New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-10
SECOND-CLASS POSTAGE.
REPRESENTATIVE LOUD EXPLAINS
SOME MANIFEST ABUSES.
NO REASON WHY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD
LOSE s2oooooo YEAR CARRYING MAIL FOR
PUBLISHERS AT LESS THAN COST
PROVISIONS OF HIS BILL


PUBLISHERS AT LESS THAN COST
PROVISIONS OF HIS BILL
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE.1
Washington Feb. o-In conversation with Trio-
une correspondent recently on the subject OF sec
on1-cIass mail matter and the rate Of postage there
on Chairman Loud OF the Postofiice Committee OF
the House OF Representatives, vigorously deiehdeh
the bill to amend the laws relating thereto. OF which
he is the author and which was favorably reported
to the House from his committee on Wednesday.
Among other things he said: 1T Is very evident that
something must and will be done 10 correct 'He
abuses which are constantly and rapidly increasing
in that branch Of the postal service ana when nave
already reached enormous proportions Inc trans
nortation of mail matter at second-cass rates no"
costs the Government nearly 100000 year more
than II receives In the postage paid thereon ana IN
the eighteen years that the law has Deen IN opera
I'm since Acknowledgement Devens construed the
act at the request OF the PostmasterGenerai the de
felt in this branch OF the postal service mas
amounted to about 100000
81 said the abuse is rapidly increasing and that
fact is established by the tremendous increase in
the amount of secord-cass matter carried at the
rate OF a cent pound. In 1857 the total was lZo''
mounds ana in 1895 Il 265.eOW0 pounds, an IN
crease Of more than 2o per cent in eight years or at
the rate Of per cent per year 50 great an increase
could n,t he legitimate. BY that mean that under
the construction given TO the law enormous qua"'-
lies of matter have been admitted ana carried a
second-class matter which ii was not the intent Oh
the trainers Of the law 20 have 50 admitted ana car
Rod Things have now come to such a pass that
nearly everything be printed 50 as 10 ne al.
mitted to the mails as second-c'aS' H"'e' anu
carried a; the pound rate OF postage.
The fault then. is not in the law but IN the
manner In which it is CONSTRUCT! reha'heu '"o
correspondent. ,,-o,
e -. AT
under that construction abuses have multiplied Inc
chico, have in view Is to correct those abuses anu
AZ the same time DO the least amount oil INJURY pos
slb,e to publishers who DO not abuse thei' p'N"es
Now take this matter Of sample copies ~ may
seem 20 be d hardship TO deprive an ole. Well
established and widely circulated newspaper ono
Ike The Tribune. for example of the Pf''"ese q.
sending sample copies the pound rate anu Ee'
when Won take into consideration the fact mat
publication devoted TO some spec.aIiy-ahd ao'ei"'
ing is usually the chief speciaiiY-"i'h 'esN."'
bona fde subscription lst calling for Sp' or fo o0Pe
4 week may print edition. o: 1000" "t"' OF lV0V''
coples or more G., advertisers pay for theih' ana
sand them through the mails a sample copies Al
IN. mound rate me abuse % the privilege IS sell
evident. -.
Nov. the latter publication is entitled to tre
poun5 rate o. postage because 1t is matter Oh INC
second class Just The Tribune - ana '"'S'
could not very we'll frame and pass ia" u -
c,rd from the second class the sampr copies %
ana and not exclude those Of the other. 10" prop
erlv 70 define what shall BE- seco"a-cASs "l'''' -
a most difficult and perpl'XinS pfOD''H' nav
siudylns II for ten years, during pa!' Oh VIM"
tine was In the p.stl' service ana ''"'r' go
49,. hiu reuorted from this committee oh'rs me po
and fairrst solution that has yet De'h T. VI',,
ANYBODY frame better one nan ~ h ., no
support 1t. for am as anxious as am 10 % -
10 promote the circulation Of legitimate newspapers
ana periodicals among the eeiPdero,,o that ought
| 10 have some weight with newspaper puDl.hrrs,
continued Mr. Loud ana II IS tn'9 dn,diy spread
in favor OF one-cent letter postage - i"4'' ot
| Ing and gaining strength th:ouShout me COUNT
and advocates have begun 10 reai~e ,a. ~ mo
the chief obstacles to success Is inc 49, ar
| privilege OF sending scconG-cass man maj az
the pound rate: that while me PreSeh
amounts to four times IN" ahhI", go nrI, one
| Ion the eccond-class rate amounts 10 ohIN vH'
eighth Of the actual cost OF rate must be
increased on the pound rate aholIshcd atosr''"d
nan 1'p an ounce think therefore that 1t would be
| worth while for the publishers Of newspapers anu
| neriodicals to consider ether II would not nc
| h,tor nndor the circumstances, for them 10 sup
| nov, n moderate measure which Woulu cure Wii,f
! rvstirg abuses that cost the Government nearly
| 81 ool 90 a wear rather than oppose ana p'ihals,
defeat it at the risk Of having IcRisnun rem 81
mi the privileges that they have so long ehJoSri.
| | know from my own personal opscrVatoh anu ~
Inc immon sc number Of letters that nave recclf,n
| on tho subject within the last TWO years mat 'r
| movement in favor Of one-ccnt letter POSTAGE ~
| t, yin soon gather such hcadway and momentum
as to be irresistible and sweep away every oD7'H'e
| % success. !.
| Mr. Louis b amended IN committee ny tne
addition Of the following section: mat pup sn.i =
| and others whose publications snail J." aIWl''u
as neil matter OF the second class under me pro
visions OF this act shall be required, BEFORE a.
nositine such mail matter IN tho postofce 10 sep
nrain the same into United States mall sacks or
bundles by States. cities. towns ana countess as
tte posfuasfcr-C;eneral may direct
$40 coe, ~ TRANSFORMATION for the Pos.ofce Depar
| ment II appears that all supplies for postofices,
ncluding even carpets furniture, etc. arc trans.
nor,ed as mail matter The shipments or ihis sort
| nmount to hundreds OF tons IN the course OF a
voar 4 IS said and the cost OF transportation AT
third class or fourth-class rates amounts TO n
iarre snIn Mr. LIQUIDS bill provides that all sup
| Mics which can be safely transported as freight
| shall be so sent and tire transportation PAID ior
! a. regular freight rates. The bill also provides
ina, al public documents distributed by Senators,
! REPRESENTATIVES and officers OF the Government
| shaU ne shipped and transported as freight AT
regular freight rates. II the bill can be enacted
| 4, VIII save the Government a good many thousand
dollars year IN the difference between eight cents
or sixteen cents pound and regular freight rates
lie e0i1 Yesterday that he expects strong opposition
10 II on the oe the transportation companies
| mr., no will do his best TO have II brought before
| ~. House for consideration and action.