Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-06-26
Getting Even with the Newspapers.

The newspapers of tho country have had
tho misfortune to displcasc number of dis
tinguished gentlemen Mt Washington. In
some cases the grievances arc personal;
in others, they are Of n public and partisan
character. One of the wcightlest Of them
is the part played by the press in tho compul-
sorry abolition OF that cherished franking
privilege which il is now sought to restore
in season for The fall elections.
These disgruntlcd gentlemen would seem
to be lying awake nights, thinking up some
schemes for getting even. Tho "leaders"
Of the Senate, in particular, would seem to
have thrown themselves into the reprisal
business with quito unwOnted energy and
enthusiasm. Last week, il WAS n bill to
compel all the principal newspapers of the
Union to try their libel suits ut Washington.
This week, II is an amendment TO an appro-
priation bill which, If enacted into law, will
practically extort from every American
newspaper, big or little. round fine for the
oilense of printing tho nows and talking
about its "betters."
Tho first of these performances is sufli-
cicntly outrageous; the nature and potency
Of the influences which surround tho Wash
ington judge and juror are pretty well
known. At the same time. there is just
enough color of logic about 1t TO recommend
II to tho narrower variety of that curious
product Of modern civilization, the illegal
mind" But this second performance Is not
only outrageous, but absolutely without tho
slightest color of logic, justice, or common
sense. IL is as absurd rs II is malicious.
Look mt II for moment. Tho present
rates of newspaper postage are Sl.2O u year
for dailies and 20 cents for weeklies, payable
quarterly by the subscriber But good
many papers arc not taken out of the Office,
and In this way the government sustains
loss. Hence tho postmaster generals prop
osition to make the rate cent and a-half
per pound, to BIO prepaid by the publisher.
This proposition has been approved by the
postal committee Of tho House and by the
House itself II reduces the present rate
one-half. but the government Is the gamer
IN that tho prepayment secures II against the
loss OF its dues. Now steps forward Sem
ator Sherman with proposition for nom
inal rate of cents por pound and a real
ratio Of ono cent per copy. This would
make the annual postage on dailies little
over SO and on weeklies SO cents-two and
half times what 1t is now. And this post
ago is TO be prepaid by the publisher. That
is to say, Senator Sherman, against the adj
vice of the department and the example of
tho House, proposes TO mulct the newspapers
of the country in yearly fine Of 81, 500 900,
| or Whereabouts, for tho undue freedoms they
have taken with tho names and characters
of their rulers. "If 1t becomes law" tel
egraphs the correspondent of the BostOn Id
vertiser, sit will extinguish many of the
minor newspapers which have any circula :
ton outside of their counties, and will cost
all larger journals u handsome fortune,
every year"
We have no apprehension that this absurd
and outrageous measure OF retaliation will
ever become law. But the animus Of 1t is
worth noting and remembering. We be-
licve it will be noted and remembered. We
suspect that Mr.. John Sherman, of Ohio, has
neatly cut his own throat. II public life is
not speedily made too hot for him and his
confederatos, it will DO because the newspa-
pers of the country develop an angelic tenn
per Of meokness and forgiveness which We
have not hitherto observed in them.-Spring
field Republican.