Arizona citizen., 1875-07-31
Merchandise i'm the Mails.
Several times within 8 few wee

pleS OI MeICHduulSo III pnOhaS0o hO to exceed four pounds in weight tt pass through the mails at eight cents per pound. They in this way gel various kinds of goods from New York-possibly other cities, too-at eight cents per pound, which is some what cheaper thar n by ordinary freight and in many weeks less time Last Tuesday they must have receiv- near 200 pounds, and some observers put the weight at 25o. And other lots of nearly as much have been re- ceived in various mails for weeks past. Last Tuesday when the very large lot came, not a paper was re- ceived, save The Sentinel and Miner none from California and other States, whereas there should have been one or more sacks of them. There is a belief that this omission to bring papers was not accidental, but to get the people to pay attention to the mer- chandise referred to. We do not share in this opinion. Certain 1t is no papers came and several sacks of merchan- disc for Zeckendorf Bros.
 The matter having very decided public bearing, we have been asked to print something condemnatory of filling up the mails in such way, but those who want to go into the con- demning business in this respect, may do so, we will not, for the post masters at New York and all the way through, permit the abuse-for abuse it surely is. The matter was brought up and discussed in the Unit ed States Senate last Winter, and the discussion was brought on by ship ment (for it can hardly be called any thing else) at one time of 600 pounds of merchandise to Zeckendorf Bros by mail from New York. It was also made subject of official inquiry and opinion by the Postmaster Gen. eral, and our remembrance now is that such transmission of goods was held to be a clear violation of the spirit and manifest intent of the law, but that it was barely possible the letter of the law permitted 1t. Of late we have seen nothing on the sub- ject by officials. Under these cir cumstances, we connot consistently and therefore will not, say anything against what even seems to be plain perversion of law.
 The law was intended to enable merchants or dealers of any kind to send out stmples" of their goods with & view to make sales, and save the expense O. solicit9rs or expensive trips to the trade emporiums by coun- try dealers. From a dozen to fifty or more 4-pound packages of towels, of socks, of shawls, of shirts, etc., com ing in one mail to one firm, would hardly seem ill harmony with the law which only plainly permits samples" For instance, & "sam- pie" of several different articles could come in one 4-pound package. A " sample" of socks, or towels, or even Arizona shawls that would weigh four pounds, would be rarity and might attract some attention i'll Phil adelphia in 1876.
 But Zeckendorf Bros. are simply doing what the postal authorities al- low them to do under the law, and that being the case, they can very independently say to those who object What are you going to do about it.! As intended, the law IS very good one; as enforced it is very bad one. Congress will surely revise or abolish it next session. The money order law is also one of the best on the statute books, yet at one time 8 few years ago, it was badly perverted right in this town by nearly every one who was obliged to transmit money to cities abroad. We simply refer to this to show that the most useful and convenient laws of Congress are now and then perverted.
 THE noted and horrible Mountain Meadow massacre by the Mormons began September 8, 1857. The emi- grants were surprised in their sleep by volleys of bullets, but they rallied and made defense for six days, dur ing which time eight were killed and many wounded, and but two Mor- mons were killed. The emigrants boincr o,,+ oGf from wa for and bamm cd