The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-07
INTERESTING DEBATE In THE SENATE,
Passage of the Bill for Reducing the
Presidents Salary.
THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION BILL
Looking Closely Into Every Item
Of the Bill.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, April @, Isl

Mr.. SHERMAN (rer) OF Ohio, from tho Committee on
Finance, reported iavorably the House bill pro-
ride for deficiency the Engraving and Printing
Bureau Of tho Treasury Department, and gave notice
ae would call It up Tor consideration Monday.
Placed on the calendar
The Senate proceeded to the consideration Of the
bills the calendar not objected to, and number OF
bills Of a private character were passed.
THIRD CLASS NAIL MATTER.
The Senate then resumed the consideration OF the
bill fixing the rate of postage third class mail mat
Ter and Tor other purposes.
Mr.. HARVEY, rep) Of Kan, submitted an amend
ment in the nature of substitute strike
d. after the enactiug clause OF the bill and insert the
following
sections ISIS and 3gii Of The Revised Statutes
n,ckass sherso and pas,aSe a lie charred thereon A.
III rate o. cent for cac two onuces traction thereof
hereby repealed bn nothing herein contaned shall be held
change section 1878 Of said Revised Statutes
Mr.. HARVEY spoke in support of his amendment. He
said he satisfied the increasing the rate Of
postage on third had met the approval
OF the people OF the country and had not in any de-
gree been benefit to the revenues OF the Post Office
Department Tho amendment he submitted, he be-
lievcd embodied the views OF the majority of the PEG
pie OF this country He did not in tho idea that
the Post office Department should be efsustainng.
He read from letter OF the late Superintendent OF the
porting third class expensive that
vi the first and second class because third class mat
ter handled al leisure by the employees oi the de-
partmenL kesuming, he said there were $4,000 post
offices In The United States and TO MAINTAIN them II
necessary to en- poy number OF postmastcrs and
clerks Upward OF 40 900 persons were employed, and
the payment OF these persons constituted more than
ha OF the expense OF the whole postal service.
For ep ht cents Mound nae of merchandise ould
be por anywhere within the boundaries of the
United States had been stated that packages OF that
kind could be transported around the world at that rate
NJ In ha m MI MIA fnr
TO the old system.
Mr. BoGY, tdeml of Mo-, said the Senator from
sclf-susta .irg ms ittion He mr. Bogy thought the
day had that idea should be abandoned
Was 1t reasonable at this day 10 require the depart
ment 10 be sclfsustainingi Was IL wise to curtail
mail facilities, or increase the price of mail 10 accom-
piish this obect The copGton OF the country ut the
present day must be considered. Since 1871 new
territory had been acquired. The people OF Texas,
California, Nevada aud oregon must nave mail iac.
lies. The products OF those States amounted
to millions OF dollars annually. He
thought the classification of mad matter
Was detective, and doGbed the policy Of reducing tho
postage on letters 10 Two cents The ransp Itaton OF
second class mail matter, consisting OF newspapers and
periodicals., attended w'h considerable loss The
second class well The irst Glars intended to
garry out the original idea held in organizing the de-
partment, which the transmission of intelligence
throughout the continent Newspapers and periodicals
ought to be scattered throt .uut the land and there
must be tax 10 tran a. 4 them the people of this
country could not pay Tor bcis"r more useful OBJ
cct AS 10 third Glars matter he thought II was all err
roncous He favored the increase OF the rate on
merchandise, but no increase in the rae on news
papers and periodicals. II the mas should be re-
heved Of merchandise, letters. papers, &c, could be
carried without cost TO the government lie favored
the amendment of the senator IRON Kansas orr
Harvey and SAID II merchandise must be carried
through the mail let u be fourth class matter and
pay the cost oil transportation
Mr. NANCY, (dcm.l OF Texas, member OF the Com
mittee Post Offices and Post Roads, said the bill had
been prepared by that committee with great care Tho
committee had sought Information from all sources on
the subject lie favored only Two classes OF mail mat
ter, ana believed that Of tho third class matter
might have been excluded from the mail and the bal
put IN the second class Merchandise should not
be allowed the mails but seeds, bulbs and cuttings
should be- they necessity TO the people OF the
West 1t was not wise that the whole people OF this
country should pay Tor the transportation OF mcrchan
tor the benefit Of the few. The TRANSMISSION Of
merchandise through the mails convenience 10
hose who bet the cos. had been paid by the
people OF the country III the Senate would sustain the
committee and pass this bl!l the government would
save ABOUT s., 0O0 900 per The Investigation
made by The committee framing this bill made
In the interest vi the people.
Mr BoGy asked what OBJ sc,ion there was to a fourth
class ol mail matter Tor mcr .haadise only
Mr.. NANCY said II the classes shoiid lie increased
here woula be moe Inability OF fr cd He thought the
;orrcct principle wgs TO have Two classes only. Re-
umng ms game ut h. SAID he supposed alter this
lhrd class mail matter had been settled the committee
would make hNrpn.h Investigation as to second
:lass mail mater. and inquire why did pay
way through ias NIL The bl has been considered by
he committee withou. the slightest regard political
craftsmanship and he hoped Il would be passed.
Mr. SALISBURY dem OF Del, spoke in IA, or Of the
~, hA'ns NY iaS - possse o. .n,sa s.ass So mater,
80 600 900 in the Post uace Department, which must
supplied from the National Treasury unless
measure be adopted 10 make the department self.sus-
aping He apprchendcd that there would be acqui-
the part OF the senate to increase the post
age on second class matter II there was TO be any
alteration II mus be in regard 10 third class matter
One for the deficiency IN the department
The excessive amounts paid Tor mail contracts There
Nas no question but what there hal been loose
TEN of contracts Tor carrying the mail. especially
the lar West There had been system OF robbery
through the medium OF straw bids Another cause
Tor the amount OF money required
carry ono the postal system now was the large
nj N he n Tho ul
tnlore Post Office there were 10 clerks; IN Boston
about SIS, although thai city had no, larger popua-
ploycd. and III Philadelphia there were only 2l0
Nr. HAMnS said he had addressed note TO the Post
master General calling his attention to these very mat
Mr. SALISBURY rcsuming said in the Cincinn att
Post onicc there loo clerks. IN Cleveland about
30, in lnda. spos about 40 in New Orleans 80 and in
ST LOUIS l2J There was also large army OF letter
carriers employed. ana there might be material re-
auction la both clorks aud letter carriers
Mr. wiSpoa, trep.l Of MINI, SAID be could not SEQ
aow the govern sustained loss by carrying pack
ages Ct Que cent an.ounca The Committee Trans
,ortation Routes had made careful estimate OF tho
lost 10 railroad companies for carrying The
companies had demanded OF the government thirteen
mills per lneai loot per mile Tor postal each
EAR ran, wbica would amount 10 about thirty.nino
:ents per mile for each Allowing the average dis
lance which this merchandise was conveyed to be
200 miles, at cent ounce J.; would Yield good
revenue When he compared the amount collected
from the people on third class mail matter with the
demands OF tue railroad companies lac was unable
acc how any loss was sustained by the department for
the transportation OF that matter. lie then from
The report made on the Committee on Transportation
Routes TO the cost OF running and that
third class matter could DO transported IN inexpensive
Eases III prvht.
Nr DAVIS, tdcin.) OF W Va, favored the passage
Of the inil reported by the committee As he UNDER
stord IL It reduced the postage on all transient news
paper matter Formerly the postage on such matter
was one cent for ounces Hut this oil proposed 10
make Il one cent Tor three onnces. Newspapers aud
periodicals. sent the Office OF publication actual
subscribers not touched by The bilL u persons,
ns matter of convenience desired 10 send nicrchan-
disc through the mails which should DC sent uy cx-
press such merchandise SHOULD pay the cost OF
porlaion Express companies charge according 10 the
distance which packages conveyed. and II was
perfectly proper Tor the government 10 do SO rs pro-
posed in this bill
Mr. NsRRIxoy (dem.l OF N. G., said he was not In
favor OF making the postal system sesupportsng but
nc was in favor oil combining II 10 the purpose for
when N was organized-the Transmission OF
iptell,rcpcc He was IN favor oil making The postage
unon 1cttcrs pewspsrers periodicals and. books