The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-02
AN INFAMOUS MEASURE,

nave investigated it as one Of the most
INFAMOUS measures ever presented to a
Legislative body is the so-called Loud
Dill now pending before congress. Osten-
sloly II Is aimed at book serials, but it's
hidden purpose is the virtual suppression
or country newspapers and the building up
OF metropolitan daily newspaper trust
Briefly. to the publishers of a country
newspaper 1t means that heavy postage
shall be paid on every sample copy sent out
to increase subscription list, and on every
newspaper sent out to secure advertising,
and on every copy sent to a friend, and on
every copy sent to delinquent subscribers.
The main points against the bill are sum-
married. as follows:
This bill is so peculiarly drawn that
its true purpose and effect do not appear
to the casual reader, and l believe that the
majority or newspaper publishers do not
and will not realize the great danger to
their interests which turks in certain pro-
visions of the bill until as was the case
with me- their attention Is sharply called
to the matter.
Il assumed that because a majority OF
the members of the American Newspapers
Publishing association, numbering all told
1872 of the great metropolitan dailies had
Endorsed the bill that it was all right.
But on investigation 1 find that while it is
In the interests of these few great papers
which are continually reaching out in
competition with and extending their cir
culation to the detriment Of the local and
smaller papers, it is intolerably oppressive
to the smaller papers.
"Many of these papers publish the same
kind OF stories as a supplement to their
Sunday editions as the book serials, but
they have not yet asked that their own
novelties pay cents per pound postage
1.-THE Objectionable features are as fol-
lows:
list. The bill requires every publisher to
sort and tie up in bundles his entire issue
| by states. cities, towns and counties, in his
own office, and put it up in United States
! mail sacks before delivering it at the post
office. This practically requires every pub
| Usher to set up and run miniature post
Office in his establishment. You can
easily judge how troublesome and expen-
| sive this would be.
ed. The bill restricts the pound rates Of
one cent to copies sent to legitimate sub
| scribers who voluntarily order and pay for
the same and expressly excluding sample
copies. The effect of this provision is not
! only to cut off all sample copies from the
pound rate, but also to cut off all ex-
| changes and all papers sent to credit SUBJ
| scribers; that u.s. to subscribers who are not
| strictly paid up to or In advance of the date
| Of issue.
"By excluding sample copies, exchanges
and papers sent to subscribers in arrears
| on their subscriptions it subjects all these
| to the third-class rates of one cent for
| every four ounces Bear In mind, this does
not mean four cents a pound. but means
| that you must stick q One-cent stamp on
each and every paper If weighing less than
| four ounces and if 1t tip the scales at
four ounces you must put on tWo-cent
stamp, and so on for each four ounces or
fraction over you must put on a one-cent
stamp. Just think how expensive this
would be and what a lot Of trouble to
| stamp each and every paper sent out as
a. sample copy exchange or to q credit
,hSoy I-1I n
your exchanges alone to say nothing OF
sample copies and credit subscribers? Also
| think Of the nuisance of having postott1ce
inspector periodically looking over our sub
scription lists and comparing them with
our cash book and ledger to see II we have
stamped all the papers we ought to under
penalty Of having our paper refused the
privilege of second-class rates altogether.
"You cannot send a marked or cOmpli-
mentary copy or sample copy without az
fixing cent postage stamp on each single
copy. 1t totally prohibits the sending out
Of any copies Of special or holiday numbers
under pound rates excepting to paid SUBJ
scribers.
NEARLY every publisher depends largely
upon sample copies to increase his circula-
ton and to secure out-Of-town advertisers.
The new law will raise the cost OF mailing
these from one cent per pound to one cent
per copy-an increase of about nine hum
dred per cent"
We clip the foregoing from one OF our
exchanges and again call the attention
of our readers to what we consider the
darkest and most threatening cloud IN
the political sky of today. We are fully
convinced that very few of our seventy
millions of people ever suspect that IN
congress a crime is about to be perpe-
trated that pales into inslgnifcance the
now generally recognized crime OF 1873.
Millions of Americans sincerely believe
that old John Sherman, Of Ohio, Is re-
sponsible for ninety per cent Of the crime
pepetrated for money, the insanity, the
suicides and the murders in this country
since 1880 and that could justice reach
him. long ago he would have been hang
ed by the hands of a mob. Six million
independent voters stand overaWed,
cowed, Inundated, appalled, at the spec
tacle of this same John Sherman being
called to the highest seat in the presi-
dents cabinet, and race of cringing,
covering slaves fall back as he frequent
ly passes through their midst from his
home in Ohio to the nations capital.
Were his crime the ravishment Of some
girl he would be lynched or riddled with
bullets before he reached one hundred
miles from home. But the suicides OF
discouraged financial wrecks. the MUIR
ders prepetrated by the offspring of
greeds oppression, the divorces among
the distressed poor, the separation OF
families under the perpetual robbery OF
the gold standard, all these are forgotten
by the masses, who, with
spirit akin to senatorial cour-
tesy stand aghast before his
highness terrified in the presence OF mil
lions of their property cunningly stolen
from them. Think of farmer allowing
cattle thief to drive away half his
herd without protest. Think OF cat
tie thief who would have the nerve to
attempt it and again return to the same
community. Where are Ohio's John
Browns? Where is Ohio's patriotic man
hood, when John Sherman traverses her
territory and terrifies her men?
And now comes Congressman Loud
from the land of the forty miners and
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