The Forrest City times., 1898-02-04
; Improbable Economy.

Congressman Loud. of California, has
perennial bill to regulate the rates OF post
age on newspapers aud periodicals, which
Is once more under serious consideration
by the house. This bill has been defeated
at several former sessions OF congress, but
its author still urges 1t with persstency
worthy OF a better cause.
Mr.. LIQUIDS bill Is intended to remove
the annual deficiency in the Postal depart
ment by charging higher rate OF postage
TO certain classes Of publications, and
placing restrictions upon all publishers.
Under it's provisions sample copies
which publishers have heretofore been
entitled to send through the mails at
one cent per pound can only be sent
at one cent per copy. This measure
will undoubtedly decrease the quantity OF
mail matter OF this nature, but will IL re-
suit in sufficient gain to the government
to warrant this curtailihg of the publish
er's right to increase his circulation, by a
judicious use OF sample copies. especially
when the existing law. II properly en-
forced. is sufficiently stringent to Prevent
an abuse OF the privilege and the sending
OF an excessive quantity of samples?
There is another, and more important
class Of reading matter which will bc Sc
riously affected by Mr.. LIQUIDS bill.
Under its provisions no complete books
will be entitled to pass through the mails
at one cent per pound, All such must be
postpaid ut the rate OF eight cents per
pound. When we note the vast amount
of good reading-standard works OF his.
tory, science, travel, biography. fiction
in fact all classes of literature. which is to
be had for mere trifie from the book
store. it is realized what q boon cheap
reading is to the common people. 1t Is
not so many years ago that good books
were 50 high in price that they were
rarely found except in the homes Of the
wealthy and In public libraries. TO day
every home. no matter how humble, can
have its little library of good books. This
condition has been brought about and en-
cOuraged by the wise provisions Of the
IOTuleI pOotai idWS WHICH Hdut the rates
of postage low to stimulate the education
OF the masses. The passage OF the Loud
bill will undoubtedly cause large in
crease in the price OF books; and the peo-
Pile will be the sufferers
The Postal department has never been
self-sustaining. That was not the princ-
pie upon which IL has been brought 10 its
present state Of efficiency. Its greatest
Office is to facilitate business and educate
the people. Low postal rates were made
for that purpose. and now. at the dawn Of
the twentieth century, to enact such a
measure as would discriminate against a
certain class of publications, and that a
class of great benefit to the people, would
be the first step toward relapse into bar
barism.
There is but one way for the people to
express their disapproyal OF the proposed
measure. Let every man who is opposed
to it send in his protest on postal card or
by letter to the congressman who repre-
sents his district and to the senators who
represent the state. By this method our
law makers will speedily become con-
WINGED that their constituents are opposed
to such a system of false economy. Let
every man who objects TO the bill take
this method OF expressing his op Mon. at
once, and the Loud bill will never becom.
a law.