The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-07
The Franking Abuse. Congressional
Retaliation ON the NewEpaDers,

AUuHE8SSUukIEGHlu
Retaliation on the Newspapers.
In the Senate Friday, the bill to abolish
the trapking privilege was under Consid.
Grafton, and Sotas proIoitidd ID were made
to amend 1t 50 that It sliall not cutoff the
existing postal law by, which 'newl5
papers circulate free within the county
wherein published and newspaper OK.
changes are passed free. An amendment
of this character ought 10 De made. Tie
provision referred to respecting newspa.
persts no part Ofthc franking law; II is
entirely separate matter, and was enact.
Observation-Disclosures, md .carefnl sc0nsideras
ton upon III Owl luedB 0S pVsneanS of
chcapcning and encouraging the clrcula-
ton of newspaper lIteratite; whereby it Is
considered that all tile psoplear benefit
tCl,witllOut appreciablCCOst to the Govern
pcnt. There arc, no abuses connected
with this exemption to tho press, nor has
any ever been complained Of The abuse
Conplaincd!of was III tho Congressional
ftanking and'if the particular measure
passed by The House was meant, Us It
seems, to punish the newspapers f6r dar-
ing to protest against The abuses of this
privilege by Congressman, those gentle,
men may find that feature Of the measure
one that will not receive popular approval
The bill ts reported by Gen, FAI!Ns-
WORTH and passed by the Hohsc would
have tho effect, first, of killing off the local
weekly papers, rat leastof greatly dimin-
lshing their circulation. The peoplein the
country who read them nowwOuld either
cease to read or take metropolitan
sheets But the local press Is the most
valuable etlucatorin the country, and to
seriously cripple 1t or kill it off throughout
the whole extent Of hecountry would do
tho people and the Government much
more harm than lis present exemption
does. Another effect ofthe FARNswoRTI
bill would be TO greatly reduce the Circula-
ton of exchanges The luxury Of y wide;
" extended exchange list, whereby the
readers Of newspapers are supplied with
All entertaining and instructive variety Of
news and comments from every quarter,
would become too costly for any but tho
lnrge papers, and they being abletb use
the telegraph freely have the less
need of them. The quality Of the news
papers generally would suffer, and this
would be first at the expense Of tho read.
Ing public and would react upon the
press in u diminished patronage 7rtI
remarkable expansion and improve
lMcnt in newspapers which has been wit
messed within few years, and which has
made the metropolitan newspaper Of tile
llay the marvel of the age, have been due
very largely to the freedom Of exchange;
and nobody will claim that this increase
IN excellence md this widening Of the
field Of newspaper literature has not
wrought widespread popular benefits.
The newspaper is tho great instructorand
ciyilIzer Of the age; and as a promoter Of
intellectual activity among tho people,
ranks above church or school or any sin
gle agency that can be named. III
A blow at the press is, therefore, hut a
blow ut the intellectual aliment Of the
people; anil it is upon this ground that we
hope TO see the Senate amend the House
bill 50 rs to conflnc It's operations To the
ffanking privilege proper, where the
abuses exist; and NOT rcpcal law that Is
not abused and ought obe allowed
to stand upon It's own merits