The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-01-30


in force, operates to the disadvantage
ofthe local press, by obliging it more
than ever to compete with the Me
tropoIitan journals.
Under the old law, the Sietropoli-
tan weeklies, in their own counties,
circulated as free as the local jour-
nails in their counties. If either were
called for outside their respective
counties, it was because Of some es-
peciaI merit or local cause, and the
receivers were equally bound to pay
postage, and were equally willing.
But owing to the fact that most Me
tFepolitan weeklies were butreprints
of daily editions of the same paper,
they we're not so much Sought for in
their own counties. Their dailies
had forestalled them, and their prop
rietors we're obliged to look to the
country at large for the circulation
and support they couldnot obtain for
their weeklies at home. Being but
reprint of their dailies, the con
struetion of those weeklies cost but
a triGe beyond the expense of white
paper, and the proprietors were thus
enabled to enter into. active compe-
titicn with the local press, by redue-
ing the price of their weeklies to a
nominal sum, compared with the
price publishers of local journals
we're obliged to charge for theirs be-
cause of greaetr cost of publication.
To persons who desired quantity on
ly or quantity and cheapness, and
had no pride for or appreciation of
their local papers, the difference in
price was the argument for discon-
tinuing their local and subscribing
for Metropolitan paper, for though
they paid postage on it it was yet
cheaper than the home journal.
All publishers Of local journals will
recognize this statement as part of
their experience, and realize also the
additional advantage which the gcv-
eminent gave to the Metropolitan
weeklfes when it decided to collect
postage at the same rate on all pa
pers passing through the mails. The
new rule affected the Metropolitan
Journals but little in their own coun-
ties, where, for reasons above given,
their circulation was limited, but it
virtually gave them twenty cents
more advantage over the local press,
in its county, on each copy oftheir
paper, than they had previously en-
joyed, without any cost to them, and
their field was the whole country. 1t
Was a change clammored for by the
Metropolitan press, which beg col
1mn after column of free advertising
from the "rural roosters," and it was
inally accorded by Congressman, in
4 virtuous rage, because the surren-
der of their frankihg privilege had
been SO unanimously demanded.
Admitting the right of the govern
ment to derive revenue from this
source, if desirable, the present law
is devoid of that equity which should
be recognized in all transactions pub
lie or private, where business is con-
cerned, because it charges the same
rate on papers whether carried FIVE
miles or five thousand, and thus dis
eliminates against the many in favor
of the few. AS a counter argument
it is urged that letters are charged by
a uniform rate, and therefore a uni
form rate on papers is just. Letters
are private messages, involve no COM 1
petition in business, and the rate up
on them is properly uniform, yet it
was originally based upon the equit-
able principle of service performed,
until it was reduced so low as not to
admit of diVisibility. Imagine the
Justice of a railroad company, or
other common carrier, charging the
same price for carrying a ton of
freight from Fremont to Clyde as it
would from Fremont to New York
Or from New York to San Francisco,
and you have an exact statement of
5he unfairness with which the pres
ent newspaper postal law operates.
It is the same discrimination which
IS made in favor of the larger com
in the free delivery of mail
natter by carriers. The residents
If those places pay no higher rate of
postage than those in smaller com
nunities, yet the advantages are all !
made to accrue to them. The con
session which the Postmaster Gen
raj advises discriminates against no |
ocality, and at best merely bestows
lpon the residents of counties a |
noiety of the favorg heaped upon the |
'esidents of the larger cities. 1t is
'ime the country began to reap some
If the advantages so freely bestowed |
lpon the citizens of larger com
nunities, and Congress should not
hesitate to act upon the recon-
of the Chief officer of
5he postal service. -sElE
'Friend Bslsley in his last, made |
l faint attempt in excuse of the
enormous charge of printing charged
to the county. The attempt is a
anne one, and ifhe had the man