New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-25
FREE NATTER IN THE MAILS.
III1'' '1'S''
MENT CARPETS FURNITURE GRINDSToNEs.
TOOLS ETC. SHOULD BE TRANS
PORTED BY FREIGHT

PORTED BY FREIGHT.
Washington. Feb "a (speclaD.-R Representative
Loud of California. chairman of the Postoiice Com
mttee has introduced a bill ito regulate the trans
mission of certain free matter through the mails Inc
first section of the bill authorizes and directs the POST
master-General to transmit by freight. express or
such other means he may direct. such Govern
mept books. maps, postal cards, stamped envelopes
and other supplies of any and every description as
are now transmitted free, in his opinion can be
SO sent without serious injury to the Government
or the sender person TO whom the matter is sent
provided that the OF transportation IN any case
shall not exceed the by the regular mail faci!-
ties Section provides that the Postmaster-Gen-
eral may cause a reweghing Of all mail matter
transported by railroad other routes where mails
are carried by weight. or may readjust on the basis
Of weighings already made the compensation TO be
paid the railroad other transportation companies
for carrying mail.
In conversation with Tribune correspondent In
regard to this bill Chairman Loud said THE trans
portaton Of socalled free matter through the mails
| costs the Government eight cents pound or more
| or about s. $4,000 year This free matter com
p:ses great number and variety OF articles-Gov-
| eminent documents, maps blankbooks and banks
| By the hundred tons. office carpets and furniture.
scales, grndstones. tools. camp e1uipage and scien
tihc Instruments for officials and employees Of the
Coast and Geodetic Survey. etc. Now, ii IS absurd
| as well as extravagant for the Government 10 pay
| transportation companies S hundred pounds. or
| $3.50 for the transportation OF these articles
| Everybody knows that those companies are now
overpaid enormously for the transportation OF mail
| matter from which the Government derives reve-
nue. on account Of postage. and It seems to me tina,
| they ought to be content with that They GER
| tainy afford to carry freight cheapy for the
| Government as they do FOR individuals corpora
| TONS but they actually receiving many times
! as much
| Are the railroads and other transportation com
panies opposed to the ,egslat ion?' asked the cor
| respondent
yes indeed. ! have reason TO believe that most
! II not all Of the members OF the House OF Repre-
sentativcs have received letters the subject from
the officers attorneys and agents of t!dnsportatior
companies. The representatives OF several raiiroa1
| COMPANIES which interested have personally alp
preached me in regard to it, ! asked one OF them L
| give his grounds Of opposition 20 the bill, and th'
measure should become law the postal officials wou.t
keep out OF the mails al the time Of weighing th'
kind Of articles covered by H. and the weigh
| ing was over put those articles back again. OF
masterGeneral and his assistants and subordinat e!
| engaging in a conspiracy of that sort TO defraut
| transportation companies. tod ma mat the boo
| the other leg: that there was strong reason
to believe, even If there was no legal proof TO sup
| port the belief. that many Of the transporta tor
companies make preparations for the regular weigh
1 ings and thereby reap handsome profit. 1t Seems
| 10 me that the railroad companies would bette
| consult their interests by advocating n
materially. If at all, by the change which VIII b
gradual but on the other hand. II they resist an
| defeat the measure II is by no means improbable
that the country will demand before long that tn,
I compensation paid to railroad companies by the Gov
eminent for the transportation of the malls shall b
cut down 20 or % per cent. and that Congress vii
20 per would 81 10000 a year the rail
| road companies on the baels OF present business"