The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-07-03
How Il HappeneA.

This now Law requiring the payment Of postage
on County papers, within the Counties wneie
published, docs not s-t well on tho public stomach
especially since they have boon 20 long accuston-
ed to the other way. 1t n,sy be well enough 70
keep the fact before them, how the new law came
about.
The law allowing papers to 60 in tho mails iree
Tn ali pviuts in the Counties where publ'sned'
w.s q measure for the pubiic good. 1t socooras.
ed the masses to take their home paper" sna
thereby to keep posted in the matters in .n'en
they were immediately interested II sPP'eo "
every County in the United States eqos"y' .so
was therefore not privilege grsnteo :" sny .o'-
tion or class. There WAS also is"' o"aeteo u
an early age Of the Government sno"'hs mem-
bsrs of Congress and other Government oacers
the frankiug privilege, or the sending OF mail
matter free, BY simply ipdorsingi with their namo
and oositiou. This privilege had grown into
Giant abuse, like every other privilege granted to
Couprrssmcn. Its object was to enable public
servsuts to communicate with their constituents
free of cost, and TINS keep them Informed Of what
was transpiring, and ascertainng their wants.
But they had got to sending dry goods, hardware,
groceries, and everything imaginable, through
the mails, under their frank, thus loading down
the mails, and running up the cost Of carrying
them enormously.
For years, elamor had been kept up for the
repeal Of the frankng privilege, led on BY certain
wealthy city newspapers, which were continually
riding some reform hobby. For years the qnes-
tion was kept up without avail, until the Last
Congress, rendered desperate by tho public out
cry against their many and gigantic frauds aud
swindles, determined to insult and mock their
constituents by apparently rrpealing the frank
ing privilege, and at the sane stroke, deprive the
people of cherished privilege. These servants
of the people undertook to punish the men who
made them and paid them, for demanding the re-
form Of \ great abuse, by depriving them 1t the
saue time of a right which they had long enjoy
I'd. Tbey repealed the franking privilege, but at
the same stroke they repealed the law allowing
frse circulation Of County papers, and the Law
allowing free exchange between EDITOR; and al
M tbe law allowing free postage to the widows
and heirs of patriots who had lost their lives aud
property i'm the service of the country. But thr
was not all these high-struDg Congressneu did.
They first increased their own pay =, 500 year,
and voted themselves this Increase for two years
back, amounting to 5000 each. In this way,
they robbed the people Of more than enough
money to pay for carrying County papers free for
the balance of the century.
We do not think this new law will stand
long. The press and the people will raise such .
clamor that in all probability the old system will
be re-established ut the next session Of Congress-
If not then, it will be within the next two years.
for fast as the terms of these increased salary
snd back pay thieves expire, they will be con- |
signed to the shades Of private life with una
nimity that will astonish them.