The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-02-22

newspapers different distances in the United States The
policy which dictates the difference is ncomprebensible.
| on the other hand, the arguments would be rather IN
favor OF discriminating between distances with regard TO
letters and not IN relation to newspapers Letters are
written on business transactions in which The public
have very little interests they are commercial traDsac.
tons, and the letters sent for gain but newspapers
are vehicles OF public and political normatlon-lnforma
ton necessary enable the people to decide matters
OF administration For these reasons, newspapers have
never been obliged to pay TO the the expense
OF their transportation Letters have been char scd with
their own transportation, and with great proportion OF the
burden in carr, ing the newspapers
Again, sir, If the ingenuity OF statesman could be
taxed 10 denatlonallze this Union, he could not provide
system tending to more directly than to break up the
distances within which newspapers should be carried
and charge by tariff according 10 dstancesio say
that II shall cost the citizen OF California I'll 20 per year
10 receive daily newspaper from the seat OF govern
ment while il shall the citizen of Baltimore but
cents per year for postage is to deny to distant cities
1lhe information contained newspapers published at
the capital and in the Atlantic ports. ...a.as
This bill very lngenlou5y adopts tariff which will
limit the circulation OF the papers in the eastern cities to
The Atlantic coast and the papers published on the Pa
chic coast to the borders OF the Pacific ocean i will
conine the papers OF Alabama and South Carolina to
their own borders or nearly and the papers OF New
Hampshire and Maine 10 theirs That is the effect of it
Newspapers are the lungs of free republic They
and therefore they ought 10 be left without restraint,
far possible The effect OF this whole system the
country will be to make such determinations between
them that shall be divided into States with little
sympathy for each other | hope, therefore, that the
Senate will retain the provisions concerning newspapers
as they came from the House Of Representatives
Tie question being stated upon the amendment, upon
DIVISION there were--ayes 10
Mr., RUSk look upon this as decisive OF the fate OF
the substitute and therefore ask for the yeas and nays
Mr.. CHASE MIR President, | wish to say a few
words in reference to this amendment 1t to
to be msappehended; otherwise, there coad be no oppo
sion to IT, II IS adopted, merely gives certain Ia
clles 10 the local press II reduces the postage within
the radius OF fifty miles to ten cents year That is the
whole operation OF ten CENTS instead Of twenty cents
The question now Is whether this Senate will agree that
the papers which obliged to depend upon local cir
cuIatioG which have adv antages of ADVERTISEMENT
which limited almost entirely within the communities
where they are published, shall have this little dlscrm
nation IN their favor. Ine honorable senator from New
York MIR. SEwARD says the object OF it is 10 exclude
from circulation the city press II Is not IN my ludg
ment Every rate which has been provided in the b III
regard TO the city press is left was and. instead OF
discouragng the circulation OF the city press gives to
II facilities quite as much as think should possess, in
allowing to circulate at moderate rates within these
distances But while II gives these facilities 10 that de-
scrPton of newspapers gives papers which have
OF these dependencies upon.whch The city papers Teya
great number OF advertisements and an immediate local
circulaton-it gives to these papers little discrmina
ton in their favor Ii really seems to me tina, il cannot
affect the bl-it cannot hurt the bill; and think my
friend from Texas Mr.: RusHl made great mistake in
so saying, because, If adopted II will strengthen his
amendment. The senator from New York [Mr SEW
ARD] is opposed TO II because he prefers the House bill
have objection TO the adoption OF the House bill, if
this amendment shall not prevail but wish this bill
shall be made perfect be before proceed 10
the consideration OF the question whether the House bill
shall be substituted for this or not ......
Mr.. SMITH Mr.. President. the bill already makes
very large discrimination favor OF the country press
very large discrimination As the law stands the
country press. or all newspapers Transmitted to distance
OF fifty miles, has to gay fifteen cents quarter The
amendment that is offered by my honorable friend from
Texas Mr. RUsKl proposes TO bring down this provision
upon the cosnry press TO five cents quarter The hon
oTabe senator from Ohio MIR. CHAsEl is not satisfied
with this postage. he proposes to cut it down 10
two cents and bali quarter. Why does he not pro-
pose that we should carry the newspapers for nothing
over an extent OF hty miles Why does he stop at two
cents quarter Ii that has become quite
enough Tor The country press 10 cut down TO ve cents
quarter II is doing quite enough and all the revenue
OF the department will submit To- The honorable sena
ator seems 10 think we have nothing TO do but 10 cut
down postage. humby apprehend that we have some
ling else TO dove have to provide revenue to sup
port the department sooner or later do therefore OBJ
Ject TO this entfey. think we ought to stand by the
honor able chairman OF the Committee on The Post Oi-
hce and Post Roads. We ought not 10 take TINS mere
appeal TO popular feeling OF the country. wish TO
do what is liberal 10 the country press wish 10 do
what is just and right but am Tor providing some
means for the purpose Of maintaining the immediate ex
penses OF the Post Once Department,
| Mr.. MASON. Mr. President, in the controversy be-
tween the CITY and the country, my sympathy Is with
the country. In the quarter OF the coniedefacy from
which come, fortunately for our people, we have lew
towns The great interests OF the community there are
the country Sir, tins local press TO which the
tor from Connecticut MIR SMTHl alludes is press OF
all others would foster and cherish, although by no
mean ihat WOuld measures 10
cIude the Guy press from the country people. would
give them every facility to circulate The local press
amongst them,
/ do mol know by what action of this federal govern
nen or by what rule OF this federal department. II has
recently been dained that is competent for macar
fies 10 carry The newspapers out OF the mail Certain 1t
that under The present regulations OF the olce penny
paperstbe ePhemera papers OF the dayare carried by
the conveyances that carry the mail freight and which
distributed through the country without The payment
OF postage at all understand this is done by some rule
OF the department The effect has been 10 supersede to a
great extent the circulation OF the local press because
they furnished so cheap, Now am not willng-as as
remarked by the honorable senator who represents the
interest OF The Post Oce Department Of the country, in
whose opinion have great CONFERENCE.-THE senator from
Texas, Mr. skill am not willing TO make the letters
pay for the of newspapers by any arrange
ment OF this postage system, | prepared 10 bring
down the postage upon these local newspapers low
is practicable rbere was period when they were car.
red for nothing There was provision in the postal
law by which they should be earned for nothing J
know from intercourse IN the country that these penny
papers brought freight upon the mail train II en-
into serious and great competition Win The coun-
Try press II is for that reason prefer the amendment
offered BY the who sits me, from OHIO Mr..
CuAsrJ My sympathy is with the country press. My
sympahies with the local press although would do
nothing interfere with the circulation oi the city
would do whatever became me 10 prevent The cIrcula-
ton OF these city penny papers being, by mail arrange
mens egualIons oil the post office, brought into dsad
vantageous competition with the country press For that
| reason shall vote for II. &.
Mr.. RUSK. Mr. President, our postal arrangements
are than those of any civilized country upon the
face of the globe and thus very and these very
amendments shoS why they are We adopt and
change principles upon the hurry OF the
under The supposton that their operations may be IN
favor OF against some one particular locality Now,