River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-03-20
THE POSTAL SYSTEM.
How II Was Altered by the Postoffice APP
preparation bin Passed at the Recent
Session of Congress.

postolfice appropriation bill before it finally
passed; and when ii did pass, there was q
general misunderstanding as to its proyis-
ions. The essential features of this law may
be gathered from the extracts given below
from the report of the committee of confer
ence, which show that the postal system has
been materially altered. The information
contained in this report will not be officially
made public until the law can be printed,
which viii not be for some time. Mean
while, this report will be of interest TO every
person having TO do with the postoffiee.
The provision of special interest To outgo-
ing Congressman was inserted by the CON
ference, and was not contained in the bill as
il passed either house. This provision Isl
Provided further, That from and after the
passage of this act Senators, Representatives
and DELEGATES in Congress, the secretary of the
Senate and clerk of the House of Representa-
tives, may send and receive through the mail
free all public documents printed by order of
Congress; and the name of each Senator, Rep
resentative, Delegate, secretary of the Senate,
and clerk of the House, shall be written there
on with the proper designation of the office he
holds and the provisions of this section shall
apply to each OF the persons named herein I'M
til the first Monday in December following the
expiration of their respective terms Of Office.
The following sections contain those gem
eral features of tho bill which are new legis-
latiOui
Soc. 3. The postmaster general shall, in all
cases, decide apon what trains and in What
manner the mails shall be conveyed.
Sec. 4. That all cars or parts of cars used
for the railway mail serv ee shall be of such
style, length and character, and furnished in
such manner as shall be required by the post
master general, and shall be constructed, lifted
up, maintained, heated, and lighted by and at
the expense of the railroad companies.
Sec. g. That the postmaster general shall
deduct from the pay Of the railroad companies,
for every failure to deliver q mail within its
schedule time not less than one-hslf of the
price OF the trip, and where the trip is not
performed, not less than the price OF one trip,
and not exceeding, in either ease, the price of
three trips. Provided, however. That if the
failure is caused by a connecting road, then
only the connecting road shall DO nned. And
where such failure is caused by unavoidable
casualty the postmaster general, in his disore-
tiOn may remit the fine. And he may make
deductions and impose fines for other delin-
queucies.
Sec. q. That the postmas tor-general shall re
quest all railroad companies transporting the
mails to furnish, under seal, such data relating
to the operating, receipts AND expenditures Of
such roads as may, in his Judgment, be deemed
necessary TO enable him to ascertain the cost Of
mail transportation and the proper compensa
tion to he paid for the sanes and he shall, il
bis usual report to Congress, make such recon
mendations, founded on the information OBJ
tanned under this section, SHALL in his opin
ion, be just and equitable.
Sec. z That mailable matter shall be divided
into four classes:
FiTst-Written matter.
Second-Periodical publications.
Third-Miscellaneous printed matter.
Observation-Disclosures
Sec. y Nathalie matter of the first elias,
shall embrace letters, postal cards and all mat
tiers wholly or partly in writing, except as here
matter provided.
Sec. 8. That on mailable matter of the frs
class, except postal cards and drop letters, post
age shall be paid at the rate of three cents fo
each half ounce or fraction thereof, posta
cards shall be transmitted through the mails a
q postage charge of one cent each, includIn,
| the cost of manufacture; and drop letters shall
/ be mailed at the rate of two cents per hal
ounce or fraction thereof, including delivery a
/ etter-carrier Offices and one cent for each hal
ounce or fraction thereof where free deliver,
/ by carrier is not established. The postmaster
/ general may, however, provide by regulation
/ for transmitting unpaid and duly certified let
/ tiers of soldiers sailors and marines IN the ser
vice of the United States to their destination
4 to be paid on delivery.
/ Sec. 10. That mailable matter OF the second
/ class shall EN- brace all newspapers and othe
periodical publications which are issued a.
stated intervals, and frequently foul
times q year, and within the conditions
named in sections II and ID.
Sec. IL. Publications of the second class
except as provided in section rs. when sent BY
the publisher thereof and from the Office o
| publication, including sample copies. or wheI
/ sent from a news-agency to actual subscriber
! thereto, or to other agents, shall be en-
titled to transmission through the mails at
! cents pound or fraction thereof such postag,
| to be prepaid, as now provided by law.
/ Sec. II. That matter of the second class
may be examined at the Office of mailing, anc
/ it found to contain matter which Is subject Il
higher rate OF postage, such matter shall b
charged with postage at the rate to which tbs
inciosed matter Is subject: Provided, tha
nothing herein contained shall be SO construed
as to prohibit the insertion in periodicals O
advertisements attached permanently to tn
same.
Sec. -. That any person who shall submit
/ or cause to be submitted for transportation IL
! the mails; any false evidence to the postmaste
relative to the character of his publication
| shall be deemed guilty of misdem amor, and
| upon conviction thereof in any court of conlpe
| tent jurisdiction, shall for every sdch offenst
| be punished by fine Of not less than 800 no
more than @500.
| Sec. IA. That the conditions upon which
publication shall be admitted to the SECOND
| class follows:
First-It must regularly be issued at statet
| intervals, frequently four times 4 year
and bear date of issue, and mum bered con
secutiyely.
Second-It must be issued from a known of
| nee of publication.
Thlrd-It must be formed of printed pape
sheets, without board, cloth, leather. or othe
substantial binding, such as distinguish printed
! books for preservation from periodical publica
tions
! Fourth-It must be originated and published
4 & = 60
/ lie character, devoted to literature, the sci
ences, arts or some special industry, and hav
| ing a legitimate list of subscribers; Provided
| however, that nothing herein contained shall b.
50 construed as to admit TO the second-clasl
rate regular publications designed principally
for advertising purposes, or for free circulation
/ or for circulation at nominal rates.
| Sec. Is. That foreign newspapers and othel
/ periodicals of the same general character a.
those admitted to the second class in the Unite6
/ States may, under the direction of the postmas
| ter-geneTal, on application of the publisher
| thereof or their agents, be transmitted through
| the mails at the same rates as if published IL
| the United States. Nothing in this act shall b,
so construed as to allow the transmission
through the mails of any publication which
violates any copyright granted by the United
States.
Sec. l6. That publishers Of matter of the
second class may, without subjecting ii to ex
ira postage, fold within their regular issues
supplement; but in all cases the added matter
must be germane to the publication which it
supplements, that is to say, matter supplied tC
complete that 10 which it is added or supple
mented, but omitted from the regular issue
for want of space, time, or greater convenience,
which supplement must in every case be issued
with the publication.
Sec. IT, That mail matter of the third class
shall embrace books transient newspapers and
periodicals, circulars and other matter
wholly in print mot included in section l2),
proof-sheets, corrected proof-sbeets, and man
uscript copy accompanying the same, and post
age shall be paid at the rate of one cent for
each two ounces or fractional part thereof, and
shall fully be prepaid by postage stamps affixed
to said matter. Printed matter other than
books received ia the mails from foreign eoun-
tries under the provisions of postal treaties OF
conventions shall be free of custom duty, and
books which are admitted to the international
mails exchanged under the provisions of the
universal postal union convention may, when
subject to custom duty, be delivered To adj
dresses in the Unit, d States under such reru-
lations for the collection of duties as may be
agreed upon by the secretary OF the treasury
and the postmaster general.
Sec. IS, That the term circular is defined
to be printed letter which, according TO in
ternal evidence. is being sent in identical terms
to several persons. 4 circular shall not lose its
character such when the date and the name
of the addressed and of the sender shall be
therein written, nor by the correction of mere
typographical errors in writing,
Sec. 10. That printed matter" within the
Intendment of this act, Is defined by the re-
production upon paper, by any process except
that of handwriting. of any words, letters,