New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-13
POSTAL REFORM,

ing frlVllege, ana we look Tor manly franknes
at the very least. There is no use in furthe
debating matter already well understood
and if majority is not ready to abolisl
Franking, we trust it will have the courag'
and selfrespect to say so By direct vote. Ii
the present momentOns crisis to demur an,
shuttle, and spend day after day in debating
or lodging such matter, is to triflc with th'
gravest public duties.
Mr.. Cofaxs bill from the Post Office Com
nittee contempates, /. The Abolition o.
Franking; 3. The conveyance of mailable mat
ter now entitled TO free transmission by mai
without the prepayment of postage leaving
such postage TO be paid by tho reciplentsi 3
The conveyance of Congressional speeches and
seeds for two thousand miles or less at The
rate of eight cents per pound, and OF Con
grcssOnal documents ut the nominal rate OF
two cents per pound.-We are heartily IA
yorable to the first of these provisions and OPP
posed 10 all the rest. The simple, naked, I'M
mistakabe rule of having everything that
passes through the mails pay for such convey
anee, is the only one that will stand the test OF
impartial scrutiny. 1t may be-as IL as-
sered-that freedom Of intercourse between
Members Of Congress and their con-
stitusnts is essential-we do not dispute
that; but if you thence infer that Widow fig-
gins, who is nobody in the political world
must yay double postage on a letter from her
son in California, in order that Col. Howard
may receive free of all bus nominal postage
wheelbarrow load of speeches and documents
from the Hon. 10. Jolierhead, whom the Col.
helped 10 boost into Congress- which SER
vice is thrs gratefully remembered and rcquited,
why then, you see, We don't agree with you.
And it is utterly idle TO attempt to conceal the
fact that, II q man don't pay bis OWE postage,
somebody else Must pay it, Shift il from the
Mail Service 10 the Treasury by making
large deficit in the Post-Ofice revenue 10 be
made good from the proceeds of general tax
alton, and yen may somewhat vary the persons
on whom you impose an unjust burden; but
the burden still remains.
II Congress would abolish all distinction be-
tween its own Mail matter and Other peoples,
making all pay postage alike, We should "a We
millions now squandered in printing and pack
ing for the mails documents that are never
read. Take the 80, eco copies annually pr Mt
ed of the Patent Office Reports, at = cos. 1in-
Guiding engraving, wrapping and conveys nee
by maiD of rot less than One Million Dol lars
does any one believe that even fly thou' aud
Of these Reports are ever Thoroughly re ad
We doubt that half 80 may are. Yet these
are the most valuable ard usein. docun enis
shat Congress prints. while many ns diacmi-
mated BY Thousands which no ono .ainks OF
reading any more than he would ChiTse
Almanac Of .he fifth century.
II is no. the proper function Of Government
to supply people with boshs and documnts
for nothing; for this . work more cheaply
and thoroughly accomplished by private enter
prise. Take the diplomatic correspondence
respecting Mason and Shdel, for example,
1t has been very promptly issued from the
Goyernmen. Printing Office, in pamphlet that
does credit 70 She public printer 1t - gwen
away to whomsoeyer may see nit Ia solci. i
read it in The TRIBUNE alsae, at q cos to
the Government Of juat nothing at all, for
every ono who has read or viii read it in the
giyen.avay Government edition. And so with
everything else OF the sort. Whoever hnds
such documents in lis newspaper presuines
that they are worth reading that they would
not otherwise have been inserted-ni treats
them accordingly; but If no receives them IN n
public document, printed at the expense OF our
empty Treasury, and marked, Free.
" Ssggins, NJ. Co." he takes the remembrance
AZ hint that Stiggins wants to be reelected next
Fall, ard would 10 happy Of his help to that
end but he has no idea that he was expected
to read such dry-lookiDg affair, OF which be
has already read all he wants to read in his
newspaper, and he dsaisses it to the waste
baskst accordingly.
of course, we shall try to be thankful for
kalfloaf if Ne cannot get whole one, and
shall be glad TO see Mr.. Colia1's bill passed il
that is the best we can get; but the right
thing to be done is to abolish all Franking,
all free matter whatever, and have every one
that uses the Mails pay for them. Then, if
any one writes to Member Of Congress for
public document let him inclose postage
stamps to pay for its transmission, or let his
request remain unanswered. If there be citi-
zens mean enough to prefer reading what il
printed at the expense Of their neighbors tc
VIVA. is paid for out of their own pockets, the
law ought not to provide for their qualification