New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-01-29

gress by presenting false issue. And yet
his reply seems especially we'll calculated to
keep out of view the real facts as to the
operations Of the ranking privilege.
The Postmaster General seems utterly to
have mistaken the spirit, if not the letter, of
the Senate resolution of inquiry. We under
stand it to have been a request for informal
ton as to the amount that would probably
be saved the Government annually by the abo-
lition Of the franking privilege. But judg-
ing Mr.. Creswell's view by his reply, he evil
IDENTIFY supposed the resolutions to refer only
to the saving to his department; for almost
the only argument he attempts is to show
and the opinion that chad not the transmits
sion of Congressional publications been dis
continued, the rates awarded in the readjust-
ment now being made with the railroad COM
panes would be higher in exact proportion
| to the increase in the weight of the mails
which the transmission of this heavy matter
would have caused, whatever that increase
might be-" 1t may be that this statement is
| literally correct. Even if it be, however,
the increase in the rates railroads would re-
ceiye on that basis would be so infinitesi-
mally small as to be absolutely imperceptible,
as the simple facts will prove. The entire
weight of all congressional matter annually
sent from Washington under the frank Of
Members of Congress and all others entitled
to the privilege, does not exceed an average
of three tons day, probably not more than
half that amount. This matter is divided
between the railroads going North and South
making ton and half each daily. Can
the Postmaster General or any one else esti-
mate the increased pay these roads would
demand for this ton and half of daily free
matter? Let this pass for what it is worth,
however, and we will refer to his main argu-
ment in defence of the great postage reform.
On this point the Postmaster General states
that the net sales of official stamps for the
next fiscal year, to cover the transmission Of
matter formerly sent through the mails under
mated at 50, $50 900, and that comparison Of
the receipts on four items during the quarter
ended Sept. 80, 1878, with those on the same
items for the corresponding quarter of the
preceding year, shows an aggregate increase
Of 81 ,GGS, AS, and an increase, exclusive of
official stamps, of $Gl4,9l2.
These figures, he continues, achich do not
include congressional matter, confirm him in
the opinion heretofore expressed in special
report to Congress, under date of January
II, 1871, that the cost of all free matter, if
charged with the regular rates of postage,
arould amount to 50. 543. 1927 annually.
Here is a most extraordinary admission by
the p, stmaster General. He has claimed in
ali his annual reports that the ranking privi-
lege cost the government not less than
50, 543 900 annually, and the statement has
been reiterated thousand times by every
advocate of its repeal throughout the land.
Now he admits that the postage on all the
free matter that would pass through the
mails if the franking privilege were in exis-
tence, would amount to only little more
than two AND half millions (s2,543, OOO) of
dollars. And as he has previously stated
that the official matter sent through the
mails rader the frank Of heads Of departments,
would amount to 50 ,25O,OOO, it follows that
all the matter franked by members of Con-
gress would amount, at legal rates of post
age, to only 100000! This is the whole
amount, then, that under any possible cir
cumstances the government can save by the
repeal of the franking privilege.
1t is not necessary, of course, for US to
state that the two ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
dollars that the Government pays for stamps
placed on the correspondence Of the different
Department, is not a sariay of a single dol
lar. Every cent of it is drawn from the
Treasury to be handed over to the Post Office
Department. literally mere transfer, at a
great expense, from one hand to the other.
Even the Postmaster General does not claim
thai The heads of Departments should pay
the postage on their official correspondence.
And he approves this transfer Of funds as
just and proper. And yet in his report he
claims this ''robbing Peter to pay Paul;
gaia TO the Government, when it is in reality
only I'm apparent gain to his Department at
the expense of the Treasury.
We feel gratified that we have at last the
admission of the Postmaster General that
the statement we have so often made that
the Thanking privilege has never cost the
people more than 5000, 900 at the very extent
is correct-that is, provided every member
of Congress sent of just as many documents
aud sent and received just as many letters
since its repeal as before. For the last three |
years we have laborcd to show the people |
that the clamor raised against the alleged
abuse of the franking privilege, or rather |
against its existence. was pure demagoguism.
The admission of Mr.. Creswell that the legal |
postage on all Congressional documents,
letters, speeches, and other matters could
not cinount to three hundred thousand dollars. |
fully confirms us in denouncing this outcry
rs glaring humbug and fraud. Congress
now know how much the Taxpayers have
gained by taking from the people the privi-
ege Of receiving free Of charge Congressional
documents and the right of petition.
p. :. Ithas occurred to us since the above
vas written that members are now allowed |