New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-17
POSTAGE AND FRANKLNG.


ness to dispense with the FrankiDg Privilege,
while the House has demurred. Now, the
House has passed clean, short, simple meas
ure Of abolition, and the Senate is reported as
inclined to modify or qualify it. There is man
ifest danger that, should such modification be
made, the House-in which there are doubtless
many more votes for than hearty advocates OF
the bill just pussed-wl refuse to concur, and
thus the old abuse be continued. We hope the
Senate will pass the bill just as it came from
the House, and for these reasons:
/. The abolition Of Fianking, pure and sim
pie, will immensely simplify the accounts and
records of the Post-Oliic Department and OF
each Post. Office. So long as portion OF the
contents Of the Mails are prepaid, q portion to
be paid by the recipients, and portion not to
be paid at all those accounts must be compll-
Gated, and it must be practically impossible for
the Department to exercise real scrutiny
over its subordinates. We're everything prepaid,
such scrutiny would not be difficult We want
to see all rates reduced to four-l Letters or
manuscripts carried less than 800 or 1000
miles: .. Letters carried over such distance;
3. Newspapers forwarded regularly from the
offices issuing them; and 4. Newspapers mailed
fitfully or otherwise than from the Office of
publication, with all other printed matter what
ever-Prepay ment to be e1acted IN every case.
If newspaper subscribers shall be allowed to
pay their postage as now, make them pay
quarterly in advance, or charge them for each
paper at the fourth or higher rate for printed
matter. This would render Po, t-Oflice ac-
counts so simple that very little paper need be
wasted in keeping them. And then everything
would be made to pay, whether lifted from tie
Post-Ofice or not. Simplicity, with the iewest
possible rates of charge, is the first requisite
in Postal system.
II. A Postmaster or other public functionary
required to use the mails officially should be
authorized TO charge 10 hi. quarterly accounts
the postage thus paid by him and have it re-
funded But this should apply only to cficidi
letters-nOt to those written in compliance with
requests from Tom Dick, aud Harry, for IN
formation. Where such requests are made,
let postage stamp be inclosed with each, or
LET the answer await It's transmission. If Il
citizen wants a public document only 70 be
had at Warrington. what more reasonable
than that be should inclose the postage with
the request If the People Are taxed for the
cost Of collecting and printing the Information
he seeks should not tba. satisfy him Yet al
immense saving 10 the co-t Of public printing
would BE- secured by this cIncticn.
Ill The Post Office. it j. currently affirmed
and believed, is heavy tax on the Federal
Treasury because of the low rates of Postage.
Make everything pay and let us see Ii this
should not choke the deficit, We shall be- wiiliLg
TO have postal facilities curtaled or rates OF
postage raised 30 hs to make the Department
selfsupporiing. But 20 long as the Government
loads the Mails with free matter, II were OBJ
surd to complain that the Mails are not self
Importing. How could they bei
". Finally, these are times which impers-
lively demand Retrenchment. Every thing in
reason must be done 10 swell the receipts and
diminish the outgoes Of the Federal Treasury.
The Abolition of FraGkiDg ia one step in the
right direction. Lot there be- no mucing or
having it, aud let it be thorough aud complete.