The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-02-23

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There sare two bills before Congress
5oEiiIg to the reduction Of postage. The
filst i pro- poses to reduce postage on letters
5sto cant per:onnce, and the other pro-.
rides for 4 cent postage in cities where
8 the freed delivery system is employed.
bile it is not probable that either OF:
these measures will become alaw, there:
/ sro good reason why both should not,
pass There is great incongruity in.
soas postage laws. A man can send a
pair of boots or q paper Of pumpkin
gseds By mail forl cent an ounce, butif
Che Mishes to write letter TO his wife OF.
swsetheart he must pay double the rate
he5 is asked to pay on the boots. In,
! other words, the government gives better.
sand cheaper facilities to merchants
ahip goods by mail than to,
2ths people to communicate with each
Other. The government prohibits express
Companies from carrying letters, but
c1mpstes with them in doing an express
basinezs. The objection to the bill is
thatthe possofice department is not self
s1staining and that areduction Of postage
would render larger preparations nec-
essary. But. it was never intended that
the postoffce should be self-sustaining.
st issar The benefit of the whole people,
! and the money in the treasury is theirs.
ching iss more conducive to public
Intelligence, unless it be the common
schools than 8 cheap postal service, and
scerainly q mans letters and papers
ought ii be carried as cbeaply as his
merchandiae.
The Blair bill passed the Senate on
February 10th amid prolonged applause
SD the galleries and suppressed excite-
mention the floor. The announcement
thattheTote would be taken o'clock
drew ont 8 large attendance of conspicu.
sous1y intelligent looking people. Every
avai.ab seat in the galleries was occu-
sspied and the corridors adjoining were
algo blocked with humanity, thus show.
siDg the deep interest felt in the measure
whose fate was to be partially decided
After Senators Hale and Salisbury
had made feeble opposition speeches
Senator Blair closed the debate with an
earnest appeal to the friends of the bill
9o stsnd together and vote down all
amendments not proposed in good faith
Sand not calculated to improve its present
A.ondition. "a lmost every Senator was in
Shhis sea-. at the appointed hour, and q.
large number Of members from the House
Ware present. Among the latter were
Ss1Iessrs. Dargan and Cothran, both of
syhomsare with Senator Butler in oppo.
Ssitiou to the bill. Several test amend
4nents were proposed and rejected by an
sagerage yote of. about Is TO As, when the
vote on the final passage of the bill was
reached Several Senators kept tally.
sIs was g foregone conclusion that the
sbill would pass, but Senator Putler
insisted on roll-call to, complete the
record As before, be voted against, and
Senator Hampton voted for the bill.
The bill apptopriates annually or eight
years the following sums, to be Expended
sto secure the benefit OF common school
sedncatlon 20 an children OF scnool age
sllying m the United states. first year,
RsSeOO, ,OOO second year, slo,0Oo,Ouo;
third syear, sl5, ,0OO,000; fourth year,
& lS goo GOO 8 .hfth year, sll,ooo,ooo;
.sixth yeaE { ss,OoO,0oo; seventh year,
z,00O, ,eeO ; eighth year, so,ooo,ooo. Inc
money is 70 be etyided among the several
sStates and Territories and the District OF
Columbia in proportion to illiteracy-
the computation to be made according to
the census OF 1880, and lafterwards) 1880.
There are to be separate schools for
white and colored children. No State or
Territory isto receive the money under
stiled With the secretary of the interior a
sfstement showing the common school
Saystem IN force in the State. the amount
~ 80