Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-15
WHAT II LEANS.
The Proposed Change i'm Fourth
Glass Mail Matter.
Points of Merit in the Crosby
Postal Bill.

Would BE of Great Benefit to All Except
the Express Companies, as Small Pack
ages Could Be sent to Any Point In the
United States Much Cheaper Than at
Present by Express.
WASHINGTON, March 15.-Said Mr..
Crosby, of Massachusetts,, member of
the house committee on postoffices and
post roads:
Zone of the most urgent and necessary
reforms is the proposed legislation which
provides for the consolidation of third
and fourth-class mail matter, so that all
articles now recognized as and called
merchandise shall be transmitted
through the mails as third-class matter
at the rate of one cent for two ounces,
thereby making reduction of just one
half of the present rate.
$50 firmly have l been convinced OF
the necessity for this change. that
have introduced two bills in the house
of representatives which will accomplish
the desired result. These two bills are
now pending before our committee. Ore
of them is rrcisely the same bill that
has been acted upon favorably by the
senate committee on postotfices and post
roads within few days.
1.-THE reasons for this change in exist
ing law are many. In the first place,
the change will obviate the confusion
and unjust discrimination which exists
in the postal service, and will simplify
the work OF postoffice officials, who in
many cases are unable to distinguish
whether q given article belongs to the
third or the fourth class; from the very
nature of things it is absolutely impossi-
BILE to detc rmine accurately in many
cases to what class mail matter belongs.
''And so the postoffice officials have
no end of trouble in determining to
which class certain articles properly be-
long. 1t would take too long for me to
recite the many instances of absurd,
meaningless and unwarranted distinc-
tions which nre made with reference to
articles sent through the mails and
designated as third or fourth class mat
ter.
VIII Benefit the People.
Besides the simplification of the
service there are other reasons why it
seems to me that the law should be
changed and uniformity established,
and the most important reason is the
great benefit which will come to the
people of every station in life by reason
of the cheap and expeditions mode of
transmitting small packages all over the
United States, not only affording means
of sending packages to places where
there are no facilities for transportation
by express companies, but also making
the transmission of packages by mail
much cheaper than by express.
1.-THE reduction in fourth class mat
ter, it is estimated by the union of the
two classes and carrying the mail Of
both the present classes as mail of the
third class two ounces for cent? would
cause loss of about 81 900, 900; yet the
great gain by reason of increased busi-
ness in this line would much more than
overbalance the loss and would, ON the
othea hand, in my Judgment, materially
increase the total receipts OF the gov
ernment.
"My bill has the Endorsement of the
postmaster general, who is heartily and
is authority for the statement that there
will be no reduction in the revenue by
its adoption Nobody can object to It
ON this ground, because the great in
crease of business will surely result in
increased revenue. This measure is
strongly indorsed by all the postoffice
officials, 80 far as have known them to
express themselves; it is demanded by
the business community, and is greatly
desired by the people at large all over
the United States.
81 have received petitions signed by
thousands of persons living in-every sec
ton earnestly petitioning for the pass
age of the bill. These petitions have
all been presented to congress, and have
been referred to the committee ON post
offices and post roads. Iexpect that the
subject will very soon be considered Dy
the committee, and / shall do all in my
power TO procure favorable report.
''Aside from the great convenience
and benefit to the postal officials through
out the country, and the increase in the
government revenue which will surely
follow its adoption, it is distinctively q
in the interest of the people.
Cheap means of transmission of pack
ages is what they demand. No measure
in congress for the reform OF
the postal service in years has met with
greater and more universal favor. 1t
will benefit almost every man, woman
and child in the land, and should be
passed at tho earliest DOssible moment"