summary of it's evil provisions:
The new postal law increasing the rate on
third-clsss mail matter 10 one cent per
ounce is not received with favor by the pub
fishing community. Third-class mail mat
ter consists Of pamphlets, occasional publ
cations. transient newspapers. magazines,
handbllls, posters, unsealed circulars, pros
pectuses. books, book manuscript,
proof sheets, corrected prcof-sheets,
maps, prints, engravings, blanks,
flexible patterns, samples of mer-
chsndise, sample cards, Photographic pa
per, letter envelopes. postal envelopes and
wrappers, cards, plain and ornamenSs-
paper. Photographic representations of diff
ferent types. seeds. cuttings, bulbs, roots,
coins, and other matter allowed to be carried
In the mails by law. Last year the limit
nxed by congress was four pounds for each
package and the rate one cent for every two
ounces or traction thereof. This amendment
took great deal of the small package BUSH
ness away from the express COM
panies and they have been using
every effort TO secure its abro-
cation. During the recent session of con-
gress the companies were represented at
Washington by counsel, who sought the
passage OF just such a law as that which has
now gone into effect It was passed hastily
during the last days of legislation, and il is
cidiIueu IDaC the postal committee reported
the act without looking into il with sufficient
csre. Yesterday the department OF the New
YORK pOstOffice set apart for the reception Of
ihird-class matter was visited by numerous
anxious publishers and others who had bat
Just learned of the existence Of the new reg
ulations, and who came In great haste to
ascertain the whereabouts of packages which
they had entrusted to the mails stamped
in conformity with the old law. Hitherto.
when changes so important rs the one just
made have occurred, sufficient time has
been granted to permit the pOstoffices
| throughout the Union to prepare circulars
containing the substance of the law for dis
tribution some time in advance of the alter
alton taking effect. Circulars we're prepared
this time as usual, but not sufficiently early
to permit of their proper distribution so as
to prepare the people, by general publica-
ton of the requirements, for compliance
with them, simply because sufficient time
has not elapsed since the act became a law.
The applications for copies of the law were
very numerous. and in day or two they
will be supplied. Many persons refuse 10
send
HEAVY PACKAGES BY MAIL
in consequence of the advance in rates
The large monthlies which have hitherto
been sent through the mails for four cents
will now cost eight cents each. The pub
fishers OF these magazines are indignant,
eral Tor relief. The additional charges will
seriously affect their book business also.
Music publishers who have used the mails
TO considerable extent will suffer greatly.
The mail from the Eastern states is largely
made up of transient matter. Vast quaint
ties of newspapers which are sent irregu-
| larly come TO the New York Office AND
upon many of them the postage will now
be suddenly increased from four to six cents.
A falling off in the guam
La
pated. Then, from eighty to one hundred
bags OF similar matter are daily received
| from the stations in various parts OF the city.
many of the newspapers having apparently
been read and then sent to some friend az
distance. When the postage equals the cost
of such papers it is obvious that most per-
sons will discontinue sending them. While
| a person in San Fran cisco NAV mail a news
paper or pamphlet from that city TO London
and have it carried across the continent and
over the Atlantic for two cents, another per-
son who lives in New York must pay four
cents in order TO secure the carriage of an
! eight page paper to Brooklyn, aud six cents
when it happens to be quadrunle sheet.
If only two cent stamp be affixed the
paper will DO sent to the mill with
other waste paper, as the postal laws
| provide that such matter shall not be for
warded unless fully prepaid. Under the re-
cent postal arrangement with Canada, the
Dominion government viii forward,as usual
under the new law, md the latter govern
ment will, without collecting additional
rates, carry to Its destination all matter Of
the third class. On July l, when the new
postal treaty negotiated at Btrne goes into
effect, postage to foreign countries will be
greatly reduced, and the discrimination
against internal postage will appear much
more unjust than it does at present While
newspapers are not to-day detained
when they have been dropped at
the Office with stamps affixed &C.
cording to the old rates. orders
will in day or two be issued 10 enforce the
law. Merchandise packages will until then
be forwarded with the amountdues stamped
upon them to be collected by the postmaster.
The post Office is daily incumbered with
quantities of ranked matter, the act to carry
which passed at about the same time that
the charges on third-class matter was in
creased, The argument advanced by the
express companies that the expense OF car
ryiDg quantities of merchandise at low rates
is not remunerative 90 the government, is
answered by those who are familiar with
postal arrangements by the explanation
that the contracts made Dy the governments
do not specify that the mails shall be limited
in weight, and that no additional expense is
incsrred by reason of the increased bulki-
ness of the mails sent over the postal routes.
The New York Sun tells this wicked yarn:
ArnC- l, 800 I,~l -