The true northerner., 1874-02-20
From the Lansing Republican.
POSTAL BURDENS.
A CHICAGO EDITOR THEIR AUTHOR.

The Convention of Michigan News
paper Publishers, to be held in this city
next Tuesday, will consider the present
Postal laws. and take such action as
may seem best calculated to promote
the interests of the Press. We think
there is no desire to gain undue advan
tages for weekly newspapers over other
interests il the community, and there
fore the oxhortations Of some of the
large daileS to et matters rest, and not
seek dead-heading," are ill-timed. No
class of men excepting perhaps clergy
men) are 50 perpetually called on to rem
der services without pay, or for slow
pay or poor pay, as country editors
and they do not ask one favor where
they grant ten. When therefore a
privilege they have enjoyed from time
immemorial, Of exchanging papers with
each other, and another privilege of 20
years existence, of circulating free in
their own counties, is suddenly cut of,
it is natural and reasonable to ask,
"Why is this thus ~
We can throw light on the way in
which the Press Of the country came TO
suffer from It's present burdens of post.
age on exchanges, aud Of exactly tAe
same postage on 4 small village sheet
for passing through the delivery win
dow, that is charged On a mammoth
metropolitan sheet for being carried
5000 miles in the mail-bags and deliv.
cred by a carrier at the house Of city
resident, perhaps three miles from the
postoffice.
This blow was struck suddenly, with.
out notice, without petition or discus
sion, in manner which sportsmen call
FOUL 1t was indeed very unworthy
: legislative trick. We will explain.
The United States Statutes at Large
passed at the third session of the 42d
Congress, page 421, contain an act
,, abolishinc the franking privilege, which
makes no mention of newspapers, and
was declared upon the floor of the
House, in response to an inquiry by
Representative Conger of this State, tC
have no effect whatever on newspaper
postage. The common idea is that the
franking privilege of Congressmen anC
Government officers and the free trans
mission Of newspapers were abolished
together. The laws say differently, anC
80 does the Congressional Globe, and 81
do members at Washington with whom
: we have lately talked.
The Appropriation act for the service
> of the Postoffice Department, contained
il the same volume, pages $50 to $50
! at its close has the following words
i which show the cat under the meal
Provided, That all laws and parts o
laws permitting the transmission b,
.' mail of any free matter whatever b.
: : and the same are hereby repealed from
and after June 80, 1873" This ac
: was approved March 3, 1873. 1t con
- tanned appropriations OF nearly $50, 900,
OOO, and was absolutely required to pre-
Il vent the mail service of the countr,
g from stopping. 1t was passed in tn
i last day Of the session. No such claus
i as the one in question could have bee
.e got through the Legislature of Mich
le gan without exposure, because of on
At salutary provision SHAT every act shai
ot include but one subject, to be oxpresso
be IN Its title" We have learned the secrc
Of history Of this newspaper slaughterin
IS clause, 50 entirely foreign to an apprC
a. priation bill and will give it in detail
II. as partly recorded in the Congressioni
u, Globe for the third session of the Fort,
he second Congress.
to The original House Of Represent,
be tives Bill No. 3,40s, making approprii
H. tions for the service of the Postoiic