New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-22
TIE NHv>PArER nhIL QUESTION

Mr.. CollaS yesterday proposed substitute
for his previous bin requiring all newspapers
sent by expresses to pay postage. According
to This second project newspapers sent BY
trains which DO not carrg mails are 10 be eX-
empted from the tax, aud uows dealers receiy-
ing papers BY express arc to he allowed 10
compound with the post.Ohice for their post
axe on the same basis ~ individual subserib-
ers receiving them through the mails. In pre-
scnting this new scheme Mr. toifa2, while
deprecaling the " mountain which the metro
roi.tsn Journals were about 10 roll over him,
eioquenty AMI ieeIingly protested that he was
guided only by a fearless determination TO per.
form his duty, regardless OF the consequences
TO his own populeiity-a point about which no
man who knows Mr. Coliax eau ever raise n
question.
This modified project Of the Poet Office Com.
mittco was rejected by the House, and then
the original blIl was laid upon the table by a
vote OF 80 to 90. This seems TO us a wiso
disposition Of tie matter. rs postal measure
tie project is open 10 fatal objections, some Of
which have been exposed in these columns;
while, az a measure Of taxation, il 10 prep0s-
ferrous. There is no doubt that the circulation
of newspapers affords u convenient means OF
raising revenue in the prcseLt situation Of the
country; but the tax, to be justiiiable, must be-
made to bear on all classes OF newspaper con-
sumors, aud not on any special portion Of
them. For instance Mr.. Colfax's amended
project proposes to tax those only who receive
their newspapers through news vendors by
means Of railroad or OtLer expresses, leaving
untaxcd those who receive than BY the regular
mae, az well as The very large class who pro.
cure item in the towns where they are pub
lished. This will never do. If any are TO be
taxed let the impost fall equally and fairly
upon all.
The idea thrown out by Mr. Morrill,, and by
Mr.. Blair of Missouri, OF stamp tax upon all
newspapers, is perfectly equitable; and in the
universal taxation which now awaits the people
of the country, It is probable that even the
necessary means Of general intellectual ctltiya-
ton, such as books, periodicals and newspa.
pers, viii have 10 bear their due share of the
general burden. But it il not by any such
clumsy and halfway contriyaEce as this Of Mr..
Colax, that the end can be reached.
We are rather disappointed, we must con
| iess, that the Chairman Of tho Post Office Com
mitiee, when dwelling III such n strain OF ten.
der regret upon the departed joys Of The frank
| ipg prnilege--sOon We trust to be denied TO
members of either House ioreyer-and while
/ holding 10 10 view the necessity Of melting ont
slc.u and impartial justice to the newspaper
press, should still have proposed that iele-
graphic dispatches sent to the press should be
left exempt from the operation Of the tax he
proposed TO lay upon other telegrams;
and. nIso, that he should still have over.
looked aud passed by that unJustlablc PRIV
4 ieQe BY which newspapers receive Their ex-
changes without paying any postage on them
whatever. If the telegraph IS to be subject
of taxation, and there is no good reason Why
it should no. be-, let tho journals pay LIKE every
body else; and if the uso OF the mails IS
benefit so great that every man who buys
paper Of new5boy ought to pay postage or
II, whether /. GAS ever passed through Pos!