The evening times., 1896-12-22
LoUb's POSTAL BILL.
John ElderkiB- Declares It Would
Affect PAPER Making. -


John EIderkin, Of the New York Ledger,
is at the Hotel Normandie. Mr.. Elderkin
is one of the committee representing pub
fishers of periodicals and allied industries
| opposed to the passage OF H. X. 1855,
known as the LOnd postal bill affecting
second class mail matter. To Times re-
porter, who called on Mr.. Elderkin this
morning, he said: .-,.- ID
Mr.. LouTs bill would affect disas-
trously the whole paper ma king industry
of New England, New York and Pennsyl-
vania, which is just recovering from a
period of stagnation OF trade, and which
but recently agreed upon reduced scale
of production. ''''f
1t would tend-to decrease the circula-
ton of all weekly and monthly periodicals
of the best class, 1s well as thccircalationo Of
all religious JOURNALS, which are. adver-
tised chiefly by means OF sample copies
sent through thesnai,s. Hrigidiy executed
it would wipe out nearly all the trade jour
mails, which carry on their subscription
lists the names of. and. circulate free thou
sands OF copies To, advertisers. and which
constitute medidrhs of Information and
business exchanges for all the great in
dustries of the c5jantry.
Dut tIt bIoW VI dh Nouiu bt
that which it would deal to the nIanufac-
ture and distribution Of cheap literature
in the form of paper books or libra ries.
by which all the best popular works OF
fiction and science, which for twenty-five
years have been distributed broadcast in
tie humble homes of the farmer and artisan
u over the land.
Mr.. Loud says the government would
save between ten and twenty millions of
dollars by this onslaught on the busin. S. OF
the country. This statement il iusta wide
Sf the remark ms his companion statement
in his report on he bill, that the business
OF the Postoffice could be done by private
individuals for 100000 900 less than 1t
costs the government There is no justifica-
tion whatever for the statement that the
government will save $4,000 600 by the
operation OF this bill If enacted. The mall
matter in the form OF libraries OF paper
books affected is less in quantity by so
per cent than il was five years ago, when
the m odcrn forms of cheap literature were
at the heighth of their prosperity and cir
cuiation. This class of publications aimed
at in the bill is of less importance today
than IL was ten years ago.
The gruwth Of second-cIass matter, or
which such stress is placed by Mr. Loud, is
owing To the increase in weight OF nearly
all publications, such the daily as well
as the weekly and monthly press OF the
country. You can scarcely find putlica-
tinn which, III consequence OF the chcapness
of white paper and the growth OF adver-
usmg, Goes not weigh % per cent, 30 per
cent or 100 per cent more than the same
periodicals four or five years ago 1t IL
ridiculous to charge all this increase of bulk
ofmail matterto rewfa ke ne wspapers and
the libraries OF paper books.
Mr.. Loud's hill. by destroying and cur
failing the circulation OF the periodical
press OF the country. and limiting the field
and volume OF advertisers, would react
with terrible effect upon the revenue the
government derives from third and fourth
class mail matter. 1t is nrtjmprOSab Bile that
this loss would further cripple the depart
ment by reducing its revenues and causing
a greater deficiency than now exists
This is the belief OF some OF tine best
Informed merchants and publishers OF the
country. and its passage would furnish an
other Illustration OF the fact that the
worst enemies OF the pcstoffiCe are its Off
cials. and the worst enemies OF business
are those Legislators charged with the duty
OF conserving the puhlic interests, whothink
that the revenue derivef from the people is
the principal object OF government"