The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-07
MONEY FOR THE MAILS.
The House Devotes the Day to the
Postofice Appropriation Bill.

Washington, April 6.-After some I'M
important proceedings the House, in COM
mittee of the whole, to-day resumed con-
sideration of the postofice appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Springer presented a modification
of the amendment he offered yesterday
directing the admission of certain classes
of publications TO the mails as second
class matter, so as to include the publica-
tions of trades unions and of scientific
and professional societies.
MIR. Quigg, rep, of New York, adj
dressed himself TO the point of order
made by Mr.. Henderson, dem, of North
Carolina, chairman of the committee on
postoiices and post roads, in charge Of
the bill, that the proposed amendment
changed the existing law and did not re-
strict expenditures. Mr.. Quigg asserted
that it was not change of the existing
law. or, If So it was 4 change of bureau
made law, of which there was already
too much in this government.
The point of order was further argued
by Messrs Aiken, rep, of Michigan;
Berry, dem, of Kentucky; Ray, rep, of
New York and Hayes, dem, of Iowa adj
versely, and by Messrs. Loud, rep, of
California, and Henderson, dem, of North
Carolina, favorably
NOT RULED OUT.
In the course of the discussion Mr.. Can
non, rep, of Illinois, stated that the law
regulating the admission of papers to the
mails was passed in the Forty-third con-
gress, when he was chairman of the sub
committee on postotfices and post roads,
having i in charge, and it had never oc-
CURED to the members of that COM
mittee, nor had it been suggested in the
course of the discussion, that papers of
the class described in the amendment
should not be admitted to the mails as
second class matter
In announcing his ruling upon the point
of order, Mr.. Hatch, chairman, stated
that the construction of a statute made
by the head of the executive department
charged with its execution had the same
authority and effect as the construction
made by court of competent jurisdic-
tion and became a part OF that law until
ii was repealed, modified or declared by
the only power that has the right to
overrule the construction Of an executive
OfliCer-the congress of the United States.
The amendment, the chair said, in his
opinion, was merely declaratOry of a
statute already on the books and the
point.of order was overruled. The de
cision was received with applause.
THE SECOND CLASS BUSINESS.
Mr. Henderson sent to the desk and
had read a statement from the postotfice
department showing that last year there
were transmitted through the mails 255,-
634, BIB pounds Of second-class matter, at
a loss to the department as compared
with the receipts from transmission of
other classes of publications of $I1 1914, e.
4O2, and at an absolute cost of over
S., 900, 600
On motions of Mr.. Everett, dem, of
Massachusetts, and MIR Washington,
dem, of Tennessee, the amendment was
further amended by including the publ
cations of literary and historical socie-
ties and the bulletins of state boards OF
health.
AS amended, the amendment was
adopted Before this was done Mr.
Loud. rep. o. California, warned the
House that the enactment Of the amend
ment into law would result, within two
years, in an increase of $4,000, 900 in the
expenditures OF the department.
AS reported the bill contained an item
of S243 600 for printing postage stamps.
Under the bid of the bureau OF engraving
and printing to do the work, Mr., Hender-
son moved to reduce the amount to Sl63,-
600
Without disposing of'this amendment,
the committee rose, and the House took a
recess until 8 o'clock, the evening session
to be for the consideration of pension
bills