The silver star., 1898-02-03

ar Louh DiiI. undfr ts prov sions no
complete bools will he entitled to pass
through the mails az mt per pound. All
sifh m, at lie postpaid at tho rate Of cents
per rounH, When We note rho vast amnrn'
ofgood rradiDg-standard works OF history,
science, travel. biasrapRy, iiction-in fnct. all
| classes OF literature. whi,h is 10 be had for u
mere trifie from the bookstore, it is what a
boon cheap Ieading is to he co,nino people.
II is not SO many ears ago that good books
were so 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 couditpn hrs been
brought about and encouraged ~ the wise
provisions OF the former postal laws which
| made the rates of ppsa9e low 10 stirnulata
the edtcation OF the masses. The passage Of
the Loud Bill will undoub cdly cause lar q
increase In the price of books and the people
will be The sufferers
The Postal Dcpartm. mt has never been SELF
sustaining r at was not the principle upon
which 1t has b., n br NRht t. Its present .afe
OF efficiency. Its greatest Office il b faci taie
BUSHES and educate the people. Low Iosts |
rates were made for that purpose, and now,
Mt the dawn OF the Tgentle;li C. n'ury, TO eL-
act sLcii u mea asu.e as would discriminate AZ
gainst IA certain class Of pu. lieatiens, AMI
that class of grca, benefit tn the people,
would be the first step toward i; relapse into
| bar. ,arism.
II MIR. Loud honestly wishes to bring the
Postal Department to point where receipts
VIII equal tho expenses, here is \ way o do IL
without legiSlating againsl useful ella. II
pubiications, or hedging publisher In ), i1h q,
complicated law. which may be interpret ID TO
| his detrIment nv ,,,,,.,
not be friendly to him, or of the same politi-
| cal faith.
The railroads are charging tIls government
exor hitant sums for the Transportation of
nlails-nuch more than hey charge to the ex-
press cointanies for the same quality of SER
vice. 1t has been estimated that IL the gov
eminent we're to pay the same rate. as the ex :
press companies, saving OF from $40 lO) ulD
10 slo,UOD,Uel per a,iniim would result As the
annual deficit is about ss.0O0OOn, 1t is quite
plaih that such n step as tlis would make The
Department more ssifsustainlng Where tho
express companies pay about cent per pound
to the railroads for hauling their Jack ses.
the government pays 8 cents per pound for
the same service. Here is discrimination vii n
| q vengeance, and a condition OF a!Iairs worthy
| OF Mr.. Louis careful attention.
| These same express companies are cageful
stundenis OF the postal laws. Their rates are
adjusted 81 ns to give the publisher the same
tate as lie can get y mail. or "a little less.
| Where the postal raie Is aents per Iound.
thcy carry pounds for IA cents. Where tie
postal rate IL l cent per pound, then hey
carry the same matter at | cent. These corpo-
nations are not In the hai,it of tiansac ing
business AT IA loss, consequent 1t Is evident
that If they will carry second class matter at |
Il s.v,t, II ,.,l.r ~
to secure the business, the government could
profitably dp the same II fairly dealt with ~
the railroads.
| The effect OF the Loud bill In It's presen
fim cann,t be but detrimental to the nd.
vancemont OF the nation, and the government
of the United states Is not ~ poor that II must
e.onomize by derr!,.nu the poor man of hi.
literary food to put tine money in the ocke,
OF great corporations.
II Mr.. Loud is afraid TO offend the railroad,
by proposing Legislation which will reduce
their dividends. why should he not turn hi.
atten Ion to the abuses 0f tho franking privi.
lege by congressman and senators. They send
numerous quantities Of political tract,
through the mails free OF postage under the
guise of public documents Just before every
important election. These documents are
rarely read, and for all practical purposes are
utterly useless. II the Legislators of one polit
icai faith do this. those Of the opposing party
must do the same for their own protection. A
united movement Of Congress Irrespective Of
party could readily wipe out this abuse. save
the government vast sums. both In the postal
and printing departments. and render II un
necessary to enact class legislation. which
forms nm arbitrary and unjust discrimination
n ainst II portion Of the publishing fraternity
There Is but ono way for the people 10 ex
press their disapprOval OF the proposed meas
ure. Let every man who 10 opposed TO II send
his protest on postal card or by letter to the
congressman who represents his district and
to the senators who represent the State. By
this incthod our law makers will speedily bo.
come cOnvi. ced that their constituents are
opposed To such u system OF false economy
Let every man who objects TO the bill take tiis
method OF expressing his opinion, nj once, and
tho Loud b II will never become u law.