St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1871-02-03
The Franhiug Priritegc.
The following paper was read befor

the question which is now agitating the
people, and through them, their repre-
sertatiycs in Congress
Much has been said about abolishing
the franI;ing privilege, and only one side
of the question has been before the peo-
pie. | propose to present the other side
SO far as | am abie,in the time allotted TO
me. The main argument for abolislling
the privilege is based or the expense it
occasions the government, which is this
year, according TO the report of the Post
master General, S2,Sli,l1G.9S. lie
says that if the privilege was abolished
the postal service would not only be self
sustaining, but that the rates Of postage
could be greatly reduced-tlus making 4
great saving 10 the government and re-
lief to the people. 1t is Represented that
the franking privilege has no correspond
ing public bcnclit-bcing evil and only
eyil-used solely 10 promote the private
interests Of members Of Congress. This
being the popular view it is nnt wonder
full that any quantity of petitions can be
GOT up to do away with such monstrnns
evil And if the case is fairly stated, ii
Is lust what should be done; for 10 pay
- 100000 for the private benefit OF
members OF Congress is Il b. sum indeed,
and csDCcitiig 50 for nation %r"anlng UNI
der Il monstrouS debt.
The Postmaster General, in order ia
iur!lly tie position lac took m his la''
years report, ordered ali the ppstIna,'|r'
to keep accurate account ol the cost "I
free matter Dispatched through the mails
for six months, hcginniI" with .Innn:Ty
|, 1870, and ending June 80, $50; ana
although the returns wcrI not all III nj
the time of making ont his last report
vet enough is known, he say :, 10 warrant
the opinion that the cost OF iic.. matter
is full equal to all Deficiencies, which i,
this year the sum olSs3 81 ,l06.9S.
Now supposin@ there is II" mistake
here in REGARD to the free matter pass
ING through the mails, can any om'
rive any assurance that if tn. priv
lrue was abolished, !lat the SAM amour
would pas through the mails paid mat
ter for that must he the case ii th'
deficient / To he made up-and i ii pos
,iblr that the private interests oi mem
bcrs of Congress require any such outlay
Tor postage
Bat Il it does, L., u see what it woul'
cost them 10 do it. Taking the numhc
of the members IN Dividing the dciiri'n
anon" them, we have nearly nine thou'
ard four manfred dollars Ter each mem
bcr-ncariy double the amount Of then
salary, and suppose that the avcrI9
POSTAGE for Il pared to he ten cents
and we have $1,000 ptrcrl- an'
tic time necessary to mail - mach mat
ter allowing one minute to Il parrc, womb
bc IJGs days of ten hours each Now l
members of Cnn@icss have hecn wurkn.
in that manner tcr years past, they liav'
mot had the credit they deserve for thri
industry, and it i 4 wonder that they
have found time to lc.;slatc at all. An
still they must continue to do the sam,
amount of mail business after the frank
ing priv ilcgc i abolished and pay ont u
their own pockets S9.i0D or else the mai
service will not be Sclt->u~taininE. q
there * no mistake in the pn-tm@-tc
Generals calcu!ations)
1t .ccmS to me that there is not a shall
ow of possibility that there is anythin.
like the am unit Of ranked matter from
member, of Congress passing through III
mails as reprcscn,cl-it would he NOR
than one seventh of the entire mail mat
ter OF the country. Ii is true that if TN
system WAS abolished. members Ot Con
/ .rcs> would pay more or less postage
and 50 far as it went, would help max
up the deficiency, but it wou!d ho on!
rs a drop in the bucket Is 10 the Who'll
amount Some say let those WHO re
ccivc the matter pay the postage, am
then the whole matter will b. made right
But who knows that they to whom III
matter * sent will pay 1t may b. sal
that ii the matter Is taken from the at
flee they must pay. But 10 load dow
the mails with matter without KNOWN
whether the postage will be paid ur not
looks good dial like Il grvrrnmcn. be-
ear. Others say if the people want pub
lie documents, let them order them, an,
of course pay the postage. But who wi
fill The order and prepay postage! An
will the people know what document
are awaiting their order, and whi'h O
all the documents they would wish to IL
ccivc and pay postage; and Will al tn
people or any considerable portion keel
Il bank deposit at the seat OF government
for postage purposes There Is but on
answer TO such questions, and that Is Tia
shortest po>sibIc-mo. And the PROPOSE
ton mast 20 with it, And yet som
plan must be cohtriycd whereby the SAM
amount OF paId matter will pas, through
the mail after abolisIin4, as now pass,
free, OF the mail service will not he self
sustaining.
The plan most commonly proposed +,
meet the case is TO allow members u
Congress Il sum not cNrrcdu" Il certain
amount Tor postage purposes. But wonl.
Tie people wish 10 put 50 much none,
into the pockets ot members of Cohsrcs
and rely upon their generosity TO d!-burs
it 10 thc.t in postage No doubt the,
would 50 far us their private interests die
tatcd; amy further than that we have NJ
data. But suppose the plan was adopt
cd and should work To the satisfaction O
all concerned, how much money woul,
the nation save by it Taking the none,
out of the treasury with one hand IN,
paying 1t into the post Office department
with the other, would be saving none,
much rs the man did his honesty whcr
called upon to pay an honest debt, Ii,
would say he had not cent in the born
world when Il short time after takin.