Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-02
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
POSTAL MATTERS IN BOTH HOUSES
Classification Of Books in the Nails

Classification Of Books in the Nails.
Inefficient Service in the South and West.
The Senate.
Among the petitions and memorials presented
and referred was one (numerously signed from
Pennsylvania asking such change OF laws as to
bar all pauper immigration; to prevent the landing
Of immigrants under contract; to deoar from ciri-
zenship all foreigners who owe allegiance to other
powers or governments, and to require twenty -one
years residence before any immigrant can hold
any public ofice Of trust or emolument.
Also, one from over 200 persons interested In
transportation on Arthur Kill Staten Island) with
reference to the bridge now being constructed
as the center Which T
Is claimed) Will be a great obstruction TO naviga-
ton. IL was presented by Mr.. Mcpherson, who
practically, destruction of one OF the great water
ways OF the country. And for what purpose?
Simply to crafty the Staten Island Transit Com
pany or the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany. The petition was referred to the committee
on commerce.
BILLS REPoRTKD.
Among the bills reported from committee and
placed on the calendar were the following: House
bill to facilitate the prosecution Of works pro1ec ed
for the improvement OF rivers and harbors; giving
to the Washington and Idaho Railroad Co. right
OF way through the Occur dAlene Indian reserva-
ton.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
Among the bills introduced and referred were
the following:
By Mr.. McPherson-To amend the Arthur Kills
bridge act
BY Mr.. Butler-To provide for justices of the
Supreme Court for New Mexico authorized to de-
termlne the validity Of Spanish and Mexican land
grants.
Mr.. Platt gave notice that he would next Mon-
day submit some remarks on the Presidents mes
Mr.. Plumb offered two resolutions calling for in
formation; one as to the charges made by registers
and receivers OF land offices for reducing testi-
mony to writing, and the other as to why proper
care and protection are not given to the military
cemetery at Mound City, Kan. They were Laid
over.
TIE SPECIAL coMxITTEx ON PACIFIC RAILROADS.
The presiding ofr1cer announced as the special
committee on the Pacific railroads: Messrs Frye,
Dawes, Hiscock, Davis Morgan, Butler and Hearst
The resolution offered Dy Mr.. Plumb some days
since as TO the
INEFFICIANCY OF POSTAL SERVICE IN THE WEST AND
SOUTH
was taken up for discussion.
Mr.. Plumb said that 1t had not been his purpose
In Offering the resolution to introduce anything
Of partisan character, but simply to have the
bad condition OF the mail service recti1eo. He
might have multiplied the testimony which he
service IN the Westerns 'Hs Was nos
necessary to rely for 1t on the newspapers.
The mails OF Senators and Representatives. were
did not care anything about the changes OF post
masters made by the administration. The Post
master-General had perfect right TO make them.
House Of Representatives.
On motion OF Mr.. Sayers CTex.) a bill was passed
authorizing the Secretary OF War to convey to the
city OF Austin Tex, tract OF land, known as the
Arsenal Block, for educational purposes.
BOOKS IN THE MAILS.
Mr.. Blount eGa.), chairman OF the committee on
post-o1ce and post roads, called up for consider
alton the bill amending the statute so as to pro-
vide that publications that are but books or
prints Of books, whether they be issued complete
whether sold by subscription or otherwise, shall
be admitted to the mails as Second-claSs matter.
The object OF the bill, explained Mr.. Blount, was
mates what shall constitute second and third-class
mail matter. Under the law, books must pass
through the malls as third-class matter. But an
abuse had sprung up and the law had been evaded
by publishers issuing books at stated intervals
and passing them through the malls as seconi iclass
Whie the bible @ and Educational BOOKS had to pay
60 through the mails for / cent pound.
stated his recollection to be that prior to 1879 leg
islarion was had allowing this cheap class OF ht-
erature to 60 through the mails at cents pound,
on the ground that the dissemination OF sound and
desirable literature should be encouraged As q
result OF the policy the best class OF literature
could be obtained for 10 cents; and there could be
now found in the home OF the worklngmen books
which even people In moderate circumstances
could not afford to buy before the policy was in
augurated the Of the 6ii would u be worth
the express company, and he thought the measure
liable TO just criticism.
Mr.. Brumm (Pa), was In favor OF good books be-
the bill
Mr. Farquhar, Of New York, thought that the
medical Ireaiises should not be allowed to pass
Through the mails for one cent a pound while the
Bible-God's word-was charged eight cents.
MI. Bingham, OF Pa, stated that the only class
OF mail matter which the Government carried at
q loss was the second-class matter and he did not
think that tn re should be carried in that class
Congress reduced the rate from TWO cents to one
cent a pound.
The bill passed-yeas las, nays lie.
District In Congress-.
THE ATTENDANTS EILZABETHa
Representative Compton has presented to the
House petition from a committee representing
ninety-eight male and forty-six female attendants
employed at the Government Hospital for the
insane. The petitioners claim that they worked
harder and paid less than any other employees OF
the Government In the District "Under the
present SYSTEM" the petition says ''the number of
men employed, the hours OF labor, and the amount
of pay Is left to the grinding discretion OF the
board OF visitors and the superintendent. Urgents
appeals have frequently been made to them for
rellef, which have only resulted in broken
promises" They asked that the number OF men
to be employed the hours OF labor, and the amount
Of pay be fixed by Congress, and that the pay OF
the attendants shall be not less tnan $50 per
month.
Speaker Carlisle at the Capitol.
MUCH IMPROVED, BUT STILL wEAK-THE LIBRARY
COMMITTEE MATTER.
Speaker Carlisle was at the Capitol this morning,
and he looked into the matter of the appointment
Of two extra members on the House library COM
mittee. In making the committee appointments
the Speaker placed I'VE members on the library
committee instead Of three as hitherto Since that
time the Speakers attention has been called
to the fact that the law limits the membership
of the joint committee on the library to three
members OF the Senate and three OF the House.
Before the matter could be corrected the Speaker
was. taken sick, but his attention was
called 70 It and he promised to give
1t early attention. The Speaker returned
from Fort Monroe yesterday, much improved in
health, and he visited the Capitol this morning.
He Immediately gave his attention to the question
Of the library committee, and the House member
ship will be reduced to three as the statute pre-
scribeS It IL suggested that instead OF endeav0ing
to enlarge the numbers OF the library committee
that the House shall create q new committee, to
cooperate with that OF the Senate. on additional
accommodations for the library. The matter may
be settled In this way. In response 70 questions
OF his friends hta health the Sneaker roDl0d