The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-02-26
Prompt Action Needed.

The Farmer and Mechnnic thinks tha
the press Of North Carolina should memo
riAlIze Congress on the subject Of the pa
per tax, and has suggested the editor of TIA
Obser er as one of the comnlitte'. for tha
purpose We will cheerfully CO operate I,
that end. hut we hardly think it necessary
for there has been such II general demant
on the part oi the press of the entire Unior
on the subject, that we apprehend Con eres
. will not forget to act. The tax ought te
be removed or reduced without delay Tht
entire importation of paper, We understand
does not amount to a Million of dollars, anC
the revenue derived from white paper must
very insignificant. The government will
not lose 10y putting the tax at one-tenth ol
what it now is. At present it is prohibtory
reduce it and 1t will produce some revenue
If our congressman don't at an early day
reduce the tax, the press will speedily ad-
jrurh Congress and elect new get alto
gether. r.-Raleigh Observer.
Our eighl,or perhaps fails to discount the
ponderous si"wness Of recognition of public
opinion that prevails among the SO called
servants OF the people, especially in relation
to The Press, them demmed newspaper
fellers, as the average ''Honorahle Nj. c.
is apt to term them. Judlng by the past
tie individual expressions of party papers
will amount to little. 1t is, unfortunately
matter self-interest with the great pub
lishing companies. to break down the scat
teied provincial press in order that they
may enjoy monopoly Of patronage For
this reason the leauing journals, whose
voice might have been potential. made lit
tie fight against the prepayment of pos
tsge which has crippled or destroyed 81
many Southern publishers. Not an editor
not single paper, in North Carolina. we
feel safe in saying. has escaped large losses
during the past year for postage paid on
papers, which were not pal ioI. by the
recipients subscribers who perhaps would
get very angry il called defau ltals. but who
became such Dv either Intention, or ne ulect.
OF death, or renewal.
On this subject we may speak more fully
hereafter
AS tor the organized action Of the North
Carolina Press, we believe if Il memorial
were drawn. and copies sent to the jour
nalists of the State for endorsement (where
such endorsement has not been given al
leadyp; and the unanimous Call of the state
Press thus transmitted to cur Congi essional
delegation, it would spur them to an ac-
tivity, it not zeal, as yet unknown.
Bro Ashe perhaps is not aware that the
enemy already have agents in Washington
lobbying against the proposed reduction
We quote from the Philadelphia Times Of
the l9tn inst
''Ihe proposed reduction Of the duty on
unsIzed printing paper to ten per cent. al
Valorem was considered yesterday at a
meeting of the Book and Paper Trade AS
ISOLATION, Of this city Thomas Mackellar
OF Mackellar, Smiths & Jordan. presided.
Resolutions presented by Henry Cary Baird
a6 +
1T was resolved that duly attested copies
OF the resolutions be sent to Senators aad
representatives in Congress, with. the ,e-
quest that they earnestly oppose the pas
sage OF any bill having for its object the
lowering of the duty upon paper
The Importance of cooperation with
Kindred associations in other cities with
regard to this matter was urged by r. 8.
henamin of the Printers Circular, who
also offered resolution. which was adop-
'ed, that the officers of the association. to-
gether with Henry Cary Baird and s. ].
Megargee, be appointed q committee on
Jurisprudence if necessary, visit Washing
.ph and submit to Congress the action Of
the association"
:. those who know Congressional and Leg
sIasive bodies are aware that an active
oooyist on the ground is of more avail than
ooie ol newspapers at distance.
:. Tor cur part We doubt if Congress will
sske any decisive action during the present
seM SESSION unless the press does more than
Democrat:
,.u al meeting of the proprietors of the
hpe.wspapers of this city, at the Office of tho
;,'coyune, for the purpose of taking manu-
,selurers in causelessly raising the price of
PAPER Oh per cent. was determined to re-