Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1898-01-29
UnprOfitable Economy.
Congressman LIQUIDS Bill 10 Increase
the Rates of Postage.

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 it with a persistent
cy worthy of a better cause.
Mr.. LIQUIDS bill is intended to re-
move the annual deficiency in the Pos
tai Department by charging higher
rate of postage to certain classes OF
publications, and placing restrictions
upon all publishers
Uuder its provisions sample copies
which publishers have heretofore
been entitled to send through the
mails at l cent per pound can only be
sent at cent per copy. This meas
Ilre will undoubtedly decrease the
quantity of mail matter of this ma
| ture, but will it result in d sufficient
gain to the government to warrant
this ourtailing of the publishers
right to increase his circulation, by a
judiCiOuS use of sample copies. eSpeci-
ally when the existing law, if proper
| ly enforced, is sufficiently stringent to
prevent an abuse of the privilege and
the sending OF an excessive quantity
of samples?
There is another, and more import
ant class of reading matter which will
b. seriously affected by Mr.. LOud'S
bill. Under its provisions no com
plete books will be entitled to pass
through the mails at i cent per pound.
| All such must be postpaid at the rate
of cents per pound. When we note
the vast amount of good reading
standard works of history, science,
travel, biography, tictlon-in fact, all
classes of literature, which is to be
had for a mere trif1e from the book
store, it is realized what Il 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
| Drought about and encouraged by the
wise provisions of the former postal
laws which made the rates of postage
! law to stimulate the education of the
shaSSeS. The passage of the Loud bill
will undoubtedly cause Il large in
ere Use in the price of books, and the
people will be the sufferers.
Inc postal department has never
been self sustaining. That was not
the principle upon which it has been
| b ought to its present state of eff
iency. Its greatest office is to facili
tate business and educate the people.
l. ,Nf postal rates were made for that
purpose, and now, at the dawn of the
! Twentieth century, to enact such Il
measure as would discriminate against
a ctrJain class of publications, and
thIt Il class of great benefit to the
people. would be the first step toward
a relapse into barbarlSm.
If Mr. Loud honestly wishes to
bring the postal department to a
point where receipts will equal the
cXpeneS, there is Il way to do it with
out legiSlating against useful class
/ OF publications, or hedging Il publish
err in with Il complicated law, which
may be Interpreted to his detriment
by any postal official who may not be
+ friendlv to him, or of the same politi-
cal faith.
The railroads are charging the gov
ernmeHt eXOrbitant sums for the
transportation of mails-much more
than they charge to the express com
panieS for the same quality of service.
1t has been estimated that if the gov
ernment were to pay the same rate as
the express companies. saving of
Sl0,000.O0O to S1o, 100000 per annum
would result. AS the annual deficit
is about SS,O00,O 900, it is quite plain
that such a step as this would make
the department more than self SuS-
tanning. Where the express compa-
mes pay about l cent per pound to the
RAILROADS for hauling their packages,
the government pays cents per
Iound for the same service. Here is
discrimination with vengeance, and
a condition of affairs worthy OF Mr..
LIQUIDS careful attention
careful students of the postal laws.
Their rates are adjusted so as to give
the publisher the same rate as he can
get by mail, or a little less. Where
the postal rate is 8 cents per pound,
they carry ? pounds for II cents.
Where the POSTAL rate is l cent per
pound, then they carry the same mat
ter at l cent. These corporations are
not in the habit of transacting BUSH
ness at loss, consequently, it is evil
dent that il they will carry second
class matter at i cent per pound when
they are forced to do SO to secure the
business, the government could profit
ably do the same if fairly dealt with
by the railroads.
I The effect of the Loud bill in its
present form cannot but be detrimen-
tai to the advancement of the nation,
and the government of the United
States is not so poor that it must
economic by depriving the poor man
of his literary food to put the money
in the pockets of the great corpora
tionS.
If Mr.. Loud is afraid to offend the
railroad by proposing legislation
wIich will REFUGE their dividends.
why should he not turn lis attention