Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-06-06
CONGRESSIONAL occumEHrs


congressional documents and particularly the
Patent Office Reports They epitomise the pro-
gress Of Science in nearly every branch of useful
industry oil the United States and other civilized
nations. Agriculture, Mining, Manufacture.
and all the various mechanic and chemical arts
now extensively followed by our citizens are
there respectively represented in their profession
As civilization goes forward, the constant teaden-
cy to division of labor is every where manifested
causes separation of the arts of life into distinct
Professions, Trades, and occupations. Incident to
this necessary subdivision of labor are numberess
improvements in all the departments of Sei-
ence and Art claiming the attention of thinkers
SO that in many instances what specu
lation few years ago, is become e fact
and settled science.
To make these numerous discoveries and inn
provements generally know and extensively use
ful, should be the great object, take It, had in
view By Congress in eSpending such large sums
OF money annually in the publication and dis;ri-
button of their numerous documents Notwith-
standing the obvious and legitimate destination OF
these repositories of useful knowledge their utiIi-
ty is intellectually impaired by the one sided and
Z
members of Congress; for while there may be
one judicious disposition of book, half dozen
valuable documents will be thrown away on non
approaching recipients. Thus politician may
receive Congressional Globe done up in half Rus
STA, very natural distribution but then when he
comes to receive Owens Geological Report and
host of other scientific books and documents of
minor value, for all of which ne really don't
two straws except that they are Every pretty,
&c, while of Science, il may be, one who
could appreciate such documents and would be
but too happy in difusing their contents. will be
served up with such trash as bunkum speeches
on Kansas Nebraska by the q honorable Au-
gustus and the distinguished Caesar, and other
northern lights OF raodern date then, we say
the proprety of this partial distribution does not
appear evident Perhaps it matters not that
the lowy Individual who may happen to want
scrap OF knowledge, nowhere obtainable except
in these reports. should be obliged for such
tribe TO bend the suppliant knee 10 some petty
demagogue, the lucky recipient of these special
favors, for dirty work performed, may be, whose
shelves fairly groan under the weight of dusty
TONES labelled Free"
comment
may be questioned by some, but TO us it seems an
abuse not entirely above criticism for if NJ C's
my the public documents ad iibitury for their
personal agrandizemeHt, what specie of property
under their control may they not thus appropri>
ale We are happy 10 except from the list the
late incumbent from this district who has shown
more than ordinary discrimination in his dstribu-
R..t al II ~
have dwindeIed down TO vote buyers, instead Of
maintaining the position to which they are entitled
scientific reports
Now If these documents were the private prop
erty of the distributors not a word could be said
as 10 what should be done with them; bu. they
happen to BE- public property, in tue management
OF which the greatest general good should be
studied and promoted and ii is maniiestIy their
duty to distribute them somewhat equally, or al
least equitably among their constituents. There
fore m receiving these publications we only get
what belongs TO us and the VI. Cs. only do their
duty in distributing them and if they be Withheld
from Us, we curtaiIed of our just dues What
II may be asked, do we get in xchange for the
large sums of money that we expend annually IN
postage 20 pay for The transmission through tie
mails, OF the luggage IN. Cs. homeward bound
II IS well known that the rates of postage might
be immensely reduced were not for the enormous
expense thrown upon the Post Office Department
m carrying these publications all over the country.
Why don't Congress take the necessary steps to
relieve the P. o. Department, of this onerous
burden!
We Will not dwell and in conclusion we wish
we could hope tn I hereafter there will be more
attention paid TO the general welfare, than 10 in
dividual prelerment, and that the valuable public
documeut will no longer be prostituted to the
| unworthy business of manufacturing political
capital and raising to posts of honor and profit
decltful Williams and quacking politicians w.