The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-14
The Senate wrestling with the
Newspaper Postage Question.

The feature OF Congressional doings,
ON Tuesday last, was the debate in the
Senate over the newspaper postage ques-
ton brought up IN the bill to regulate
the postage on third.class matter. The
only vote taken was upon an amendment
10 take out Of the third class prints, en-
cravings, blanks, flexible patterns, samples
OF merchandise, sample.cards, photo
graphic paper, letter envelopes, postal
envelopes aud wrappers, cards, plain and
ornamental, paper, photographic repre-
sensations, seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots
and scions, with . view to organizing n
fourth class for merchandise and make it
pay the cost Of transportation. The
amendment was rejected by vote OF II
to 20.
During the discussion, Mr.. Dawes, of
Massachusetts,, spoke in support OF the
bill az reported by the committee. He
believed it the duty Of Congress to give
the cheapest postage possible TO every
village and hamlet in the land, and all
proposed legislation 10 contribute 10 that
end should receive the support OF the
Senate. But, so long Us u deficiency oc-
CURED, year after year, for transporting
merchandise, there could not be cheap
postage. The ultimate effect Of this de.
hcieucy would be a curtailmcnt Of the
mail facilities. He referred to the tele.
graph being under the control Of the post
Office dspartmentin 1916, when It cost the
government over 5000 to maintain it,
and the receipts were only 81 900, and the
result OF which was that the government
turned its,back upon the telegraph; and
now In 80 years this competitor OF the
postoftice had yearly receipts amounting
10 Sl0,OO0,00O. The telegraph entered
directly into competition with the post
office department and took tue cream Of
the business. He (pawes) proposed to
supper, the bill reported by the commit.
tee, although no did not agree that 1t was
perfect.
Mr.. Harvey Of Kansas, spoke in favor
OF tho substitute submitted by him to re.
store the old rate Of postage. He denied,
however, tho statement oil the Postoiice
Department that there was deficiency Of
S4,000,000 on account Of the third.class
matter. There was no such deficiency,
but the department had charged to the
cost Of transporting that class, costs which
did not properly belong to II.
Mr.. Morrill,, Of Maine, spoke Of public
and private economy as an absolute nc
cessity to the American people. There
was no more authority for charging upon
the government Of the United States the
cost Of transporting the mail than there
was for charging upon 1t the costs Of is.
suing patents. The presence OF merchan.
disc in the mails was abhorrent to the
sense Of the constitution. The people OF
the United States would not permit
merchandise in the mail when they
understood II was In the interest
Of traffic. The newspapers should have
every facility Of the mali, but they should
pay q reasonable compensation for trans.
portation, and never In the history Of
this country was the press better able 10
do so than now. He thought the com.
mittee on post.ofices and poSt.roads had
proposed most important reform, and
the bill should be passed, The news.
paper interest should take It's share in
the public burdens with all other inter.
ests. -.... 49,.
Mr.. withers, Of Virginia, referred to