The Shasta courier., 1865-03-25
The Tax on Paper.

natl Commercial, taking up arms in defense
of the newspaper world against those in
high places who have been using all the
power that place gives them to destroy
or render proitless the medium by which the
intelligence of the nation is enabled to act
advisedly and work in unison for its ad
vancement To the dissemination among
the people Of all matters of interest, through
the medium of newspapers and books, is
this Nation indebted for its greatness; and
if there is an interest that deserves more OF
favor from the Government than another, 1t
is that one The wealth of the Nation con-
sists in the intelligence of its people. Legis-
lation that tends to check the means OF
obtaining this intelligence tends to impover-
ish and render useless the present great
power of the Government, as well as those
who have made it their business to spread it
broad, ast throughout its length and breadth,
at rate so low as to be within the reach of
all.
The newspaper world should unite and
claim their rights; take from the hands OF
monop lists the power they now possess to
crush their interests insist on such legisla-
ton as will give to the manufacture of paper
the benefit of competition throughout the
world, entirely doing away with all taxes
and duties thereon. Unite in this and it is
done.-a better order of things will grow
ont of such action There is no monopoly
SO dangerous to people and Government
like ours. as that which tends to limit the
means by which the masses acquire full infor
nation en- the topics of the day, and which
qualities them to discuss every question that
comes up. 1t is the constant exercise of the
mind on public questions that makes it active
and watchful, and enlarges the capacity to
judge rightly on every issue, and to vote
undelstandingly on the great questions be-
ing constantly presented.
BY a unity Of the press for seli-protection
the number of newspapers may be increased
and the great calamity ofpausing in our rapid
progress be avoided, and men who make it
their business to cripple the sources from
which the people gain knowledge would
cease to occupy positions wherein they can do
harm. We would like to see at least one
newspaper in the house of every citizen of
this Nation. 1t can only be put there by so
educating the public mind as to make it
desirable to esery inhabitant, and then fur
nish it at price within the means of the
poorest.
The first step towards the accomplishment
of this great end is to devise means by
which printing material may be had at
cheap rates. No monopoly of anything in
that line should for moment be tolerated.
Following is the extract referred to:
In the House yesterday January Goth,
| Mr.. Farnsworth, OF Illinois. delivered him
self Of pretty severe philippe against
" A gaten the Washington telegraphic re-
porter of the Cincinnati Gazette and Chicago
| Tribune, for statement which appeared in
those journals in relation to his Farnsworth s.
course in behalf of the paper monopolists
and manufacturers. He spoke of the Bohe-
mians in question as ''poor scribbler," a
worthless scribbler, or some such epithet as
public men find convenient when they cor
clude to abuse the representatives of the
fourth estate. 1t is very cheap form of de-
nunciation, and is especially adapted to the
use of Congressman. from the fact that it is
ready made, and like most of their ideas,
neither new or original. Perhaps the Gazette
man misrepresented Farnsworth, and perhaps
he told nothing but the truth. | have no
doubt the honorable gentleman fom Illinois
has good reasons for advocating the prohib-
itory tariff on paper. Without positively
knowing anything about it, | hazard the as
sertion that there are several paper mills in
his district. and that the owners thereof have
a deal to say when it comes to a congression-
al nomination. l know that journalists at
Washington do a great many mean things.
For instance, they not unfreqnently write
puffs for pot house politicians, and delibe-.
ately call them statesman; they write speech
es for Congressman to deliver, and generally
extract the bad grammar from what such
chaps as Farnsworth say and it is treating
them very badly. oven when they thus degrade
themselves, TO repay them in Billingsgate.
! 1t is hardly necessary for me to state, to
those who read the speeches delivered in the
House of Representatives, that it would take
the brains of six of it's members, on an aver
age, to run one-horse country paper, in n
| district where coonskins and dried apples
are legal tender. and where editors take
their pay in tanbark and cordwood. Editors
on the contrary never undertake to go to
Congress till they get thoroughly played
out at their own profession and heartily
tired of making an honest living.