Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1843-01-17
THE HERALD.
4 Mo,ctn,nt toward. Pos, oniee reform.
JAM AIRY IL.

Movement towards Post Once Reform.
It IS stated that the late conversations a, Wash
ina,on between the p. Il General snd tho po.tmas-
ter, e some of the principal cities have resulted IN
determination to Ia, plan before Congress which
will greatly change the whole Office system
The proposition Is 10 reduce The rates Of letter
posisgc. The ptesen, proposition is TO reduce
on single letter, for any distance not over 30
- cenis-2OO to 400. 20 cents--io0 and upwards,
% cents No provision is made for correcting The
abusive inequalities in newspaper postage.
Then 50 Tar rendering ,guai Justice j, concern
ed the proposed alteration is not worth straw, for
II take, no notice Of The only injustice in the sys-
ten. Ii is confined TO the rciofire amounts 10 be
paid l,n,,s and reduces the whole scale in equal
proportion, with a view 20 relieve burdensome tax,
and to conform the tax the actual expenses OF the
transportation. But with newspaper postage such
Is not the case there is sort OF proportion Of
the i,r TO either the size weight of the parcel
the distance carried Tons and tons of large wads
OF paper daily sent out from the city into the
remotes, corners of the county, loading down the
mails and taxing governmentivico as mach in trans
poriaiion Is received for tie service, while the
country presses taxed much for wing their
small sheets half dozen miles. In other words,
one cent sheet is demanded for carrying a small
country sheet SIX miles, while no more is charged
for conveying city periodicals four times as large
to any distance under hundred miles, and but
one cent and a half for any diytdncc d5Ore that.
The consequence is, that by this unrighieous ad-
vantage, the city presses enabled TO inlure
the country press beyond endurance
Now, though we do not expect or ask the Post
Ofce Department 10 interfere for the protection Of
the country press but the legitimate object Of
law Is, to dispense blessings as imparally as the
nature OF the case will admit we do ask. and have
right 10 ASK, that II will not give section so i'm
mense and unjust advantages over another, and be
itself the aggrevator Of such injustice by forcing
country papers into the mail or out Of circulation
when II is so evident they cannot find patrons st
the same price of conveyance as that at which
the larger city papers delivered. The greatest
difficulty IN the way OF obtaining large calculations
TO country journals is the expense Of transport alton
by mail and the inequality Of newspaper postage
Country journals are no less necessaryto the country
man those OF the city 10 their locality and
Is utterly ir possible that either can supply the
place of the other. Ia the universal diffusion of
knowledge, which constitutes the pillars on which |
free and liberal government rests the country
press performs lar more important part than that
of the city do, because being scattered en-
nrely over the country, it readily adapt itself
TO the peculiar condition and wants of all sections
No country ever grew poweress through multpli
city OF printing presses and man ever grew igno
ran, by reading poor by paying for newspapers
profit, ten-iold above the cost, is conferred upon
himself and family, whether he is conscious of it or
not.
Therefore, ss matter Of duty, policy and profit |
1t is solemn obligation which government, and the |
people owe themselves and each other, TO foster
and encourage the Country Press. Were govern
ment TO remit ono half the posi-iax and thus demand
fwenty.fce cents year postage on regularly pub.
Ished newspaper sent 10 regular subscribers TO any
distance under one bundled miles from the place Of
publication, the amount Of newspapers carried by
mail would be quadrupied IN a month, aud without
increasing The post Office expense one pennv would |
double Hs rerenue from this source, and put newsp-
pers into the hands OF muudes on mutudes who !
now deprive themselves of all intercourse with |
mind and are growing up almost destitute Of every
'hlng That distinguishes them intellectual beings
save the mere form Of humanity. VIVA, impropre-
~ would be committed we're publishers in the
country and The people in the country, generally,
10 unite now, when the subject of post Office reform
Is agllalng in Congress- and memorabilia that body
state the important facts in the case and petition
thai the reform be extended to newspaper az well as
to letter postage