Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-04-01

THE NEW POSTAL RATES.
1t now transpires that it was the
ignorance of Senator Hamlin, or else
his officiousness on behalf of the express
companies, which led to the wrongful
increase OF. postage on transient news
papers. The law as reported prescribed
one cent for every two ounces on mail
matter of the third class, which includes
all printed matter not sent directly from
the office of publication, and all admis-
sible merchandise up to four pounds.
Senator Hamlin moved an amendment
that one cent be charged for every ounce
or fraction thereof, instead of two
ounces, and led the Senate to believe by
his speech Gas indeed he may have ig
norantly believed himself) that this rate
applied to merchandise alone which is
transmitted through the mails. Itwas
under this impression that the amend
ment was adopted. When it went to the
House in the blind, reckless rush of the
closing hours, Mr.. Garfield said that the
Appropriation Committee approved of
the amendment, and the newspaper
feature was not explained there, not
withstanding the law expressly includes
4" transient newspapers in the third
class. Thus the precipitate legislation
of the closing hours of Congress is re-
sponsible for great and general hard
ship, to which neither house would have
consented knowingly.
The effect of the change is to make
newspapers heretofore paying one cent
pay two cents newspapers paying two
cents now require three, and so on. This
applies, of course, not to newspapers
sent from the office of publication to
regular subscribers in bulk, but news
papers in wrappers sent off by indi-
viduals.
The amendmentsubsttuti one ounce
instead of two ounces was lobbied In the
interest of the express companies. Mr..
Hamin claimed that it would add 3d.
600, 900 CD to the revenues of the Post
Office Department but it is much more
likely to decrease the revenues in the
long run. Wherever a package can be
sent by express for the same cost as by
mail, of course it will go to the express
companies, where a more punctual de-
livery is offered and a guarantee of in
demnity in case of loss. The express
companies, it is true, had no interest
in having the postage on transient
newspapers increased but this was in
cidental to their general scheme for
having postage increased on all except
letter mail matter. If the express COM
panies were inclined to act fairly in the
matter, they would now undertake to
deliver transient newspapers at the old
Postoffice rate until Congress shall be
able to remedy the error into which it
was betrayed by their lobby work.
As all printed matter not sufficiently
prepaid is thrown out of the Postoffice,
it is likely that a great dea of money
will be wasted before the people gen
orally ascertain just how much each
paper costs under the new rule. Up
to this time the Postoffice Department
will make some money on the ignorance
of the public. After this, however, there
Il l. L
Der of newspapers sent away in wrap
pers, and corresponding decrease in
revenue from that class of matter. 1t
is only necessary to note this increase
of rates in connection with the restora-
ton of the franking privilege to est
mate the full measure of Congressional
meanness and selfishness in the transac-
tion-Chicogo Tribune.