Connecticut western news., 1878-03-21
THE RATES OF POSTAGE.
A New Scheme of Classi heatiOn winch will
 be Reported to the House.


 A New Scheme of Classi cation winch will
 be Reported to the House.
 Several propositions providing for the classification of mail matter and rates of postage have been presented to Congress in various forms this session, and both the Senate and House Committees on Post Offices and Post Roads have given the subject careful attention. The House committee will agree to report favorably with amendments bill prepared by 8 committee of publishers of Boston in consultation with Acting Assistant Attor- ney General Bissell, of the Post Office Department. It divides mailable matter into four classes-frst, written matter; second, periodical publications under registration third, all printed matter not contained in the second class fourth merchandise There IS no change from existing laws as to the postage on writ ten matter. Mailable matter of the sec- periodical publications issued at stated intervals and as frequently as four times year, and which are registered as pro- vided in the bill. Publications register ed under the conditions prescribed by the Post Master General are entitled to transmissions through the mails at the rate of two cents per pound, the postage to be prepaid by 8 special adhesive stamp. No publication is to pass through the mails at the registered rate unless a certificate of registration or special per- init is granted to it. The bill has been amended requiring that every publica- tion admitted to the registered rate shall have printed upon each issue thereof the words, ''registered," or temporary per init granted" as the case may be, ''for transmission in the mails," which words of registration or temporary permit shall be evidence to postmaster at other than so marked is entitled to have transmits sion through the mail at the registered rate when presented by news-agent or sent to regular subscribers only. The penalty fixed for the punishment of any person who shall print the words designa- ted above in quotations upon any pubh- cation that has not been duly registered or for which a permit has not been granted shall be deemed guilty of mis- demeanor and be punished by fine of not less than $15O nor more than $500 for each offense. Foreign newspapers and periodicals of the same general char acter as those registered in the United States, may be registered and transmit ted through the mails at the regular reg istration rates. The bill allows supple ments to be folded within the regular issues of second class registered mail naather without extra postage, brt the supplement must always be issued with the publication and must have the title and date of the publication which it supplements printed on the first page or cover. On third-class matter, including books, transient newspapers and per1odicals, circulars and other printed matter, proof sheets, corrected proof sheets and manuscript copy accom- panying the same, the rate of postage is fixed at the rate of cent for each two ounces of or fractional part thereof. Mail matter of the fourth or merchandise class not exceeding four pounds weight fer each package, is charged at the rate of 1 cent per ounce. One new section is added to the bill providing that publications registered under the provisions of this act, one copy to each actual subscriber residing within the county where the same are printed in whole or in part and published, shall go. free through the mails, but the same shall not be deliv- cred at the letter carrier offices, or dis tributed by carriers unless postage is paid thereon as provided by section B., 872 of the Revised Statutes, provided, however, that such section is hereby amended by striking out the words ''and circulars" wherever they occur therein.