The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-08-07
BY RoDERIck CLIFFORD,

"~0e"sSb\ SnOs
Washington, Aug. 6.-The fact that
the Democratic and Republican Con.
gressional committees are trying to
Guido each other in the matter OF
sending out campaign documents and
speeches under frank, have given rise
to q story that Congress be asked to
provide q special stamp for ranking
purposes.
The use of special stamp. such
as the trustees Of the postal savings
bank have adopted in order to keep
their record of cost Of the mail relat-
ing to the postal banks. would en-
able the postmaster general to inform
congress just how much thine privi-
lege Of Thanking official letters actual.
ly costs Uncle Sam. 1t has not been
many years since senators and mem
bers paid postage on letters written
to constituents and others who asked
for information.
The postage bill Of some of the ma
tional lawmakers, it is asserted, often
0AAOuAlC0 " HUI tudu OuS uuuuI GU
dollars q month each. This drain on
the Congressional income was cut off
by the passage Of q bill allowing mem
bers Of Congress to frank all letters
written on official business. Official
business was construed to mean a
letter from any one asking informa-
ton about matters before Congress,
or the departments, direct or remote.
AS may well be imagined. the Con-
gressional mail since the adoption OF
the personal ranking privilege, has
steadily increased.
A special stamp in stead of the
printed inscription, official business %
would enable the Postoffice eDpart-
ment to tell at gNnce just about
how many thousands of dollars it
costs the government to carry the
Congressional mail. 1t IS believed the
effect of such legislation would check
the well known abuse of the Thanking
privilege, and, in the end. act as an
economy lever. It is said that this is
only one of the reforms the Postoffice
Department has in view.
It has not been many years since
the ChautauQua circuit opened a new
field to the lecturer. At the begin
ming, there were many 20 predict fail
ure, but the enthusiasts behind the
movement never lost courage, and to-
day the best speakers and lecturers
in the country are to be heard at the
Chautauqua circuit. Some Of the
most prominent members Of the House
and Senate are great drawing cards.
and much Of their spare time is TAX
en- up on the circuit. Among the best
known OF the national lawmakers
who have made regulations that bring
in good incomes are Congressman
Champ Clark. Of Missouri and Hob
son, OF Alabama. and Senators Dolli.
yer and Cummings, OF Iowa. and La
Toilette, Of Wisconsin.
A little while ago. Congressman
Clark, minority leader in the House
when asked to tell some OF his expert
ences on the lecture platform and his
debates with Chautauqua speakers
said:
Newspaper wits make q good many
filings at Chautauqua speakers, but
nevertheless the Chautauqua is great
educational institution. II Is a sort Of
literary camp meeting. The Chautau-
qua is only one feature. but an i'm
portant one. of the lecture business,
which business, barring the Chautau-
qua feature. is . very old one. The
Chautauqua is comparatively now.
Some Of the most prominent public
men America ever produced engaged
In lecturing; among them being Ed
ward w. Everett. Charles Summer.
Wendell Phillips. Schuyler Colfax.
William ]. Bryan, Richard Hobson,
Senators LaFollette, Dolliver, Tillman.
Summins, Bristow. and othere. Col.
Robert G. Ingerson was q famous lee
turer.
There Is one thing about lecture
Of ChautauQua money-it is clean mo.