The times., 1900-03-23
A Vote ON THE LOUD BILL
The House Declares Against a
Change in the Postal Laws.
An Attempt to Restrict the Second
Class Mail Privileges Fails for the
Third Time-The Proposed Amend
ment Recommitted After Exhnus-
tive Arguments-Ycns 14S, Nays 96.

The House Of Representatives yester-
day, for the second time, declared either
1 that it does not believe the passage of the
Loud bill, to amend the law regulating
second-c class mail matter, will result in
the saving OF $40, 900, coo and upward an
nuslly, or that the saving would be at the
/ expense Of the enlightenment and infor-
nation OF the people by means Of the pub
locations that now find admission to the
mails at the rate of 1 cent pound. The
/ bill has three times been before the
! House; once, in the Fifty-fourth Congress,
| it was passed; in the Fifty-ffth Congress
! and again today it was defeated. After
adjournment Mr.. Loud, Chairman of the
! Committee on Postofices and Postroads.
! who has heretofore Championed the re-
/ form, as he believes it would be. said it
| was three times and out as far as he
| Is concerned. II it be brought before the
House again, he said, it must be by some
one else.
The House spent four hours in its con-
sideration yesterday, two hours in general
| debate, when Mr. Moon of Tennessee made
the principal speech against it and Mr..
Moody Of Massachusetts, the closing speech
in its favor. Two more hours were spent
in amending the bill. and from the ease
with which it was changed to meet the
views OF opponents and the refusal of the
House TO order the yeas and nays on one
proposition it was believed that the bill
would finally pass. But a motion to re-
commit prevailed by a vote Of 14S to 96.
much larger vote against the measure than
even its opponents had expected.
The opening speech OF the day was
made by Mr.. Moon, who discussed at
length the handling and transportation of
mail matter He said that although in
some instances 1t might be shown that
the privileges to which second class
mail matter is entitled were sometimes
abused it did net follow that the privi-
leges as to all others should be with
drawn. He made a strong argument in
behalf Of the present cheap rates for
transmitting literature to the people.
Mr.. Moon said that the children, the
middle aged and the old throughout this
Republic. the scientific organizations and
every branch bf learning. demanded OF the
House that it should not look to the mere
acquisition OF revenue. The education Of
the people was more important than
small bit OF revenue to the Government.
He said the express companies would
have a monopoly Of the carrying Of the
cheap literature II this bill should pass.
Mr. Talbert Of South Carolina opposed
the bill. During his remarks ne said that
the House appeared to have developed a
mania for passing new legislation OF re-
Cnacting old laws. Mr.. Talbert quoted
from the spetch OF Mr Grlggs OF Georgia
in which that gentleman. who spoke in
support Of the bill said it would not
change the existing law. lie said that
the passage Of the bill would inflct d
hardship upon country editors.
When there was doubt as to the value cf
new legislation, the House should resolve
the doubt in favor Of the existing condition
Of things and vote it down.
Interests of Good Literature.
Mr.. Cummings of New York. closing the
debate for the opponents Of the b'll. said
he had always opposed the bill in the in
terests Of every man who wanted TO secure /
good literature; in the interest Of every [
printer. bookbinder and girl stitcher in the |
city Of New York and other cities He re-
forrcd to his friend Lupton" who had /
been mentioned in the debate, and told OF |
some valuable cheap publications he had |
issued. And it was that class OF matter. |
Dir. Cummings said. that it was sought TO I
kill off utterly New York City paid to |
the Government S5,0G0,0co net postal rev |
enue, and this bill proposed to take work |
away from its printers. stereotypers press
men. bookbinders. and stitchers.
The general debate on the bill was closed /
By Mr. Moody, Republican. of Massachu-
setts, a member Of the Postal Committee.
who advocated its passage There was one
blot, he said. upon the postofice business
Of the country, and that was the handling
Of secOnd-class matter. The total deficit
in postal revenues for the past ten years
was Sl02, 600 600 It had been caused. Mr. !
Moody said. by the loss Cccas. .oned by the
carrying Of second-class matter at the
rate now provided by law. OF the bulk Of
the mail il comprised 50 per cent, and as
the same price was paid for its transporta-
ton as for the other classes, it cost for
alone twenty-four million
dollars
The receipts on account Of seCond-claes
nail matter were $500. 600 so that the loss
IN the item Of transportation was more
han 20,G0OO OG0 annually But if the rail-
'oads and other transportation agencies }
arried second class matter for nothing the
css caused by its handling would be nearly
Is great. Aside from transportation the
expenses Of the Postoflice Department last
ear were S5S .0O0 OOe Second class matter
Mr. Moody said, in pieces. comprised one
more than Sl90000oo. This added to the
iedcit incurred in Transporting second
lass mail matter. made total cost TO the
Government for handling and transporting
eCOnd- class mail matter OF $40 CGO 600 |
Mere this loss even partially recovered |
{ would mean l-ceut postage for letters I
nd rural free delivery an over the coun- /
~. The people Of the United States were !
he losers by the present conditions. and
hose who would benefit by them were men
,ho were selfshly enjoying them
This bill does not interfere. OF want TO
Interfere. with the free country circula- /
ion. he continued. "It leaves 10 exactly
s iJ is. Why Mr.. Speaker no man Is bold
nough to take away any OF the privileges /
Z the American press. No man desires
o DO D.. Those gentlemen sitting above I
he Speakers chair and those whom they
epresent WELD more power than We who
IL below IT, They carry along parties 10
lctory or defeat. they make and uumake
tat.smen They mold and create public
piuon. Why 10 be honest about &c.. we
are not interfere with their privileges
nd nobody who had auNhiug TO do with
be framing of this bin proposes 10 do any
lch thing Z
An Amendment Proposed Q
Mr. Suodsrass OF Tennessee proposed TO
D. md the first section So as 10 admit to
be second-class rate practically the same "
publications. as are now carried The J
mcndment was rejected
The bill was advocated by Mr.. Cowherd :
, Missouri ho said that most OF the op-