The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-03-26
THE NEW ADVERTISING LAW.

BEN. WADE's printing job, which he put
up in the Senate for FoRSEY at the close Of
the last session Of the Thirty-ninth Congress,
and which old THAD. STEVENS fought through
the Committee of Ways and Means, amounted
altogether to about eighty-6ve thousand dol
lars at the lowest calculation. The Star was
also let into the ring TO receive similar
slice as reward, we suppose, for its long and
gallant advocacy Of the abolition Of slavery,
and subsequently its earnest support Of the
colored men Of this District and this country
in the full enjoyment Of all their rights IL
was for this reason that WADE, WILSON,
SUMNER, STEVENS, boutwell, and the host Of
anti-slavery patriots voted to give TINS gen.
erous slice of Government pap" to the
"Evening Star" What pity it is that the
REpUBLrcAS did not see the fright way" at
the right time, and make open warfare upon
the slave power Of the country. Had We
done 40. instead of catering TO shareholders
and entertaining rebels, we might now share
some of the gifts so literally bestowed upon
the faithful by WADE, SUMNER, WILSON,
STEVENS, boutwell, & Co.
We are gratifed to observe, however, that
this trick Of WADE has been partially exposed
in the Senate by Mr.. EDMUNDs, Of Vermont,
who, on Saturday last, offered the following
resolution, which was adopted:
Sec. 2. And be H further enacted, That
section ten Of an act entitled IAN act max
ing appropriations for sundry civil expenses
of the Government for the year ending June
~ e.. thar -
the second session Of the Thirty-ninth Con-
press. shall not be construed TO allow
greater compensation for the publication Of
the laws passed by Congress and executive
proclamations and treaties In the papers in
the District Of Columbia than is provided by
law for such publication in other papers.
This resolution damages WADE and STE-
vENs' job for FoRYEY considerably. Where
one dollar has heretofore been paid for a
regular document page, Mr.. WADE provided
that his friend FoRNEY should have twelve
dollars per page! Mr.. WADEs job included
the publication of the Private Acts" so
called, at regular advertising rates. Here
tofore they hare never been Advertised. Mr..
EDNrNDs' resolution, il the House adopts it,
prevents the fraud.
But the great profit in WADEs job is not
touched by Mr.. EDMUYDs' resolution. We
refer to the publication Of the proposals for
carrying the mails The last time it was
printed i'll this city, in single paper, several
years ago, it cost the Government sixty thou
sand dollars. Congress then provided that
hereafter oil such advertisements should only
appear in papers published in the State or
Territory where the route or routes were to
be established. WADEs job provides for such
advertisements to be published in FoRSEY' s
paper and the Star. Mr.. EDNuNDs will re-
duce the advertising to its proper and legiti-
mate basis when he offers another resolution
covering he mail route proposals, and pro,
vdes, further, that The ttoo papers published
an The District Of Columbia having The lar.
geSt circulation on the 10th day of June each
year, shall publish the laws required by Con,
gress and the Executive Departments"
The words we have italicsed above have
been in all the advertising laws applicable to
this District for years. Mr. WADE knowing
that FoRNEYs Chronicle would not hereafter
be one of the papers in this District having
the largest circulation, took the precaution
to omit them in his new law We leave the
subject with Congress.