Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-16
THE LOUD BILL.
Probable That a New Bill Will Be
Prepared.
Matter Of Generalization That Old Bill Did
Not Pass.

The interest. which has been taken by
the citizens of Augusta in the Loud bill,
causes the Journal to publish this article
to remove some misapprehensions and
anxiety relative to 1t In the minds OF
some people in this city The bill was
endorsed by the postoffice department
and was intended to effect a saving In the
postal receipts by making radical changes
in what are called the second class rates
that is, the postage on printed period
icals, whether newspapers, magazines OF
books. At the same time, minor changes
were put in the bill of which It Is I'M
necessary to speak in this article;
About year ago. when TINS phi was hs
being considered by the committee OF tie
House, some opposition was manifesteu,
but. as the metropolitan papers were
rather for the measure, very nttle We
said. Had the bill passed at the 'if,ie
introduced and gone into effect at ru-
ture date, the periodicals could nave az.
juSted themselves to it, with the possipie
exception of publishers printing seria, a
braries of books entered at seconu-cias5s
rates. 1t was then generally unuerstooS
that nothing more would be done anu
little attention was paid to the matter,
but just before the holiday vacaIlon, s nt,e
committee on rules, entirely uneApec.et ~,
brought the bill in to be taken up tne
first day after vacation. This was zone
and, although Mr.. Milliken, assisted py
Lemuel Quigg, the brilliant young con-
gresham from New York. led strohs
House by a slender majority. =.
This transferred the battle GROUND 10
the Senate side of the Capitol and, ior
the first time. strong, active , opposaSsi9 ~
be very injurious bill to the stare OF
Maine in particular on account OF tne
large wood pulp and publishing interests
involved, and. as the bill would go INTO
effect as soon as passed. it made it i'm
possible for those interested to ADJUST
themselves to the proposed changed con
ditions. Every effort was made to pre-,
vent the passage of the bill. Sevefai
hearings were had and after the business
men interested had been heard 1t be-
came apparent that there We're very Sc
rious complications in the BILL
The bill reached the Senate so late ana
the hearings were SO exhaustive that it
took some time for the Acting Chair
man, Senator Chandler OF New Hamp-
shire. to make report which was accom-
panied. by a new bill, being the Loud
bill amended in several Objectionable
parts, and introducing penny postage for
letters and triple postage for Sunday pa
pers. Senator Butler of North Carolina
a leading POpulist, who considered the
bill blow at the country people and as
greatly favoring the metropolitan papers
rendered a very able minority report; but
as these were put on the calendar at
late day in the session. neither We're de-
bated and the matter died with the adj
journment of the Senate.
1t is probable that "a new bill will be
prepared and will be one which will try
to cover the deficiency in the revenues.
and at the same time will be satisfactory
to Maine publishers. The strong OPPOSE
ton received from the delegation from
this State. all the members voting being
against the bill, has caused the chair
man of the House committee and the de-
partment to give more consideration to
the matter and satisfactory adjustment
will undoubtedly appear in the new bill
which will not in any way harm the per-
manent interests of this city and state.
The alleged abuses in this class of mail
refer rather to libraries and books which
Unless all signs fail the bill which will
be framed to make the contemplated
changes will be a fair one and will not
particularly affect Augustus interests.
that this bill did not pass this session. 1t
would have worked immediate injury al
though in the long run it probably would
have worked rather to the benefit of our
people. But at this time of depression,
neither the pulp industries or the pub
fishers desire radical changes thrust on
them no matter what the ultimate effect
might be. Great praise is due to Mr.. Mil
liken for the plucky and almost winning
fight that he put up in the face of all the
pressure the postal department could
bring to bear; and that he was obliged to
work against the direct suggestion of
President Cleveland's message: and the
belief that the action of the committee on
rules made it supposable that it desired
the passage of the bill. AS Senator Frye
was very much engaged on other commit
tee matters. the burden of the opposition
in the Senate fell on the shoulders of
Senator Hale and to his tact, energy and
common sense is due the practical defeat
of the bill. it is not too much to say
that but for his special effort and work
the pressure of the administration would
have been so great that the bill would
have been "railroaded'' through the Sem
ate without sufficient opportunity for
proper consideration and amendment.
Few of our people realize the immense
influence eXerted in Washington by our
delegation, and in no instance has their
formidable strength been shown more
than in this successful protection of i'm
Dortant Maine industries. Much influence
was brought to bear and much work done
by other leading Maine men both in and
out of Congress. but circumstances made
Senator Hale and Mr.. Millken the most
active and interested parties in the sue
cessful issue of this matter.