Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-02-25

II gladly, ana VINO may, perhaps, Justly
claim as much personal merit as those
to whom it may be sent. Modest men
only rarely ask for these documents but
there are others, and especially boys,
who have completed that part of their
education which enables them to write
letters, who deluge members of Congress
for everything that can be stamped
Free, pub. doc" | do not blame them,
although it is diversion of the object.
The system is at fault. When we have
corrected this, public libraries, and men
who feel the need of any public docu-
ment, will still be able to supply all
their wants at a very inconsiderable
! price. This is real reform which
despair of seeing accomplished until the
franking privilege has been at least tenn
porarily abolished. Then members will
have time, if they have the capacity, TO
do something more for their constituents
than to show a profound knack in the
free disposal of the works published by
Government.
The course indicated has been pursued
by different European Governments and
found to operate admirably.
/. But in carrying out this reform let
us not forget that our people both read
and think. They are accustomed to the
cheap dissemination of political inform.
alton. To deprive them of it is to d.
minish the capacity of those whose edicts
, we all obey to govern the country with
,, the highest amount of intelligence. We
may make present TO the Postmaster
General of our franking privilege and
yet insult the people by accompanying il
with petty postage tax on the local
circulation of county newspapers. This
it seems to me, is useless afiront, apc
calculated to give advantages to thu
metropolitan press which it does not seek
and ought not to have.
| Nor ought we for moment to erec
"
In its broadest sense that should be free
1t would be foul reproach if, under on
form of government, that sacred righ
should have less consideration than un
der an aristocratic form of government
!, When the British Parliament abolished
!. their franking privileges they expressl.
excepted {" petitions or addresses to he
9 Majesty or either House of Parliament
Shall we do less Shall Congress b
more inaccessible? | cannot sympathiz
with the idea that the petitions comm,
in for the abolition of the franking priv
+, ilege, even, though without spontane
Gus origin, ought to have been subjeete
to the prepayment of postage. The pee
: pie have as much right, and they ough
to have more, to send their petitions fre
:, to Senators and Representatives as an
other communications. Ifnot, why not
3. There may be some one or NOR
:. persons still living to whom the frank
ing privilege has been granted by speca
act of Congress. ExPresidents hav
usually had that courtesy extended
:, them, as think it was to President Fill
more. If so, any act withdra wing
!: would appear rather ungracious, and. e,
cept for some grave reason, generor
: deeds should not be recalled. The hea
f a great nation would scorn the act.
: A. The General Post Office Depar
ment should also have, AS should all Il
h, other Executive Departments, the rigl
20 to send and receive all offi'ial letters an
q. documents absolutely free, including Il
60 large foreign correspondence of Il
h State Department. The Government
"a unit, and there is no more reason
bo favor Of free matter for one than anot
- er. There will be no additional cost
.s transportation, and it would be Il
III merest child's play to make appropri
m tions, as we should have to make ther
,ss to pay the Post Office Department f
20 postages which really cost the Post Off
ia Department nothing, and which in Il
". Treasury balance sheet could not fail
re- figure as largely on the debit side as
be the credit side. This subject requires
~. pecial study, and the Committee on Pr
u. Offices and Post Roads ought not to jun
of it over, expecting any more convene
)e. season to adjust such laborious deta
III. in the last weary hours of long sessi
of Congress.
nv Some provision, also, must be ma
not for documents already in process of ma
elf ufacture, or such as will not be compl
rv ed, like the Congressional Globe, Pate
,se Office report, &c, until after it is p
I n pos.d to have this law go into operate
nd 6. The Agricultural Department "
ch established as faint recognition Of I
So most important interest of the count
90, Whatever shortcomings may have he
of tofore been obvious, it is very clear Il
dv this Dapartment was never better