Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-02-23
AS to Franking.

who have stood in the way of the
complete and absolute abolition oi
the franking privilege. This paper
on the contrary, favored the measure
a. the outset, and has not even op.
posed that feature of it introduced
by subsequent amendments which
takes away the free carriage of coun.
try newspapers. OF the entire abo-
lition of dead heading in the mails
we ask for no qualification whatever
in the interest of any class, guild oil
profession. Let the whole system
60 by the board, and every lndivid-
ual who uses the mails, from coun-
try editor down to member of Con-
gress, pay for it like any other heath
en-.
But there are certain conditions
as to the rates of postage upon news
papers to be fixed after the free car.
aiage system shall be abolished, sane
toned by right and justice. upon
which We are disposed to insist. 1t is
not fair, for example, that we should
pay the same postage on the Gazette
to Center Village Is miles distant
which the New York Tribune Com
pany would pay OH their blanket sheet
from New York to Delaware The
Government. carries our paper eigh-
teen miles no quicker than it carries
the Tfa6mne, weighing three times as
much as the Gazette, seven hundred
miles, and to charge the same rate in
cases of such inequality in the quality
and quantity of the service rendered
would be unfair and oppressive dis
elimination in favor ofthe New York
newspaper monopoly. 1t would be
direct interference in behalf of a
sheet having no concern for our local
interests and which, while taking
money away, expends nothing in our
midst, against one especially devoted
to the interests of this community
and which in the course of the year
expends largely at home for materials
and labor.
Against any such discrimination
We make our firu, vehement protest.
Let the postage on newspapers be
regulated in approximate proportion
to their bulk and the distance of their
transportation. 1t is not necessary
that every paper should be weighed
or the number of miles counted in
each instar ce. A uniform rate might
be fixed for carriage within the coun
ty. another for carriage within the
State, and third for transportation
from one State to another. Perodi-
Gals and newspapers could be grouped
into classes, with uniform rate for
each. In this way simple and con-
wien ent scale of rates may be estab-
lished, which will avoid confusion and
occasion very little trouble.
1t would not be unreasonable to
insist furthermore that all newspapers
should be carried by mail service,
but upon this point we are not dis
posed to insist, only, provided, that
no railroad or express monopoly
shall be permitten to assume or allow
any newspaper whatever the dead
head privileges now extended by the
Government.
And now while speaking of this
subject, it may be worth while to re-
fer to some other matters as we'll as
correct some erroneous impressions
german to this subject of franking.
We believe it will be a glorious era
for the country press when its bust
ness phall be eliminated from every
species of beggary. either on its own
part or that of its patrons. Brethern
of the country press, let us ask no
favors of anybody, and have none to
bestow. except in conscientious duty
or christian charity, upon politicians,
public officers. corporations, associa-
tions. or any class whatever of pub
lie or private mendicants. Let the
sound practical maxim that business
is business" govern all our transac
tions of a business charactea with all
individuals or associations of indvid-
uals whomsOever When we receive
anything of a valuable nature let us
pay for it; when we publish an adver
tisement let US publish it as such and
charge for it; and when anybody
asks US to bestow charity let US con-
tribute the amount in money, cash in
according to our ability.
So shall the world take knowledge of
us that we are business men and not
beggars, and so shall all kinds al d
conditions of people understand that
newspapes are not published for pure
ly charitable purposes, and that an
editor is expected to pay for what he
gets, receive pay for what he does and
contribute to charitable purposes
what he can afford, precisely like any
other barbarian.
We would not of course be under
stood to mean that editorials should
be merchantable or that a journalist
should put his principles or his infiu
ence in the market to be bought and
sold. All that is merchantable in q
newspaper should be confined strich
ly to the ad. ertising columns. II
anything is worthy of notice, notice
it; if anything deserves praise, prais
it; if anything ought to be censured
censure it; but let this be our motto
mo editorials or putfs to be bought
by money secured by importantly OF
forced by threatening al this Office
If Jones or Smith wants to advertise
his wares let him advertise them an
set forth their merits in responsible
way over his own signature, not ask
ing the editors to puff that which hi
has not seen or knows nothing about
and makes statements which nobody
will believe any sooner because th'
editor makes or pretends to maxi
them.-DelaWaTe Herald.
WE have always considered Mr.
Creswell not only the ablest, but
since the resignation of General Cox
tho o,I Al.