, 1874-02-23
DEADHEADING ON THE P0ST-OFFrCE.

I
! DEADHEAD1NG ON THE POST OFFICE.
Tho Inst Congress-, despite its mauy crimes
had tho dccoucy to abolish tho franking priyi
logo with it's attendant abusos md oxcrosconcos
Among tho latter wcro tic right of nowspapol
publishers to receive all othor publications
| through tho mails FREQ OF postage aud
| tho right ol newspapers to circulate
through tho mails FREQ Of postago within the
/ county whore published. Tho Postmaster Con
eral has repeatedly pointed cut, aud ovory news.
paror-publishor knows, tho oxtont to which tho
1roe-oxchango systom was abused by fraudulen
ahcotR technically called newspapers. Tic eou-
tlcmcn down In Cougress who arc itching to
have the franliing privilege restored aro very o1
oqut'nt over tho great lartlshpa experienced by
tho newspapers because Of tho payment OF nos
tage OH exchanges, aud Of the necessity OF
pairing postage OIL papers delivered through the
ln'1ils within tho county. Even Speaker DIaine,
au Old newspaper man, was weak enough,
in Il letter that was published, to tender .his
syi1'pnthy to the newspapers that had suffered
"
the caao Of tho newspapers the occasion for re-
storing tho froo-poatago buBiucHs In any form or
Bhnro whatever.
Tho case Of sending newspapers ftce OF post-
age to subscribers residing within the county ia
very Small affair at best. It can hardly apply
to any daily paper, ind to weekly papers only to
worry limito1 extcut. Subscribers to dajlv
papers do not. when thoy Gun avoid it, uso tlo
mails ut all. They prefer receiving by tho moro
expeditions 1nodo OF express. Wo do not know
how tho case may be in New England and Penn
aylvania. but out West tho subscriber 10 news
paper, dai1y or weekly, who would not pay tic
postage Oh his newspaper would not take
tho thing at all. Wo venture to say TINT.
III all Illinois, tho average loss Of Subscribers to
the daily and weekly newspapers caused by tho
requirement to pay postage will not exceed an
average OF one subscriber to each paper. and
nowspaper-p publishers in this country woul1
scorn to print q paper which tho Bubacri',or
would refuse to take if ho had to pay pos togy
thereon. Newspapers that depend for aul,-
Bcrlbcra upon being delivered FREQ of hostage
through the mails cannot live IN Illinois. nost-
ago or no postage. Why should Con.xrcsg voto
huff million Of dollars q year to haul suc1
papers from town to town, and to nay men for
delivering them to subscribers ,sho would mt
have them ot!sorwiso2 1t is premium offered
to dullnoss. Tho 1.-Two newspapers Of tho West
wani no such MD, md object to tho discrimiua-
tlon againat them. Tic mattor Of exchanges ia
gronay exaggerated. Tho caao of TnE Cu1cAoo
TRIBUNE ls TINT perhaps Of cvory largo city pa-
per IN tho country. We lo not want apy OK
chungo from city Or country, daily or |
"ookly, that is not worth to us, in
addition to tho exchange, Tia postage |
we pay thereon. Wo raco;yo now nbout
tho same number Of exchanges that ro did be-.
foro tho change of tho law, md pay tho postage
on them all oycry mouth. Our postage bill on
oxclangoH will avorago for tho yoar about $500,
and, wo suppose, all tho city papers pay in like
proportion. We laye never had case whore
TIE TR1nuSE, sent i'll exchange, has been ro-
turned because tho postage had to bo paid Oh It,
Wo know Of no reason Why uovspaper should
receive n'attor through tho mail FREQ OF postage,
aud thero can 10 no good apology for the abuse.
Tho fact IL, tho last Congress did not complete
-ho'tob 1t hogan. It lett tho greatest abuse uu-
touched. It should l1ayo made tue prepayment
OF all postage on printed mattor compulsory,
Ind, had this boon dono, tho ratio Of postage
could have boon reduced 30 por cent.
IND would hayo yielded great increase OF
'ovenue. Wo aro not. wo suppose, much out
ho way In saying tint for ono-llalf Of tue p.iu.
I'd mattos tint goes into tic mails md is t.ans-
ported the Government mover gets any revenue
1t oil. There arc tons OF matter daily sent by
nail, deposited from what arc technically offlces
It publication, addressed to persons in all r.,rts
It tho country Gall Of which III handled On An nv
rage by at loaat slx porsonB). on which not ono-
oHtll Of tho poatago due III oyor collocto0. It IL
oal!y tranelont matter, but oacapos tic reouire-
aont vt prepayment because Of tha evasion OF
ho law. Thia stuG conHlAta of circulars. lottory
'ehemea, medical advertisements. aud sll ott,e r 4
oFma Of Advertisements got W in the shape ct,
ogu'ar weekly Or monthly publications, aud Is /
hoYolea Into tho malla day by tons and, tho oeh /
10 Government pays In fall tor itp TRANSPORTS.