Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-29
WILL CONGRESS REPEAL THE PAPER
DUTY?

If there is anything on earth that should be
as free as the air we breathe, it should be
knoWledge and when a Government which
depends for its support upon the intelligence
of the people, is found by its legislation stint
ing their supplies in this regard, it displays
carelessness of consequences which, it would
seem, no lessons, however severe, can reach.
In this world, men oftentmes pay as terri
bly, for their ignorance as for their want of
principle; and if we require any evidence
that this is so, look at the origin of the con-
fict Just ended, when South Caroina-most
noted of all for popular ignorance-recklessly
entered upon a conflict with the Government
to her present ruin. OF the three hundred
and one thousand whites in that State when
the struggle was initiated, just about one-haf
of them could neither read nor write, afford
ing, of course, the very best material for the
use of demagogues to deal with in plunging
the nation into bloodshed, sorrow and debt.
Who believes that if better intelligence had
prevailed down there that this result could
have been attained with such facility; and
with the nation just emerging from terrible
experience like this, must ignorance be still
fostered by needless tax and consequent re-
striction upon knowledge?
We instanced not long since the present
condition of France, in an educational point
of view, as shown by the statistics of the
Minister of Public Instruction, illustrating the
hopelessness Of that state of popular intelli-
gence which, in the nature of the case, shuts
out all appeals in favor Of q more elevated
destiny. The statement, it will be remember
ed, was-that "two-thirds Of the conscripts
" in twenty-seven departments cannot read.
" in twenty-five others three-fourths cannot,
d" and in nine others the proportion is one
half"
Now, when we know that the privileged
classes in all countries base their success in
retaining power and enriching themselves upon
lack of intelligence amongst the people, that
in France, especially, popular ignorance
broods ike a nightmare, rendering hopeless
the best efforts of the few liberal minds there
to reach them, what is true wisdom-let us
ask our legisators-in the light of example,
thenceforward in this nationality, but to cheap
en- and popularize knowledge, and how can
this be done except with the needful machine
ry for that purpose being as little burdened as
possible?
And let it be noted by all called upon to
deal with this matter, that the publication of
books, magazines and newspapers is not at all
what it was in the years before the war.
Then, with paper as well as other materials
for printing at a very low rate; with the prices
of labor, telegraphing, reporting, ETC.. not
enhanced; with no special tax upon news
paper receipts, what was easier than for the
graduate of the printing office, on his setting
out in life, to get a few types, an old Adams
hand-press, and applying to the nearest paper
mill fora few reams of paper, at once set about
popularizing knowledge in almost every county
of every State. But all know that the advent
of the war measurabIy put an end to all this f:
that whilst hundreds of papers went down
under the burdens cast upon them, only the
few well established and well supported, sur
vived. Whatever, therefore, newspaper pub
fishing has been in the past years of the Re
public in the way of universally and cheap
ness, is not the case now. Henceforward-
as q friend well remarks-the business must
be to some extent a monopoly, inasmuch as
it takes large capital and the exceptional best
business talent and management to make it a
success.
And let our legislators in Congress remem-
Der that bad as the case already is in the
greatly enhanced cost, and consequent re.
stricted circulation Of newspapers amongst
the masses, the condition of things grows
worse and worse. To keep pace with the
needful expenditure, the journals of the coun-
try have been compelled to permanently adj
vance their rates; papers that were formerly
two cents being now five per copy, whilst the
penny press has utterly gone by the board.
Rejecting, now, that there never was a time
in the history of the country when the people
needed more greatly to be thoroughly informed
in relation to the many questions of moment
discussed, is it not the last short sightedness
to not only permit, but to foster this condition
of things by needless and oppressive tax
upon paper and can any Government which
processes to depend for its support upon the
intelligence of the people, deliberately ac-
quiesce in so short sighted and hurtful
policy?
Again-let it be observed-that although
the circulation Of newspapers is, by unwise
and excessive burthens laid upon them. very
greatly curtailed amongst the masses, the
weather. and better to-do Of the community
will have them at their enhanced cost. And
ifpublishers are unable to scatter them, as in
former years, broadcast, as it were, amongst
the people, the few, paying highly for it, must
be better informed. We desire to see in.
formation, knowledge of every kind, Cheap
ened; and when Congress drives the makers
Of books and newspapers to the alternative
they must advance prices in order to keep
going because, Of course, they are not going to
to stop; they cannot afford it, and so make dead
capital Of their costly machinery. Let US, in
regard to specific enhanced cost, quote a con-
temporary, The Shoe and Leather Reporter, of
New York:
1.-The American people cannot remain a read
''ingpeople with newspaper stock at twenty-five
'centS per pound instead of nine cents per
pound as it was before the war; for the masses
Evil not pay the increased yearly cost The
enhanced rates curtail circulation, and the
dissemination of knowledge to degree
''ceases Spelling books which five years ago
cost ten cents, now cost twenty-five; the
''school reader, or history, or arithmetic.
''once costing seventy-fve cents, now cost
twice that sum, and the poor mans library
''the weekly or daily journal, is double per
''year in price, also.
ENGLAND tried the paper tax; the London
"1imes charged about $85 per year, paying as
''high as $500, 900, or $40, 900 per year, duty.
Literary enterprises were abandoned. Publ
'catlons fell to starvation point, starvation for
"the mind as well as the body; shilling libra
fries were killed; the penny press crippled;
''and all projects for the diffusion of knowl
ledge on cheap principle were nipped in the
"bud. The English Parliament saw the stu
''pidity of the act and repealed it. One of the
"enightened men of that country, who la
"bored hard for the repeal, was the well
"known Mr.. Gladstone, who, in speech on
''the subject, dwelt most eloquently upon the
"effects of cheap newspapers amongst the
masses, charging this tax as a 'barbarous