St. Paul daily globe., 1888-01-31
THE SENATE.
Proposition to Reduce Letter
Postage Reported Adversely On
Blair Educational Bill.

AAoPoSlCiOH ~ lhtuuCe LcCtcr
Postage Reported Adversely On
Blair Educational Bill.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-Mr. Sawyer,
from the Office committee, reported
back adversely the proposition to re-
duce letter postage to cent. He stated
in reply to Mr.. Beck that the committee
had made no written report, but that 1t
did not think it prudent to attempt to
reduce postage at present. The post
Office department was still running be-
bind, and it was thought better to wait
until it was self-suppOrting before any
further reduction OF postage was at
tempted.
Mr. Hoar desired to have put on
record his belief that it was the duty of
the government and for the interest of
the people to have postage reduced to l
cent. He believed that the pOStOffice
department would rapidly become self
sustaining at that rate, but even if not
the direct benefit in binding the country
closer together would more than COM
penSate for any deficit. Mr.. Salisbury,
member OF the p0StOffice committee,
said that the committee was not pre-
pared to advise the reduction of letter
postage, because 1t would involve very
considerable amount which would have
to be appropriated by congress to sus-
tain the pOstOffice department. He did
not believe that the senate ought to be
deviSing ways and means to get rid inn
properly of the surplus in the treasury.
The taxes of the people ought to be re-
duced rather than have the accumulated
money in the treasury wasted. All such
schemes to take money out OF the treas
ury were simply intended as arguments
against the reduction of tariff duties.
He was opposed to any depletion of the
treasury until the taxes were reduced.
r Mr.. Beck said that he had Introduced
the resolution and that it was not
scheme to deplete the treasury. But
when merchandise was carried through
the mails at cent an ounce there was
no reason why letters should not be.
There were firms in New York to-day
making fortunes through the use of the
postoffice in carrying their merchan-
disc. He wished the adverse report
placed on the calendar so that it might
be discussed. The report was placed
on the calendar.
Mr.. Fry offered resolution which
was adopted, calling on the secretary of
the treasury for information touching
the transportation of goods across the
boundary line between the United
States and Canada in bond or other
wise; as to what methods are taken to
protect the revenue derived from
bonded goods passing the frontier both
ways, and as to enforcing the second
claSe of the sixth section of the inter
state commerce law. Mr.. George intro
duced joint resolution directing the
commissioner of labor to make an in
veStigatiOn as to the cost of producing
the leading articles of consumption in
the United States and competing cOun-
tries. Referred.
The senate then took up the Blair
educational bill, and Mr.. Morgan adj
dressed the senate for the third time in
opposition to it. If congress would
take off the burden of taxation, Alabama
would take care of her own common
schools. She was doing it now in way
to put to blush many of the older states.
The trainers of this bill seemed to think
that the whole of the United states was
to be put upon ''the blanket Indian
basis" to be lassooed and put into
school. The next step in the progress
of usurpation would be compulsory
education. The school master is in
tended to take possession Of the land,
and this bill would give him in the state
of Alabama S2,000,0O a year in salaries,
while all the state expenses of the gov
ernment were but S600,00O. He con-
Guided by expressing the hope that he
never again should be called upon to
speak upon the Blair bill. Mr.. Evarts
took the floor and announced his inten-
ton to speak upon the bill tomorrow.
After an executive session the senate
adjourned.