The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-17
KANSAS COAAENT
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.

IdE THANKING PRIVILEGE.
The annual report OF the postmas-
ter general tells of deficit in the post
ofrice department Of about S17,0O0,oO0,
The expenditures of the year were $685.
100000, the receipts $191, 100000 For the
fiscal year ending with July next a like
deficit is expected
Inc third assistant postmaster gen.
erals IN his annual report, shows that
departmental penalty matter and that
sent under congressional frank cost the
government over $12, $4,000. At first
thought that outlay seems enormous,
particularly when it is compared with
the statement of total receipts and eX-
pendltures of the postoffice department.
Ihe ranking privilege has been cr1ti-
cisco freely ever since it came into use.
1t Is often the case that questionable
use or 1t by members of congress has
aroused fresh opposition. 1t is start
ing, at least, to find an outlay for free
transmission through the United States
mails aggrega1ng an amount equal to
more than one-f1fth of the total ex-
penditures of the postofice department
1t might be a good thing If some in
quiry were made to discover what
abuses, if any, exist
The report on ranked mail is &C
companied by a statement of outlay OF
$57 ,000, 900 for uncOmpenSated service In
the handling and transporting of second
class matter of publishers of newspa-
pers and periodicals. The rate on such
matter is low because 1t is counted of
distinct value to the people. The same
thing is true of tons of mail sent out
from Washington. The distribution
through the department of agriculture
for example, must be heavy. But the
educational value to the country at
large of the reports and documents
given wide circulation is undoubted.
The probability is that the investi-
cation of abuses would yield little.
There may be some congressman who
II TIt larR-
er part of the outlays, considered from
the standpoint of the diffusion of know
ledge among the people, would be re-
garded as Observation-Disclosures News.
EQUALIZATION OF OPPORTUNITY.
A proposition will come before the
incoming Kansas legislature to author
ize the superintendent of public in
struction and the state school fund
commissioners to aid country school
districts which are themselves too poor
to maintain instruction for more than
three or four months in the year. We
do not know, definitely, what the plan
is, but on general principles We hope
that some such action will be taken.
The biggest thing in any state is the
child-the little tot beginning to go to
school, Nothing in the state, or the
purpose of the state, can be a sub
ject of more and better attention. They
are the future men and women or the
state, and they Will increase Its tame
or diminish it's influence in the nation.
adm before the world, in proportion as
they are formed and fitted for the
duties and obligations of citizenship.
Each generation is responsible for
the succeeding generation, and the
people of this day are obliged to take
care of those who will follow them.
Kansas does notsowe one of her chill
dren more than she owes to another.
She cannot, in Justice. give one child
a
other a three months term. She must
give them equal opportunity in all
fairness. Where one district is poorer
than another the state should equalize
them from the school fund, which is
now, and has been for years, teeming
with prosperity This is how the equal
ity of opportunity ought to be brought
about ssHe
1t is to be hoped that the legislature
will not neglect the matter. 1t is i'm
portant and, above all, it is right
Wichita EAGLE.