The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-03-12
Hev 10 Cheaper Paper.

One has occasion to write a note of three or
four lines to a friend, and it is done on a sheet
of paper ten or twenty times larger than there
is any necessity for, and enclosed in an envel-
ope equally useless. Official documents of all
kind carry the useless consumption of paper to
an incredible stretch of extravaganza. The
acknowledgement of a note making not more
than a line and a half is often written on paper
enough to contain the Gospel of St. Mathew.
All the refinements of society seem to tend to
an extravigant use Of white paper an invita-
ton to a wedding, for example, is startling
from the formidable quantity of pasteboard
and glazed, hot-pressed paper Of the finest
quality. These beautiful missives usually con-
sist of four separate pieces of heavy paper,
when one would answer all the purposes. In
the days of our grandmothers, one modest lit
tie note was all that was needed when a we'd
ding was to take place, to invite the guests to
the festival; but now the name of the bride,
the bridegroom, the brides mother, the day
of the ceIemony, and the day for the bridal
calls, have each to be printed on seperate piec-
es of paper, "a world too wide,'' and all en-
closed in an envelope. 1t maynot be possible
to effect a reform III the extravigances of we'd
ding cards, but we have noticed recently, with
great satisfaction an indication of something
of the kind having been attempted. In read
ing the notices Of marriages in the daily pa
pers, it must nave been observed that a good
many of them nave been accompanied with
the brief statement, mo Cards" Whether
this means a new fashion i'll weddings, OF the
adoption of an economical practice owing to
the hardness of the times and the scarceness
of paper, we are unable to say but the "No
Cards. movement is one to be commended by
all sensible people.
Mohammedans have religious scruples
against the destruction Of even the smallest
scrap of paper, for the sublimely simple and
pious reason that upon it might be inscribed a
precept from the Koran. May not Christians
learn to initiate this beautiful example of de-
vout spirit from purely economical motives !?
Let every one, who writes a note, after read
ing these brief remarks, tear off the blank half
sheet and save it for another occasion, and re-
frain from the use of an envelope when it is
not necessary, and a reform in the use or rath-
er the misuse, of paper will be initiated,
which will be much more effective i'll reduc-
ing the price than any act OF Congress could
be. Let every family keep a waste-basket for
preserving scraps Of paper which may be sold
for ten cents a pound, and see that servants i'll
lighting the fires do not burn up allthe news
papers that are left around loose.
Editors are shockingly profiigate in the de-
struction of paper; they are bound, by neces-
sity, to write on only one side of the sheet !;
but there is no reason why they should not
write on the other afterwards, when the first
has been printed. We happen to know an oc-
~casional editor who writes all his editorial Oh
the backs of old letters, and we would recon-
mend his example to others of the fraternity
who would do more by such a habit to reduce
the price than could be done by the most elo-
quent appeals to Congress to reduce the duty.
~. Y. Independent.