National Republican., 1888-02-03
TIE HOUSE.


Mr.. Blount. Of Georgia, chairman Of the
committee on postolilces and postroads,
called up for consideration the bill amend
ing the statutes so as to provide that no
publications that are but books or reprints
Of books, whether they be issued complete
or In parts, bound or unbound, or in series,
or whether sold by subscription or other
wise, shall be admitted to the mails as Sec
ond class matter. The object Of the bill,
explained Mr.. Blount, was to prevent an
evasion Of the law which designates what
shall constitute second and third class
mail matter. Under the law, books must
pass through the mails as third class mat.
ter. But an abuse had sprung up and the
law had been evaded by publishers issuing
books at stated intervals and passing them
through the mails as second class matter
on the ground that they were periodicals.
While the Bible and educational books had
to pay cents pound, the yellow.covered
novel could go through the mails at cent
pound.
Mr.. Cannon, OF Illinois, opposed the
measure, and then stated his recollection to
be that prior to 1879 legislation was had al
lowing this cheap class Of literature to go
through the mails at 2 cents pound on
the ground that the dissemination Of sound
and desirable literature should be en-
couraged. AS result OF this policy the
best class of literature could be obtained
for 10 cents; and there could be now
found In the home Of the workingmen
books which even people In moderate eit-
cumstances could not afford to buy before
the policy was iIaugurated. The passage
Of the bill would be worth a good many
hundreds OF thousands Of dollars s4to tho
express companies, and he thought the
measure liable to just criticism.
Mr.. Brumm, OF Pennsylvania, was in
favor Of good books being as cheap as pos
sible, and was opposed to the bill.
Mr.. Farquhar, Of New York, thought
that the trashy novel, the dirty reprints,
and the dirtier medical treatises should not
be allowed to pass through the mails for
one cent pound, while the Bible G od's
word-was charged eight cents.
Mr.. Bingham, of Pennsylvania, stated
that the only class Of mail matter which the
government carried at loss WAS the sec
there should be carried In that class matter
which was never contemplated at the time
| Congress reduced the rate from two cents to
one cent pound.
Mr.. Cannon moved to recommt the bill,
with instructions to the committee on post
| Offices and postroads to report back pro-
vision for the Transmission through the
|
| to the limit OF weight allowed by law, at
| the rate OF cent q pound.
| Lost-yeas 1l9, nays 149. The bill was
passed-yeas 145, nays ll6.
| Mr.. Crisp, Of Georgia, chairman OF the
| committee on elections, called up the CON
tested election case Of Lowry against White
| from the twelfthdistrict Of Indiana.
An arrangement was made that tho dis
cussion should continue for eight hours,
but the Republicans declined to accede to
the proposition that, at the end OF that
| time, the previous question should be con-
| sidered as ordered upon the resolution re.
ported by the majority and minority OF the
committee.
Mr.. Barry, Of Mississippi, took the floor
majority resolution, declaring the scat
| vacant.
Mr.. Cooper, OF Ohio, spoke strongly in
| favor OF the CLAIM of the sitting member,
who had, he asserted, perfectly and thor
oughly asserted the truth OF his assertion
| that he had been naturalized twenty years
previous to the election of 1886. The
records OF the court Of Allen county were
| utterly unreliable, while the oral testimony
| to show that the sitting member did take
out naturalization papers was ineontestable
| and conclusive. The honor OF American
| citizenship could not be taken from man
| by the negligence OF q clerk who failed 10
| perform merely ministerial duty.
The matter then went over until to day.
| Mr.. Grain, OF Texas, from the committee
on presidential elections, &C., reported a
| Joint resolution proposing a constitutional
amendment providing that Congress shall
| hold It's annual meetings ou the first Mon
| day in January, House calendar,
| Mr.. Belmont, Of New Yo.k, presented
numerous memorials from the New York
Produce Exchange, the Baltimore Board OF
| Trade, and various other business associa-
tions, recommending to Congress that an
| international marine conference be invited
| by the United States to formulate measures
for lessening the dangers Of navigation. Re-
| ferred.
lie also introduced bill on the same
subject, authorizing the President 10 invite
the governments Of every maritime nation
to send delegates TO conference TO be held
in Washington ON the lst OF October, lSSS,
and appoint i've delegates 10 represent the
United States thereat. IL shall be the OBJ
iect Of the conference TO revise the rule ol
road at sea, and the international code oil
flag and night Signals, adopt q uniform sys
ten Of marine signals, to be submitted for
ratification to the governments OF MARITIME
nations. Referred.
The House then, at 4.i5, adjourned.
PUG dogs as pets have had their day am rug
| the extremely fashionable, but colds never 60
| out of fashion, SO that II Is always necessary
TO know that Dr. Bulls Cough syrup Is sure
| cure for all coughs ana colds.
| --=-----
| Haaan nOa, o., ,I,a nannnrala.