New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-04
LIQUIDS POSTAL BILL.
A COMMITTEES OF PUBLISHERS AND AL
LIED INDUSTRIES IN WASHINGTON.
JOHN ELDERKiN DECLARES 1T WOULD INCREASE
THE DEFICIT OF THE POsTorFicE AND
DAMAGE ALL BUSINESS DEPEND
ENT UPON ADVERTISING
AND PUBLICITY.

ENT UPON ADVERTISING
AND PUBLICITY.
Washington, Jan. "a committee, consisting OF
Orvi.le J. Victor, r. Alfred Vernon and John Elder
kin, representing publishers and others opposed to
the passage OF H. r. A5C6. known the Loud Postal
BILL affecting second-class mai! matter. came TO
Washington last night. and staying at the Hotel
Normandie. A reporter Of THE Tribune called at
the hotel. and saw Mr.. Elderkln OF this committee.
In speaking OF the Loud bill. he said:
Mr.. LIQUIDS bill Is practically bill to limit the use
fulness OF the Postoice and decrease tho business
done in mail orders by publishers and others. IN
order to throw the burden OF free matter upon paid
matter ard thus wipe out The deficiency In the rev.
enue of the postal service This deficiency for 1896 Is
given as sS21.0sS Is. The matter sent free by the
Government Is estimated to be 94,4S0s9 pounds Ac-
cordng to Mr.. Loud the OF handling mail
matter Is eight cents pound. The cost. therefore.
Of handling the Governments mai is sI.55s4l5 H. or
about the same amount the deficiency CT the de-
partment mentioned above In other words. II the
free matter eliminated from the mails the de-
partment would be self-sustaining.
THE mail matter which will be affected by the
Loud Postal bill may be fairly estimated at about
one-ifth of the second-class matter sent through
the Postofice, which would he in round figures Co.
100000 poinds. the whole amount Of second-class
matter exclusive Of free matter for the current fiscal
year ending June So 1896, was Jess than S0VlVo
pounds II the whole OF this C)00).00O pounds OF
seccnd-cass matter sent through the mails and
prepaid at the rate of eight cents pound. II would
yield a revenue 10 the Government OF sfSO.Vn This
IL the outside sum that the Government could pos
siby obtain from the people under fair construc-
ton of this bill. As might be construed by post
office officials one-half Of the periodicals CT the
United States might be excluded as second-cass mail
matter to the ruin OF publishers paper-makers and
al. collateral branches OF business in order that the
Government may send its mail matter free.
no NJ Of about second
class mail matter Is the cheapness OF white paper
and the immense use OF the mails by business men
IN advertising their wares to the country people
This has caused the plethora OF matter in the mails
and thrown an immense burden on the officials ana
employees Ii Is OF the great sources OF the pros
periiy of the country keeping up communication
by letters between every section OF the country and
the commercial centres. and giving the Government
a revenue from letter postage Of over &J.V0'e1 an
nually
Mr. LIQUIDS biz wthdraws the privilege now en-
joyed by publishers OF sending sample copies through
the mail second-class matter As this Is the prn-
cipal means OF starting periodicals. which at the
outset have no paid circulation whatever. and or
keeping I'D the circulation OF all weekly and monthly
periodicals OF the highest class this clause excluding
sample copies would at once tend TO decrease the cir
culation of all this class Of publications II rigi1ly
executed 1t would wipe out nearly all the religious
and trade journals. which circulate free thousands
and valuable informa ton on the two great sources
OF public welfare. the spread OF morality and re-
ligor, and the increasing OF the means OF business
communication and the sales OF merchandise.
Another effect to be accomplished by the enact
meni OF Mr.. LIQUIDS bill Is the exclusion from the
mails of the cheap library serials which have
made the best literature so easily obtainsble 20 the
mass Of the people only in great cities. but every
where all over the country. The cheap monthly
papers which have sprung up under the Jaw as at
present on the statute books, and which furnish
farmers and poor people with good paper for %
cents A year. and which are mainly advertised and
circulated by means OF sample copies sent at the rate
OF second-class mail matter. are also to fall under
the operate OF this law and by their exclusion from
the mails to pass out OF existence.
''Mr Loud says the Government Will save from
sO0oOO0C s2O.oOO,ooo by this onslaught on the
business OF the country. We have shown above tina
if the whole Of this matter paid eight cents pound
II would yield the Government revenue Of only
s4St0UO The mail matter In the form OF 'librarles
of paper books less in quantity by 30 per cent thar
it five years ago, when the modern forms OF
cheap literature were az the height OF their pros
matter. on which such stress is placed by Mr.. Loud
is OWN; to the Increa.e in weight owing to the
age. of all publications. daily, weekly and monthly
marpers Month" for Dcsemoe ls e Weighs oSsI
cation that does not welgG p per cent. % per cent o.
100 per cent NOR" than 1t dd hyN years age Iherf
mem that the Governmen. viii save 100000
by the operation of his bill. II enacted lie
WILL however. by enactlne 1t injure and curtan the
periodical literature of the country limit the ielG
and volume Of Advertising and reduce the whole
business OF the country. and bring bankruptcy and
ruin 10 printers. paper-fnakers. publishers. mer
chants and manufacturers, and at the same time
increase the deficiency OF postal revenues Publish
ing IL mainly carried by means OF conmynIcatioJ
by letter and the oua, for this 10 OF the prime
pal items OF expense in the conduct OF the business
To curtai! 1t Is to strike blow at the principal
source OF the postal revenue.
I'm 1895 il Is estimated that there printed
in American periodicals over ffty-eigh, thousand
millions OF advertisements What return in letter
hostage must accompany such publicity IL Is impos-
sbe to state but that the great revenue derived h.
the Government from letter postage Is traceabe q
this Advertising is absolutely certain ANY inter
ference with II would certainly have an immediate
effect upon the postal revenue to materially diminish
IT,
NO familiar with tho illoglcl preiudicel and
narrow construction Of Postal law by postal officials
can read the provisions Of Mr.. LIQUIDS bill without a
shndder OF apprehension. II this bill should he en-
acted II would increase immensely the lack OF CON
.ho a.