New-York tribune., 1906-04-04
FRANkING DEMANDED.
q
Labor Members iR Parliament 4sk
for Restoration of Class Privileges.

while in the United States agitation IS in
nrorress for the restriction abolition OF the
srsnlng privileges enjoyed by the members Of both
branches ef the National Congress. in England
,.here frsnking has been abolished since 1870 the
Labor members OF the new House O. Commons have
already Put forward demand upon the govern
eut for the restoration OF this essentially class
privilege That the application should come pre-
-iselv from that element OF the House which prioe
:. election hsd hee most vociferous in its demauss
for the abolition OF ali class privileges Is paradox
,-sl ana vet quite conpre hensihe For the La hor
,sv,hsrs are snaringlv remunerated for their SER
vices by their constituents and find that their
postage bills constitute heavy drain upon their
limited resources.
The ranking prvifege-thst is 10 SAY. the right 10
send and receive letters free Of any charge for the
-.,stsee-seems 10 have existed far back as the
.irD Of Queen Elizabeth. being limited peers Of
- -sslr7 10 The Lords Spiritusl-that Is 10 say
-,.lstet with seats in the House Of Lords-and TO
-,erlbers of the House OF Commons In those
5svs and in fact down 10 l76s the revenues Of the
,ostsfice belonged 10 the sovereign In the reign
~ Queen Anne history shows that there pro
,es-s on the part OF the Crown against the abuse
,rsnkins privileges by members OF both Houses OF
Fsr,is nent who. not content with franking their
o letters franked the letters Of their friends and
.hs,- friends friends. II was George III who ex-
,.nres tho postofioe revenues for civil list, and
- - course the government attempted to in
.,.,,- te stricter regime But the abuses went on
s much a. ever and in 1873 il was complained that
-. orlx- were the bona hde franks out of all pro-
,,,-,,oD "a the stamped letters but that more
a-sr fraudulent and forged franks surpassed
- r,n,her the authentic In the DAYS az
-e,++ When bankers and merchants began TO invade
- t5opse O. Commons matters became still worse
71,rtnr three months IN I7ss II is record that
80 nassed through the London postofflce nearly
-, hr,nered and frty thousand letters franked by
,,-,bsrts who were members OF the House OF Com
,,ors sn8 who used their franks for the purposes
!. .beir mercantile business. Q; course. in those
ssvs q frank vas a sun greater consideration than
:, = to-day as cheap postage had not vet heen in
,roduced In 1870. however, when, through the
seo-ts Of sir Rowland Hin, the penny postage was
stabshed the fUsnking privileges OF peers, OF
Parliamentary prelates and Of members or the
Eso,sa n. Commons were abolished. and the only
,,s-. rhat nov pass throUFh the British postofioe
,,s+a-ped are those the envelopes OF which bear a
-srss irtinnstion that they being sent 'on His
1fs,estv's Service These envelopes are required 10
m <rsrlzed additionally with the signature or stamp
~ The responsible head Of the government depart
wen, bv which they are sent Letters 10 and from
-be King ana Queen likewise pass free Of charge
IS does the correspondence which Is dispatched IN
tbeir personal service in no Legislature on the
Ointment of Europe DO members enjoy franking
nr1,ileres although iu the cases Of some the Par
lament pays for the postage OF The mal matter dis
PATCHED by members from the House.
Let me add IN conclusion that the franklng privi-
,sse was in its origin, both IN England and on
The Contirert restricted the mobiles. II is there
fore essentially aristocratic class privilege. In
me sense that il shared by those who do not
belong 10 tho ruling caste.