Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-02-20
Franking Abolished

There are ConYeniences of many kinds
/ in a Legislature of two Houses. The
graver and greater are we'll known, but
there are minor advantages which are
| more familiar TO the members than to
| the public. When, for instance. the
popular voice becomes loud in its de-
/ mand of what the public believe to be a
I measure of reform, it is not impossible
to pass it in one house with a sly wink,
as it were, to the other. The other may
then amend, and when the amended bill
returns to the first House, after due de-
bate it may decline the amendment, and
the act dies, with the responsibility rest
ing nowhere in particular. Each Honsc
has agreed to the reform. but cannot
agree upon the details 'ris a great
pity: but the intelligent country sees
that the measure itself is conceded. and
rs soon as little points of method are
settled the reform will be made The
intelligent country meanwhile is a little
bewildered. 1t hears the bat and sees
the ball, and concludes that it Is one of
those things that no Teller can find out.
This game has bern played with the
question of franking. Postmaster-Gen-
eral CresWell has strongly urged, rs
before, the abolition of the privilege
and year or two ago it was decrced by
the House of Representatives, amidst
good deal of hallclujah from the press.
1t would be, perhaps, misprison of trea-
son. or some other crime, 10 insinuate
that the House clipped the wink" to
the Senate As it sent up the bill. But
the Senate dcliberatcd in grave and
=, 1l, I
IF affairs the bill disappeared instead of
the franking privilege. But recently the
Senate took up the bill again, and bv
vote Of % to 16 amended it, and return
ed ii to the House The amendment
provides that no allowance shall be
made t. members OF Congress on ac-
count of postage. The House immedi-
ately suspended the rules, passed the
bill, sent it to the President, who immc-
diately approved it, and the franking
July next no member of Congress can
frank a sack of books to friend, or
send his baggage home by mail gratis.
Senators Buckingham, Edmunds, and
Frelinghuysen were among those who
voted against the abolition, andupon the
general ground that there ought TO be
free communication between members
of Congress and their constituents. ana
that there is a great deal of valuable in
formation, not otherwise easily nccceSi-
BILE which the government COLLEGES and
ought to diffuse gratuitrus'y We do
not understand that they cling especial
ly to the present system, and they Ger
tainly do not deny its abuses. Senate"
Wilson, also, who voted for the aho'-
ton, is reported to have said that he dir
not think it would save money to the
government. 1t is not, however, in that
case, easy to see what the country gains
by the measure.
But the abuses of ranking have he
come so enormous that it is better to
abolish it. The abuses are not only di-
rect but indirect The honorable mem
Der not only franks his washing home,
and all the letters of all his friends, and
all the documents of his party, but he
votes for large editions of the most ex-
pensive books which are not books, and |
which are treated as waste paper; and |
he does so only because they can be sent |
to constituents for nothing.
Undoubtedly there was great deal /,
of "spite" in the action of Congress.
Many of the members believed the de- !
mand for reform to be only "a popular |
clamor, and probably think that the
Postmaster-General played the deme.-
gogue in insisting upon it. They will
scan very severely the estimates Of the
department for postal appropy lations.
But they may be sure that thu, country
is not unreasonable. 1t il, the abuse |
only which it would correct. and the
will now be 10th easier and
more effectual.-Harprsrs' Weekly.