Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-10-16
SLIPPED INTO THE MAIL.
hmm snse Quantities OF Stalwart Campaign
Documents Mailed with insufficient
ROstage!The Goyornment Losses.

DOcum0ut8 M0llSQ Win xn0u01C10DC
Postase-The Government Losses
Philadelphia Times.
Stories are afloat in different parts of
the state about the passage through the
mails of Stalwart campaign documents
especially life of General Beaver in book
f"Im-at less rate of postage than re-
CURED by law. The postoffice authorities
in this city declare that their skirts are
clear, but at the same time admit that
documents with insufficient postage have
been circulated without their knowledge.
1t appears that in the Philadelphia post
Office, as in all the large Offices of the
country, the number of packages used in
day is SO immense that some de-
peIdence has to be placed in the
honesty of people who mail matter
in large quantities, especially heavy pack.
ages. Everything cannot be weighed. The
campaign documents have been coming in
sacks, which are emptied out among the
other heavy mail matter, and when they
first began coming in few of the books
and pamphlets were taken at random and
weighed. They were generally found to
have the required number of stamps, but
it is learned from an evidently Trustworthy
sCurce that tho man who does most of tho
weighing, when hc found an occasional
package that was not sufficiently stamped,
considered that, as the documents wele
issued by tho Republican state committee
and to help along the Republican cause, it
would not he q judiciOus thing for him to
make any fuss about it and get into per-
sOnal controversy with such potential
powers, SO he concluded to let somebody
else make tho disturbance if any was
=" to be made.
co.. 'nds Of publications have been
s.nt m"oH: ont n immense quantitiesEone %
se,,s SEM OUT ,.aa,,,,+ ~ weighing nearly Tour
oo'se oances, pamPhtis anI sss other containing a%c
General Beavers ':fe compile. by law
weighs ten OUNCES. Tie Fss1thlo\ the
requires each two cent stamp Am. .
been sent bearing only One-cent stamp |
the PHILADELPHIA Office. There is very good
reason, however, for believing that tl,e
number sent under illegal postage from
the Philadelphia postoffice has been small
compared with those sent from other |
postofiices in tho st.ie. to which they have
been forwarded in large quantities as
freight. As no less than 1000 copies of
tho life Of General Beaver have been dis
tribu.ed, il they were all sent through the
mails at one cent instead of five cent pos
taGc it represents al item Of s., coo with
held from tho general government. and if
the same thin" has been done with other
dOcumc Hts the loss represented ucuid be
much greater.
AS soon az the natter was noticed and
began 20 be talked about it reached tba
ears Of Postmaster Euidesope:, who eat
toned the men handling that class of mat.
tor to he moro particular. and, IS a result,
large quantities Of pamphlets ard books
began to be returned 10 tho Republican
headquarters for moro stamps, ,aach TO
tho disgust of those VIII" were sending
them out. Five cents Oh every docuaent
when thousands arc being. sent ont foots
up formidable item.
No later than Saturday documents were
sent cut that coud not be passed. Ever:
with the increased surveillance enjoined
some slip through, it is stated, and the
theory upon which tho Republican COM
mitter appears to act is that the subordi-
mates who handle the matter, IN the
present condition of political affairs will
no. take tho responsibility Of scruti-
nizing the stamps too closely. 1t is said
that way Gas been found OF late of beat
ing the matter abont the bush by putting
all the documents for individuals IN par
ficular cities aud towns together in sacks
aud having these sacks unmailed, placed
in tho personal charge Of employees on
mail cars, who hand them over to tho post
master of the place. who, in accordance
with instructions, mails tho whole lot as
local postage and distributes them. Even
under this arrangement ono cent postage
is not enough on tho books, but there has
bcen SO much sharp practice about tho
matter and SO much circumlocutiOn has
been used that it Is difficult to say who is
responsible for the systematic swindlip:c
that is being carried or.