Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-30
THE RUTLAND HERALD
MONDAY, JANUARY 81, 1878.
The Franking Privilege.

anu SlAJu CldyS Oh JUNE IaoC, NtNS4''i
that the Thanking privilege ought to be
abolished, and the way be prepared for
q speedy reduction in the rates of post
age" This declaration of principles
having been endorsed by the people there
seems, at last, some reason to hope for
its speedy realization. Immediately upon
the adjournment of that convention, and
in response thereto, the House of Repre-
sentatives, during the same month,
adopted on their part, joint resolution
or bill abolishing the franking privilege.
The resolution or bill then passed to the
Senate for their action, but was suffered
to slumber in the hands of the commit
tee on post offices, until last Wednesday,
when it was taken up and passed with
certain amendments more sweeping in
" their abolition character than those
contained IN the original act The House
although abolishing the franking priyi-
lege for individuals, yet provided that
the President, heads of departments and
clerks of the two Houses of Congress
should be supplied with a stamp and that
aU mail matter, in either department or
Congress should be sent under this stamp
and the amount charged back, by the
Post Office Department, to each. That
is to say, that while Congressional matter
should not be sent free, yet the United
States should pay for its transmission.
This was distinction without much of
a difference. The Senate, however,
made the measure sweeping and abso-
late. The act, as passed, provides that
the ranking privilege shall be abolished
from and after the first day of July,
1873, " and that thenceforth all official
correspondence, of whatever nature, and
other mailablc matter sent from or adj
dressed to any officer Of the government,
Or person now authorized to frank such
matter, shall be chargeable with the
SANE rates % postage as may be lawful
ly imposed upon like matter sent by or
addressed to other persons; Pr0pjded,
That no compensation or allowance shall
now or hereafter be made to Senators.
Representatives, or Delegates to Congress
nn account of postage" The proviso
prohibiting any allowance for postage to
~.ultors and members Of Congress was
.,l opted ON the motion Of Senator Nor
sill Of this State. The passage of this
measure by the Senate would seem to
Indicate d great advance in the senti-
myut Of that body, as all propositions of
this nature have hitherto met with per-
-t-lnpt and determined opposition from
Senators, and, perhaps, it may turn out
after all, in this case, that they have
au.y made a seeming advance for the
slouble purpose of keeping themselves
right with the people and throwing the
responsibility of defeating the measure
go the House of Representatives. BE
fai+ a~ it may, the Senate has always
ucru, heretofore at least, tenacious to re-
tain this privilege, and have only con-
qucred their prejudices, if conquer them
they have, after a no small degree of OPP
position from the majority Of the Demo-
cratic Senators as well as from some of
the Republican members. the bill finally
passing by a vote of thirty-threc to six
=, u. Nrssrs. Edmuuds and Buckingham
nIrg the only New England Senators
voting ia the negative AS bearing upon
the causes Of this large and decisive vote
from those who have. hitherto, SO ten
acously chung to the right to use the
frank. it is stated that it was thought by
senators that the House, like themselves,
were playing little game, and that the
more sweeping they made the measure,
the more likely they (the members If
the House, would be to reject it, and
that. in fact, it was the expectation of
.uch a rejection that induced them to
apparently forcgo this cherished privi-
)rge and vote for repeal. The House,
however, according to current rumOr,
not being willing to shoulder the re-
sponsibiity of acting in direct contradiC-
zion Of the popular will, propose to take
the bull by the horns and the Senate at
its word, and concur IN the bill precisely
as it has come from the hands of the
Senate. Whatever may be the motives
Of the act, and we are bound to presume
that they were for the public good and
not an endeavor to shift responsibility,
the country is to be congratulated upon
the prospect of, at last, getting rid of
this incubus upon our postal system.
The people desire and are entitled to
cheap postage. They are entitled to have
their mail matter transmitted for the
smallest possible sum, consistent with its
speedy and safe transmission and de-
livery. To every demand for cheaper
postage, the answer has been that, at
present rates, the postal service is not
self-sustaining. This might be a com
plete and perfect answer to the demand
but for the fact that the matter now
transmitted free is what causes the de
ficicncy. In other words, the postal
service, aside from the free Congressional
matter, is self-sustaining, and would be
at a less rate of postage. Why should
Senators and members Of Congress be
permitted to transmit and receive mail
matter free, more than other persons,
or, to state the case exactly as it is,
why should the people pay their postage
for them. Their salaries would seem to
be ample, without this added perquisite,
and there are certainly enough seekers
for the position to make it reasonably
probable that they are not entirely self
sacrificing public servants. Whether the
salary is large or small, there is no rea-
son why they should not pay their own
postage, and as for public documents, let
the receiver pay therefor. These two
reforms go hand in hand. If we would
have cheap postage, the franking privi-
lege must be abolished. If it is retained,
then the present rate of postage must,
also, be retained in order to pay the in
creased rate of transportation of the
mails. The matter now rests in the
hands of the direct representatives of the
people and, for their action and votes.