The record-union., 1896-03-14
OF INTEREST TO NEWSPAPERS
AND PEOPLE.

Elsewhere we print the full text of a
bill introduced in the House of Repre-
sentatives by Mr.. Loud of California,
and approved by his Committee on
Postomces, which so vitality affects the
interests of newspaper publishers, and
likewise of readers generally, that their
attention is invited to it's full reading.
If the measure passes and becomes a
law blow will have been dealt news
paper interests that will seriously Grip
pie them along the whole line and in
volve some of the best interests of all
the people.
Under the present postal laws news
papers regularly published and other
bona fide regularly issued journals are
sent through the mails at the pound
rate and are classified as second class
matter. That is to say, instead of
stamping with a postage stamp each
and every paper, the publisher is per
mitted to mail the packages in one bulk,
the total deposit being weighed and
charged at the rate of one cent a pound.
1t is to state a simple truth to say that
so far as newspapers are concerned
this has worked no injury to the Gov
ernment, but has greatly conserved the
interests of the people to whom the
publication of each days news is as es-
sential as the bread of life.
TTo5o,, +l,o Il o,.J hill M Y,aai1 off this
character must include other than pa
pers actually and voluntarily sub
scribed for. A sample copy asked for
by one contemp1a ting subscription is
expressly excluded from the mails as
second-class Yet it cannot possibly
make any difference to the Government
so long as the rate is paid, whether
| the paper addressed to John Smith"
is actually paid for or subscribed for,
or is sent to him as a sample copy, or
forwarded as one of an edition ordered
legitimately by an association or law
full interest to be sent to the people for
the PRONUNCIATION of a truth, or the
wide circulation of matter of interest
to the people.
1t is now permissible for news agents
| to receive newspapers from the pub
fishers at the pound rate and return un-
sold copies, or parts of them, such as
headlines, as evidence of non-sale. But
this return" system is expressly pro-
scribed by the Loud bill, though it is
impossible to perceive why the carriage
of the paper one way is to be distin-
guished from its carriage the reverse
way, so long as the postage is paid
both ways.
The bill expressly prohibits the send
ing of a newspaper by the publisher at
second-class rates at the request of a
purchaser. That is to say, if "a. B.
wishes to have forwarded to his friends
at the East a California newspaper he
must buy it, wrap and stamp it and
mail it as an independent deposit and al
the highest newspaper postage rate
Take an instance at hand. The Sunday
school Convention is about to assemble
| in this city. The proceedings will be OF
interest to tens of thousands of people
who cannot attend. Under the Loud
bill neither members Of that convention
nor the convention itself. can direct the
newspapers containing reports of the
proceedings to be mailed from the news
paper offices to the convention member.
| shin throughout the United States, a.
nav now be done. Why this inhibition
1 is provided it is not possible to ac-
count for, except upon the theory thaf
the purpose is to estop. so far as may
be. the passage of newspapers through
the mails, under the plea that it is un
profitable carriage, and obliyious to th'
/ fact that the postal system was no
/ established as a means to profit or {
source of revenue, but as a great public
i convenience, indeed, public necessity
| the cost of maintenance of which il
| Justly divisible among all the people
so far as the cost exceeds the income.
That the intention originally was tt
shut out the newspapers wholly from
second-cIass rates was proved in ou
| article earlier this week, where tn
proposition Of a committee of the Ma
tional Board of Trade was set forth
in which it was demanded that th'
pound rate provision be wholly repealed
But this was SO raw and met with sucl
universal condemnation that the com
mittee was compelled to withdraw
and concede the recognition of second
class matter rates for newspapers.
The Loud bill flies in the face of am
afronts the accepted doctrine that tn