The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

Albany, May 24,'
Sir,—No division having been taken on Mr. Milner
Gibson's motion, and the motion itself not going the
length of a repeal of the stamp duty, I wish to give in
my adhesion to the movement which you are promoting,
so far as the abolition of that duty is concerned. The
paper duty, as a financial measure, stands on a
different footigg. But the stamp duty, is professedly
imposed as a postal charge only, and not for purposes
of revenue. It may, therefore, be dealt with quite apart
from any considerations arising out of the war.
I only know three reasons which really influence men's
minds against its removal. Some persons fear the politi-
cal or social results of a l;rge increase of cheap period.
icals. This objection is removed by the existence, un-
controlled by law, of a cheap unstamped press, dealing
with every subject except the news of the day, and even
dealing with that in the way of comment. The danger
which they fear already exists : the proposed change of
law will diminish instead of aggravating it, by giving to
the cheap press a character of greater respectability.
Others conceive that what is demanded amounts to
this, that newspapers should be posted gratuitously. It
would be well to have this delusion thoroughly removed.
Newspapers cannot claim gratuitous transmission any
more than letters ; all that you ask is, that oily those
which require postal accommodation shall pay for it,
and that the small provincial journals, which doss
not use the post-office, being distributed entirely
by hand, shall not be taxed ar or 100 per cent. upon
its value, in order that a copy of the Times -may pass
four or five times through the post at the cost of
a single transmission. You cannot put it forward
too clearly, that it is anot the removal of the postal
charge, but its equalisation, that you desire. The pre-
sent law is as though a penny stamp were put on every
sheet of paper, so that a note sent by hand, on a written
memorandum kept for private use, should pay postage
as well as a letter transmitted in the usual manner. Its
anomaly and injustice could not have been tolerated until
now, were it not that proprietors and editors of estab-
lished journals circulating largely, have, or conceive
themselves to have a direct interest in maintaining a
system which checks competition, and favours large
capitalists.
I believe the fallacy here mentioned, " that what re
formers ask is a gratuitous transmission of newspapers
by post," has done more mischief than, from its ab-
surdity, would be supposed.
The third objection taken—a fear lest the Post-office
revenues should fall off—seems wholly groundless. Any
one who looks at the returns of that department will see
an enormous increase of late years in the amount of work
which it has to do, and consequently also in its receipts.
I believe that a diminution in the number of newspapers
conveyed by post would more than compensate, in con-
venience, for the pecuniary loss which it might cause.
But it must also be remembered that a large increase in
the number of newspapers would render the paper duty
(while that tax lasts) more remunerative ; and, as was
urged in the debate, that if many more newspapers are
published than at present, it is probable that at least an
equal number will still pass through the post.
Justice has scarcely been done to the claim of the pro-
vincial press. Take suoh a case as this : and it is not
an imaginary one. A local journal, published in a small
borough has 1,000 subscribers ; of these, 900 live within
the borough, their copies are consequently transmitted
to them by hand, only the remaining 100 copies are
sent by post, the charge for which, at Id. each, would
be Bs. 4d." But the law imposes, under the name of a
postal charge, this peany tax on the whole 1,000 copies,
amounting, in all, to 4/. 3s. 4d. on each impression ;
or, in other words, taxes the journal in question at the
rate of 10d. for each copy which passes through the
Post-office. Can it be imagined that this injustice
should be defended, as I have seen it defended, on the
ground that what is thus taken from the small journa-
list is put into the pockets of his metropolitan rival?
To those who apprehend that the character of
e a e
to
of discusscheapt o
b e local papers,
tjournal,.
theirsimply an
b y
anticipations increase
refusalc r
shoulds, I
ihs mo
uwghi will
holding
replye uff el•
by
that
We contend that as a matter, not of policy, but of sim-
ple justice, postal charges should fall only on those who
benefit by the services of the Post-office. Whatever
May have been the private opinions of public men, no
is imposed purposely as a check on low-ptioed }far'minister of late years has dared to avow that the stamp
duty
odical writing. To admit this, is to assert the =principle
of a censorship. For the existing duty, amounting to a
tax of 100 per cent. on a penny journal, amounts, itt
fact, to a prohibition of all such journals. But, if this
prohibition is designed, it ought to be put in express
words, What the Legislature does should be done
openly. The question, therefore, the right of
whether Parliament will continue to
limit
teertain price t
publication to journals sold at and above a
That this is the effect of the law is clear that it is also
is reduced to this-4
Formerly the stamp
seems impossible to doubt.. _
the object of the law, thOugh that object_;is not acknow-
ledged,duty was defended on . .
important , the ex-
are told that the fiscal question is un
financial grounds alone ; now, we
11 •
cuse varies from year
nately clung to. to year, the policy is sti obsta-
rtain meantime,
; but the ultimate result is certain ;
succeed
Two or three years must probably. still pass before you
I shall gladly join in attempting to
. remedy that which
is at once a great impolicy d a pie% i ous njustice.
,
I remain, yeti!' obechentes r vant,
STANLEY.
Secretary to tc Association for Repeal of
Taxes on Knowledge.

1; *lr is •
THE EGYPTIAN RAILROAD.—This; at oad is in good
working order and answers exceedingly well. The trains
do not r►zn on it at present at any stated periods. It is
chiefly used when European or English passengers arrive
in Egypt. English engine-drivers are emp.oyed on it.
The speed is about 20 miles an hour. The railway the
whole di3tance between Alexandria and Cairo will soon
be ;open. It passes through a level and most fertile
country. The Arabs do not know what to make of it.
They were dancing before it some time sines, and having
no conception of its speed, they did not get out of the
way in time, and an Arab WOMMI was killed.