New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-18
RESTORING TIE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE'l

IBY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRlBt Nil
WASHINGTON. March 1.-THE Senate repeated
to-day. in passing the Post Office Appropriation
bill substantially the vote taken yesterday Com
mittce of the Whole upon the restoration of the
franking privilege. The vote of yesterday was re-
garded as the VOTE being the first vote and being
taken after a debate of some interest The amend
ment restoring the privilege, which was prepared
by senator Edmunds was as follows:
The Secretary aud Clerk Of the House
ycl"s prepared bg them for all the Official business Of
their respective Offices and the OF such envelopes for
punishc by the penalties imposed b. aw for Che Illegal
use Of such envelopes and each member OF hc senate
an, i.Gr or I,ci;oc co,,tiI- oul nr1uted or written
matter exceeding IN weight drniurd ny
his autograph signature without the pay ment o post
a-C.
slight verbal amendment was added to this
To-day by senator Ferry, who strongly resisted the
adoption OF the section yesterday. II this amend
ment is agreed to by the House the franing pri1i-
lcCe will be restored in substantially the same
shape as it was when it was abolished in 1873 N
response to a loud popular demand. Tho Senate
amendment places no restrictions upon the priyi-
lcCc. except 20 limit it to printed and written mat
ter thus excluding merchandise and to packages
not over two ounces in weight. 1t is not to DC in
fcrred however, that Congressman will not he able
should this section become a law, to frank pack
ages weighing over two ounces They already pos
sess an unlimited frank in public documents, which,
so far as the expense TO the Government is con
ccrued, is the chief burden of the franking prty-
lege
The franking privilege was abolished On January
81, 1873, to take effect JUly l. 1873. law
passed subsequently in the same session, TO take
effect on the same date repealed all laws permitting
free mail transmission Of any matter whatever. Bat
the drain upon members pockets 10 pay postage on
4 tla1 tl,ip vrgE
great that a law of June 23. 1874. after just
one years absence Of the franbing privilege fixed
the postage on public documents mailed By any
mcmber of Congress, the President or the head Of
any Executive Department, at 10 cents for each
bound volume, and on unbound documents the same
as that on newspapers mailed from a known Office
Of publication 10 subscribers and on The Con-
gIeSsiOndl Record at cent
Even this found to involve heavy tax. SO
law of March 3, 1875, made free for the next nine
months The Congressional Record, any part of it,
or speeches and reports III II and public documents
ordered to be printed for the of either House of
Congress This law subsequently rccnactcd
without limit and Is the law to-day. The ENcCu-
tive Departments transmit matter free in official
envelopes. During this time the members of Con-
gTess have had annual allowance of $l25 for
stationery and postage, which in majority Of
cases, members say. probably more than covers the
actual outlay for those expenses.
1t l. the opinion of number of members of the
House that the fTanking amendment viii pass that
body. though there Will be uGdOubtedly strong
opposition. Some Of the best mon in the House
pressed themselves to-day of the opinion that the
existing system the proper one, and that no
loOpboe should be opened for the scandalOus
abuses that formerly attended the franllng system