Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-02-04
The FrankinR Privilege.

The Franking Privilege.
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
Before any serious steps are taken toward
restoration of the ranking privilege, let the
peoples representatives recall something OF what
was said OF it when in full operation. 1 believe
can spend an hour no better than in giving brief
extracts on this subject from reports OF PostmasterS
General, as follows:
will begin with Postmaster General n K Hall
In 1851. He said: ''The Increasing abuses of the
ranking privilege render desirable some further
legislation in respect thereto. The ranking as
public documents OF matters which are not such;
the distributing Of ranked envelopes to persons
not entitled to the ranking privilege the frank
Ing as officiaf letters which are not Such the use
OF the frank to cover inEumerable circulars for the
benefit of others than the parties who frank them.
and the ranking OF letters of other persons are
presented as some of the existing abuses. All
these should in my judgment be prohibited by
severe penalties, and conviction for such an
offence should deprive the offender of his frank
ing privilege. 1t is also proper that the attention
OF Congress should be directed to the fact that the
penalty of five hundred dollars, imposed by the
existing law Is found to be insufficient to prevent
the cOuntef1cltng OF franks, either with or with
terfeted"
Next Postmaster General Campbell, in 1855.
Deeply the toflS5l reducing let
ter postage, provision had not also been made to
anoiislthe ranking privilege for all private COM
ments thus ranked were limited to the
public service, the evil would not be as
great as it now is; but low as are
the present rates of postage, the frank covers pr
vate correspondence OF every description, and alb
stracts largely from the Treasury"
Postmaster General Brown 1883 said: "In re-
laton TO the franking privilege it is impossible
to tell to what extent it is abused-not often it is
to be hoped, by those to whom it is allowed by law
but by others who take the liberty to sign their
names under some pretended authority to do so,
or under no authority at. all" Governor Brown
was a very courteous gentleman.
Postmaster all fran
Ing privilege, as accorded to various officers OF the
government, was from the beginning, and still is,
conflict with the true theory OF its creation
Another potent reason for the abolition of the
ifanklng privilege, as now exercised, Is found in
the abuses which seem to be inSeparable from its
existence These abuses, though constantly eX-
posed and animadvcrted upon for series OF years,
nave as constantly Increased"
member OF Congress complained to Postmaster
General Holt OF the prevailing practice of private
individuals In bringing regularly to him, as well
as to other obligfng members generally "buncheS
OF envelopes to be iranked for future uSe.H and
that "for a member to decline to thus loan his
frank IS often regarded as dscourtesy, at least,
by hostIlities." To which Mr.. Holt replied: st
may be safely stated that no amount Of vigilance
exercised by the government. and no regulation
OF this department, however stringent. can arrest
THIS Widespread and huIni tti1g abuse so long as
ptbic Officers dread the dsploasure of SYSTEM tic
peculatOrS more ta4n they love the law OF which
they are the appointed guardians. The process OF
purlllcation, to BE- effective, must be applied
Postmaster General Randall nSeS observes:
81 have twice In my annual reports called atten-
ton to the gross abuses of the ranking privilege
1t becomes my duty again to speak OF the frauds
perPetrated upon the revenues of the Post Office
department by these abuses. IL is esti-
mated that the loss to the department by this
species OF abuse OF the franking privilege has
amounted to from one million to one million and
a-half OF dollars during the past year.
am becoming satisfied that the only way to avoid al
abuse, which is becoming systamat,Zad and which
Is so severe tx upon the revenues OF the depart
ment, is to abolish the ranking privilege alto
getheT."
Postmaster General Creswell ns6s) after Stating
several reasons Sin favor OF extirpatng this evil"
said: but the most potential reason OF all for
the lncurdDie abuses and frauds which seem to be
iAseparabe from its exercise" In 1S71-"Again
renew my recommendation for the repeal OF the
franktnS privilege. It's existence is utterly incO
pdt1Die With an economical and vigorous admins
tration Of postal affairs. fragrant frauds have
been practiced during the past year. and VIII CON
tiie to be practiced under its SO long as the
privilege Is protected by law"
AT length. by acts OF January 31st and March
81, 1873, the Thanking privilege was utterly
abolished but it is doubtful whether 1t would nave
been done to this day but for the numerous petit
IONS that were poured into Congress from all
Ii DO not mistake, Mr. CreSwell was taken
severely TO task In Congress on the heinous charge
OF being the ''insigator and abettor" OF these pc
tltlons; Out II he has committed no greater sin
IMAM that, he may safely take through ticket to
the happy land without the least danger of being
Now, this whole question CT free transmssion
by the mails may be easily settled. In the first
place. There Is no valid reason why a member of
Congress or any other pubic officer Should not
pay the postage on his private letters and pack
ages like any other person. 1t is equally plain
that he Should not be compelled to pay the post
age on any mail matter relating exclusively to the
business or the government OF the United States.
Let the following bill be enacted into u law-Eeep
1t away from the Department OF Justice-and my
word fer it, all will work smoothly and satisfac-
torily:
Be q enacted de-, That section twenty nine of the
Of tie nth and sixth 81 se Ct o9a
transmission Of Official mai matter. be, and they are
eminent, including members of either house Of Cen
grcss e envelopes Of such matter in all bear
nation of the Office which or officer from whom the
same is transmitted with statement OF the penalty
sections hereby likewise extended and made appi
cable to all Official mail matter Of the Smithsonian lnsti
appS to aen ht a s act s not extend
fixed allowance compensation for their services in
Of Ss s the
pealed."
To save the reader the trouble of reference will
state That section 1913 OF the Revised Statutes Is
supposed 10 authorZe the continued use OF special
official stamps-that absurd and worse than use
less device, which never should have been fabri-
Gated.
One word more In drafting the above bill 7
awaited myself of the suggestions, and It has the
approval OF one OF the best informed and clearest-
headed officers in the postal service
Very respectfully, HORATIO KING
Washington, February 1882.
The American Victorious.
sLOssON WINS THE GREAT BILLIARD MATCH
SloSsOn won the billiard match which terminated
In Paris, last night, he making a total Of 3.OO0