Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-02-28


During tne recent dlscusslOn Of bill
Introduced into the House of Representa-
tlyes one clause OF which provides for
"the free exchanges of newspapers be-
tween publishers, aud for the free trans
mission of weekly newspapers in the
county where published"
Hon. Washington Townsend, of Penn
sylyania, said -
Believing as do that the perpetuity OF
Republican instruction depends upon the
Intelligence and virtue of the people,
am in favor of the largest dissemination
Of Information among the masses.
shall vote for the bill that has been re-
ported asking that some amendments
may be made TO II iu order TO remove un-
Just determinations In favor of some,
and against others Of the newspapers OF
the country.
la the third section of the bill the COM
mlttee has provided, that weekly news
papers shall be sent free of postage to
individuals residing In the county Of
publication. This Is privilege that
was afforded to them previous to the
abolition of the franklng privilege and
Ii Is one which think should be accorded
to them in the interest of general educa-
tiOn, Though the dissemination of knowl-
edge among the people. l. also enables
them to compete more fully with the
newspapers of the great cities, which,
with their large capital and greater iaeil.
tiles, crowd hard upon the country papers
and In some districts ailvct materially
their circulation.
But / wish to call the atten lon of the
House 10 the Injustice of restricting this
privilege merely to weekly newspapers.
There is growing up around us a new
kind Of daily paper of great value, that
may properly be called the peoples news
paper. 1t Is the little one cent news
paper, like the one hold in my hand,
that Is published daily in the different
towns throughout the country. They are
now most uniustly taxed, at a far higher
rate, In proportion to their subscription
prices, than are the large ddiles OF the
great cities.
This newspaper Is one published In my
district, and is like three or four Others
published there. II Is the only daily
| paper that reaches the poor man. 1t goes
TO the laboring man, the mechanic, the
artisan, and affords them all the caily
reading of the news that they get. These
papers are ably edited they eondense
the topics of the day, political and liter
AIRY, and contain the local news. Their
circulation is circumscribed by the bounds
of the county where they aru published !;
generally speaking they do not get out
side of II. The greater part of their issue
is now sent through the mail to the little
country villages, and afford the principal
daily reading Of their inhabitants.
This daily, called the Daily Local NstOs,
is furnished TO subscribers at the rate of
three dollars per year. The postage
upon it is sl.20 per year, or 40 per cent.
Of the subscription price. This other
daily printed in my district, the Chester
EBsning Netos, is issued at s. IS per an
mum. The annual postage upon 1t is
sl.2O or A per cent. of the subscription
price.
also have here copy of the ~ Y
Tribune, a daily paper printed in the city
of New York, containing a much larger
amount of information, and going almost
entirely among the weallhiest classes OF
the community. The subscription ptice
is ten dollars per year yet it pays onlg :
Sl.20 per aunum in the shape OF postage
the same as the others, or ouly 10 pei
cent. of the subscription price. | say,
then that is an unjust and odious dis
elimination against the POOR man and Ia
favor of the rich man, taxing the in
formation afforded the former at a much
higher rate than that of the latter.
When the proper time arrives | propose
to offer an amendment to strike out iron
.he third section the word weekly and tC
insert In It's place the words +, all others
before the word newspapers !" SO tina
all newspapers printed in any count!
shall be distributed free Of postage throug
the mails to the subscribers in thai
f county. feel that this privilege is du,
this important class of newspapers.