The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1880-04-17
LETTER.
About the Paper Pups Monopoly.

from u Regular Correspondence
Washington, D. C. April 5th. 80.
The most interesting question
before Congress ut the preset
time il that Of the tariff on the
raw material from which the edu
cation Of this great people is de.
rived, and on tue medium through
which a large proportion of the
business OF the country is conduc
ted DEAR paper makes dear
newspapers, dear books, dear
writing material, dear envelopes.
1t handicaps the intellectual, com
mercial, and social life OF the
most active and progressive peo-
pie III the world. That legislators
should favor this monopoly or
hesitate Tor IL moment to strike it
down is too monstrops to believe.
1t il a crime against the child ut
school, against :he laborer by his
evening lamp, against the age,
and against posterity, that the IN
telligence of the future, upon
whiclrour political and socia. wei
fare so largely depends, shall be
restricted and diminished that "A
few coarse men mar grow rich. 1t
is important that bread shall be
cheap, for without it the body
will dice 1t is supremely impor.
tant that intelligence shall be
cheap, for it is the food Of the
mind. Where one man is employ
ell i'll making paper or wood
pulp Il hundred are employed in
the art OF printing. 1t may he
jald that just ~ llkany will find
employment Oh newspapers, for
when paper is dear AS
when it IL cheap. This is not
The newspaper canl,ot safe
Iy reduce its size. But the ncces
sity Tor retrenclment must he
met and will fall at once on tie
labor The publisher employs, since
it can fall nowhers else. BY
employing larger tylle aud re,ln-
cling the composition'bilIs in the
ways publishers ~ Easily under
'tand they can l"p III. the wages
IF compositors to make up for tue
increased cost Ut white paper.
will also reduce the pay of
numbers Of reporters and CORES.
,ondents, and thus diminish the
'ay roll while the quality of the
Jews and comment turnis he'd will
" deteriorated. The business OIL
printing is Of sucii vastly greater
Importance than that OF making
that it is simply mons
'trous to tax the greater industry
o enrich Il few wealthy mannfav.
'rers. The intelligence Of the
American people comes oap hun
lred fold more from the general
ealing Of newspapers by the
then from their common
clio"'s. The mAr,elously cheapf
orm III which the best Of the
tantlard English literature is
|ow furnished is another power.
III educator, aud one, the effects
which will I've felt BY future gene
ations. The cost Of paper is Il
lost important element in this
'achinery tor tue spread Of
now|ed.e-a machinery that
us far outstripped the dreams oft
he Girarsls and Smitbsons, who
ave sought to benefit their frl.
'wmen by endowing Institutions
, serve the same end.
As for the wood pnlps million
who prostitute their seats in
Ongress to maintain their mono
their course is just As cor>
,pt as if they sold thei: votes.
5 long rs public opinion will per !,
it this sort Of thing we may tx
oct a carnival OF rascality in :
lblic life. 70 make oratious .
bout a deficiency in the Star .
aud be silent about the
sgral,t immortality of members s
money directly into their {
banks or mills will not iusti
any talk in the House Of Repre-