Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-09-10
WARRINGTON NrWs AND eOss1P.

The ABUSE or THE FRANKINe PRIvLxeE.-
The protests of Republican party journals 70 tne
contrary notwithstanding, the country at large Is
evidently grateful to the authorities OF the fosS
Office Department for stepping forward to correct
the current abuses of the ranking privilege, prac
ficed particularly in this city The Republican
party's committee here have published the allega-
ton that ninetenths of the mail matter sent free
because bearing on II the name Of member o.
Congress, has the name put on by some one other
than the member himself. While we do not be-
lieve In the truth of this allegation In all its length
and breadth, 1t IL doubtless true that the law and
the regulations Of the Department are extensively
thus violated Tor the benefit Of all political parties
and OF individual cronies Of members Of Con-
gress. The abuse Is incident to the existence of
legal ranking privilege used as ours certainly Is
not SO much to advance the public interest an 10
subserve the interests of members Of Congress in
dividualy and of the different political parties
AT least, such the purposes to which it has
been systematically applied Of late years. lis d.
| rect cost to the Z. s. Treasury may be estimated
by millions Of dollars; while its indirect cost is
much greater; for 1t is the parent of successful
demagogism, the reason why inefficient and
| otherwise unfit persons manage to keep places in
Congress after ii is well known that they unfit
for and inefficient national Legislators II Post
of the fanking privilege hereafter to those legally
| entitled to it. he will be doing much indeed for
the country. But if Congress can be induced to
| abolish It altogether, much more good will result
| from that action.
As matters now stand, any member of Congress
| may, through resort to the franking privilege,
tax the National Treasury heavily as he chooses
to srlbserve his own personal interests He may
compel it to foot the bill for the transportation of
five or six millions Of copies Of electioneering
appeals to the people in his own behalf, as Mr..
Douglas has been doing in the last year. Of
perhaps half that number, as the Republican
party's committee in this city have done in the
last three months, for the benefit of their party's
cause in the Northwest. That such never was the
Intention Of the law granting the Thanking privi-
lege is absolutely certain. Yet that the law will
be made more and more the pac horse for the ac-
co'nplishment Of such ends is quite certain.
repeal Of the law is the remedy, and the only
remedy that will certainly answer In the mean
while, the Postmaster General is winning golden
opinions in all directions from those whose appro-
baton is worth having, for his exertions to pre-
vent others than those entitled to abuse the law in
question from doing.
As aIropos to this subject, we may mention
that not long since mail Of electioneering docu-
ments was sent from this city to post office
yielding to the Department a revenue of nine
cents, the cost of the transportation Of which by
express or by any other possible private convey.
ance, would have been certainly not less than
forty dollars.