The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-05
FRANKING PRIVILEGE.

transmitted by the commissioner of agri
culture, and the reports of that department
shall pass through the mails free of post
age, and further providing as follows:
" That from and after the passage of this
act the Congressional Record, or any part
thereof, of speeches or reports therein con-
tanned, SHALL under the written frank of a
member of congress or delegate TO be writ
ten by himself) be carried in mails free of
postage, under such regulations as the post
raster general may prescribe; and that
public documt nts already printed. or or
derej to be printed for the use of either
house of congress, may pass through the
mails on the frank of any member or dele
gate of the present congress (written by
himself) until the LIST of December, 1875,
provided that speeches reproduced from
and printed otherwise than in the Congress
Sioaal Record, and speeches delivered else
where than in congress, shall not be con-
strued as public documents, or be embraced
within the provisions Of this section"
We regard this measure as unwise and in
judicious as matter of policy, and doubt
not that its passage will raise a great hue
and cry throughout the country; but we
are inclined to think that the government
will be no poorer on account of it While
the argument is all against the franking
privilege, considered as a mere matter of
noliny thara 10 t,,ttol, hot ha IN,
favor of the limited privilege now granted
1t will be borne in mind that no member is
entitled to free use of the mails in the
transaction of his private busfsess, but only
for the transmission of public documents
ordered to be printed Sy congress. 1t is
true that more of these documents are print
ed than there ought to be, but whose fault
is it? Ought not the constituent share the
blame with the representative Does any
one believe that these documents would be
printed, to the extent they have been, with
out corresponding demand on the part of
the country? 1t is true that the people
who desire these documents ought to pay
for them, and the number printed limited
to this class Of demand But the country,
for three-quarters of a century or more,
have come to look upon these documents
as belonging to them of right, free of
cost, either for publication or trans
mission, and would resent even the request
to pay postage. We take it that it will al
ways remain 80. Certainly the country
will have to be educated up to the point of
believing otherwise, and they never can be
so educated with restoration of the
franking privilege, even to the limited ex-
tent now done. Herein lies the real sub
stantal objection to this measure, aside
from the question of policy. We were
promised, two years ago, that il the frank
was abolished, the postofficc department
could be more economically managed, and
that there would be an ever lessening de-
ficiency in the amount required to make up
the difference between the receipts and ex-
pendtures of the department. These an.
ticipations or predictions, however, have
not been realized. The expenses are as
large as they were two years ago, the re.
ceipts have not materially increased, and q
large deficiency has to be provided fol
every year. The postofilce department is
not self-sustainng, as we were promised il
should. The economy of the abolition OF
this privilege must not be looked for in the
postoffice department. If any economy i.
to result, we must look for 1t in diminu
ton of the number of public documents
printed. A very large saving could be eff
fected IN this way, but we need not lool
= for it so long as the mails are free for thi
class of documents. There is demand
: for them and congress must supply the de
Z mand, either at the public expense, at tn
: cost of individual members, or by requirin.
payment therefor of their constituents
They have taken the former course, AM
: we believe their constituents will sustain
them. We regret the action, however, be
: cause it seems to show that the talk abou
economy is all CANNON, and thar the PEG
. pie only want economy when il affect
other mems pockets not their own