The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-04-06
'FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
A sI5, 900, 900 BoND TO DE CHANGED
INTO SMALLER BONDS.
Discu-sion on Postage on Third Glass Matter
Calling for the Items on Light and Fuel In
the House-Mr. Cox on Indian Affairs.

Discussion on Postage on Thtrd tlnss WhUof
calling for the Items on Light and Fuel In
the House-Mr. Cox on Indian Affairs.
WASHINGTON, April 5.-In the Senate to-
day MIR. Sherman Qtep., Oho) called up the
House bill to enable the Secretary OF tho Treas
ury to pay judgments rendered by the Court OF
Alabama Claims. In explanation OF the bill, he
said the money received from Great Britain I'M
der tho Geneva award had been Invested In one
bond for the whole amount, which bond was
held subject to the order OF Congress. ~ was
for t1S,000OOO, and II was necessary to change "
or issue smaller bonds for 1t to pay the JUG
ments. The bill was passed.
MIR. Clayton Rep., Ark) from the Committee
on Indian Affairs, reported fayorably on the
House bill to provide for tine sale OF the Kansas
Indian lands In Kansas to actual settlers, and
for tho disposition OF the proceeus OF the sae'
Placed on the calendar.
Tho House bill authorizing the sale OF the
pawnec Irdian reservation was passed
Tho senate then took up the bill fixing the
rate of postage on third class mail matter and
Tor other purposes.
Mr. Hamlin (,ep., Mel submitted an amend
mont, which was agreed to, to insert the words
before the same shall be transmitted by mall"
10 II would read:
II. however the postage on thirdclass matter mailed
office shall he less than the full amount above pre-
Ichgdn clses where the sender known such sender
Sue snail be collected from such sender before the same
SHAH DC transmitted BY mail, Sc
Mr.. Bogy Dem. Mo- said he objected TO this
bill because It raised the postage on third-cllss
matter according to the distance 1t was CON
Veyed At the last session Of Congress the post
age on this class of matter was raised, and the
people all over the country were opposed TO II.
MIR. Iamn said the committee hld looked at
this subject from a broad standpoint. 1hey
Inc adyoestes Of chesp I postlce' There was not
petty manufacturer in all the land VINO was
not cOnn planning that the Government would
not carry his merchandise through the msi at
one half OF the actual cost Of transportation. II
Congress would act wisely AMI make every arti-
Gle which passed through the mai pay lair
compensation for transportation, the rate Of
postage on letters could be put down 10 two
cents tomorrow, and the Post Once Depart
mont made nelf.sustainng. when That should
be accomplish ed the millions would be bene-
nted, and not the few. lie had read extract
from the Journals Of Congress Of la15, ~ show
that the object Of a post office department was
To transmit letters and intelligence, and 50 1t
was held for years, but gradually merchandise
WIS allowed In the mail until ISJj, when boots
and shoes and ell otner articles Of merchandise
were transmitted. Matter not leg ultimately mali
matter began to tie admitted In 1851, ami al that
time the deficiencies IN the revenues of the de-
partmcnt began. Now the country was Just
upon the threshold Of that storehOuse Of mer-
Chandisc. which II not looked after would soon
load down the mail, and the deficiency would
exceed the whole rev nue. OF the department.
lie charged that the Post Office Department
should he sclf-sustainuc AS II " distinct from
all other departments II the Government. II
never was designed to be a upon the people.
Mr.. Hamln then explained the provisions OF
the bill, and said he favored fourth class OF
mall matter, In which anything mi Int be trans
United at half cent an ounce, md any distance.
not exceeding three hundred miles tut the
committee thought otherwise. He was willing
TO allow mefchaGdise Ia the mail II II paid the
cost OF transportation. The Govern nent re-
ceNed Stag for every pound of letter mail trans
mitted. The mails were transported about 1O,OuO
miles by rairoa d ana about 1900 miles by coach
If the whole postal service could be by railroad.
IL would be perforated cheaper. lie referred to
gases whore hammers had been carried from
Inn. A hn
eight Gems pound, which would have cost
Nxty cents pound II sent by express. He be-
lieNcd In cheap postage, but did not want Il G
soci'l correspondence crowded out by merchan-
disc. The committee proposed to follow this
Dill will other rem dial me assures, to make tAe
department set SD tiIniug.
Pending discussion tue sen.ie adjourned.