The Portland daily press., 1898-01-28
CONDEMNED LOUD BILL.
Action Of the Maine Press Associa-
tiOn Yesterday.
LIVELY DEBATE OVER A MATTER
PENDING in CONGRESS.

Resolution Which Is Adopted by Vote
of IL to 5-Publisher vickery of An
eusta Talks-Dusiness Topics Dis
cussed.
| The Maine Press Association spent the
greater part of it's forenoon session yester-
day, in discussing the Loud bill, which is
now pending in Congress. A majority
of the Portland members present were
opposed to condemning the bill as
whole, but the out of town members
were united in the sentiment that the
present postal laws are good enough, and
that passage of the Loud bill would
seriously injure newspaper publishers
throughout the country. A resolution
eInbodying this sentiment was adopted.
The meeting was called to order by
President Clarence B. Burleigh at 20
O'Clock, and after the roll call he an
nounced his appointment of standing
committees, as follows:
On advertising, Oscar R. Wish of Port
land, Walter d. Stinson of Augusta,
Charles L. Libby of Portland; job print
ing, Frederic l.. Tower of Portland,
Charles B. Haskell of Pittsfeld. Albert
W. Case of Augusta; summer excur-
sion, Henry G.. Prince, of Waterville,
Ernest W. Morrell OF Gardiner, Arthur
W. Laughlin of Portland; membership,
Joseph Wood of Portland, Albert G.
Shorey of Brunswick, Byron A Mead of
Auugsta; neurology, Joseph o. Smith of
Skowhegan, Walter A. Newcomb of Au-
gusta, Jesse Fl. Ogier of Damarisootta.
The following applicants for member
ship were voted In: Fred W. Pickkard,
Portland Transcript; Charles E. Will
liams, Portland; Fred W. Sanborn, Nor.
way Advertiser; Novello Crafts, Port
land; Liston P. Evans, Observer, Dover;
Orrin ]. Dickey, Recruit, Belfast.
The question Of where to go on the
next summer excursion was discussed at
some length. and finally decided in favor
of Halifax. G. W. Robbins of Oldtown,
Henry G. Prince of Waterville, and NJ.
N. Rioh Of Portland, were appointed a
special committee to arrange for the ex-
cursion.
| The Loud bill discussion was then sset
in motion by Mr.. Hunter, of the Far
mington Chronicle who offered the fol-
lowing resolution: Resolved, That the
Maine Press Association joins with SINH
lar associations in other parts OF the
country, in disappearing the so-called
Loud bill now pending in Congress, be-
| lieving that, in its present draft, this
measure is subversIve of the interests of
pouepapar MI hi, ch ORG a nd in, r,ocac upo,,
them unjust and inequitable burdens"
Mr.. Wish, of Portland, doubted If the
Association was sufficiently acquainted
with the provisions of the Loud bill to
intelligently vote on the resolution. 1t
had been sugg ested Wednesday that the
bill be read at this meeting. and he called
for reading of the bill.
Mr.. Libby, at the request of the meet
ing, read the full text of the Loud bill
When he came to the clause prohibiting
the mailing at second class rates of all
papers except those Voluntarily subscribed
and paid for, MIR. Libby expressed the
opinion that this could not be interpreted
as meaning that the papers must be paid
for in advance in order to be entitled to
transmission at second class rates.
Mr.. Hunter said he had been informed
that Mr.. Loud's own words indorse the
Interpretation which Mr. Libby ques-
tions; that if the bill goes into effect all
newspaper subscriptions must be psid
for in advance, and when they expire
the papers must be stopped, or sent to the
publishers own risk and at regular post
age rates. Mr.. Hunter said the bill if
enacted and strictly enforced, would vir-
tually kill off seven-eighths of the coun-
try newspapers.
MIR. Laughlin, OF Portland, said that
under the present law publishers cannot
collect pay for papers sent after the expi-
ration of u subscription, If the subscriber
refuses to take it from the postcffce. He
believes that much of the criticism of the
Loud bill is un warranted.
P. 0. Vickery, the Augusta publisher.
! expressed objection to that provision of
| the bill which makes it obligatory for
publishers to sort all the mail in their
offices. He also condemned che clause
prohibiting the sending out of sample
copies at pound rates. Neither of these
provisions will materially affect our
business in Augusta said he. "We
have 10000 bona flde subscribers to