Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-07-05
THE new postal law which went into {

THE new postal law which went into ef-
feet on the 1st inst, contains one unjust
and unpopular feature. 1t is very
evident that the repeal of the act for the free
circulation of newspapers in the county
whore published, was brought about through
the influence Of the city press, with few ex-
ceptions, in order to increase their own circu-
lations. While many publishers Of city pa
pers, having in view, mo doubt, monopoly,
favored the repeal of the law allowing pa
pers to circulate free in the county in which
they are published, they will find that they
will meet with disappointment, where the
people of the country understand the OBJ
ject. While there may be few who can
be induced to subscribe to q city paper
through the oily persuasion of agents, the
better class of citizens will understand that
their home paper is the most valuable to
them. The free circulation Of newspapers
in our country, has greatly increased the
Jdissemination-ofk knowledge, and we should
encourage rather than check the circula-
ton of newspapers, and fall back TO the
times when but few families took any pa
per at all. We may soon expect 70 see the
country flooded with agents whose busi-
ness win be to induce persons to take city
papers, in preference to their own county
papers. Where one paper only is taken, that
paper should be the home paper. The To-
cal news Of the county can never be sup
piled by city papers, and their readers will
be kept in entire ignorance in regard TO the
affairs of the county.
The franking privilege has been, it is true,
greatly abused, and majority Of the peo-
pie have favored its repeal, but we are mo.
rally certain that but few favored the re-
peal of the law allowing papers to pass free
in the counties where published. We are
certain that large majority Of the men,
bers of Congress, comprising nearly all from
the country, are in favor of restoring the
law as it stood, and will embrace the first
opportunity at the next session to bring
about that restoration.
We give below synopsis Of the rates Of
postage under the present law:
1.-THE charges hereafter will be: For let
UcIS W dll ptEIS VI IuS " OuIJcu OtltcS, bulcc
cents per half ounce for pamphlets occa-
sional publications, transient newspapers,
magazines, handbills, posters, unsealed
circulars, prospectuses, book manuscripts,
proof-sheets, maps, prints, engravings,
blanks, flexible patterns, sample cards,
Photographic paper, letter envelopes, pos
tai envelopes and wrappers, cards, plain
and ornamental paper, Photographic rep
resentations of different types, Seeds cut
tings, bulbs, roots, and sciOns can be trans
mitted through the mails at one cent for
each two ounces or fraction thereof.
Books, two cents for each two ounces or
fraction thereof. Samples Of merchandise,
metals, ores, and meteorological specimens
can pass through the mail in packages not
exceeding twelve ounces, at the rate of two
cents for each two ounces or fraction there
Of; to be left open at the ends for exami-
nation, and to contain no writing other
than the address. All liquids, poisons,
glass, explosive materials, obscene books,
and all other material liable to injure the
mails, or those having charge thereof, shall
be excluded therefrom.
NEWSPAPERS SENT BY MAIL,
must be prepaid by stamps unless ''regu-
larly issued and sent to regular subscribers
by publishers or newsdealers, when the fol-
lowing rates are charged, payable quarter
ly in advance, either at the mailing or de-
livery office
Daily ly...............". ..........3O cents
Six times week.. ...."......"........o0 cents
lr-weekiy .''.''''''"''lo cehts