Sunday Washington globe., 1902-02-16
By H. Gaylord wiltshire.

These are two questions that should be of
more than passing moment to every Ameri-
can citizen. They are questions that can
not be answered oif-haud but the following
information is submitted to our readers to
the end that they may draw their own con-
clusious No one in his proper senses ever
thought that the reasons given by Mr.. Mad
den for refusing second-class privileges to
the Challenge, or to WilShire's Magazine,
were sincere or legal Eveu newspapers
and individuals totally out of sympathy
with the views and principles OF these pub
LEGATIONS, have been outspoken in their de-
nunciation Of Mr.. Madden's action in sup
pressing them. However it is safe to say
that no one for a moment suspected that
this action was caused by any other motive
that an unwarranted desire on the part Of
an over-zealous partisan to cripple politi-
cal opposition to the class to which he owed
his position and his allegiance
The following story from the Washington
correspondent of Wfishiye's Magazine,
however, puts the matter in very different
light, and If true, stamps the present ad-
ministration of the post-ofice in the United
States as the most veual aud corrupt of any
department of the National Government
since its inception. Our correspondent
says:
In this war which the Post-office Depart
ment has been making on all publications
which do not bear the imprimitur of the
Republican National Committee, there is a
phase that has not been made public as yet
This secrecy is not due to the fact that all
the particulars Of the disgraceful intrigue
are not well known. On the contra ~,
many Of the most prominent publishers of
the country are, to their sorrow, we'll ac-
quainted with every detail of the plot. But
those who have an inside knowledge of the
affair have also very good reason for keep
ing the matter quiet if they expect to con-
tinue in the publishing business.
In the language Of the stock raiser, there
has been a roundup" of the publishers of
the United States and il is estimated that
upwards of 100000 has been secured,
chiefly from Publishers of New York and
other eastern states, although the middle
west did not entirely escape
How such a ''hOld-up" could be worked
in free" America is not as difficult to
understand as would at first appear The
Post-ofice Department has, whether know
ingly or not, been the principal dependence
Of these journalistic road agents." and
Third Assistant Postmaster General Mad
MNA Aas GOuAAADuAE0 MS lull quota LOWdIQa
making the game successful
The first act in the drama was the famous
letter Of April 3, 1901, issued by Mr.. Mad.
den, TO four hundred Of the leading publish
ers OF the country. In this letter he asked
the opinion of those addressed as to whether
or not a ruling against the use Of bonuses
or premiums TO subscribers would be in
furious to legitimate periodicals. Nothing
seafs~ I.F~ r TO-
veTtising ideas, " or about fraternal and labor
papers accepting outside advertising, the
legality Of a subscription by a friend, and
score Of other points which have since de-
veloped as the exigencies Of the situation
from time to time have called for them.
The circular letter had anything but the ex-
pected effect If Mr.. Madden relied upon
the cupidity Of the big publishers to back
him up in his move to debar the smaller
fry from the privileges Of the second-class
rate he had severe disappointment In
stead a vigorous protest was drawn up and
signed by over a hundred Of the most rep
resentstive Publishing firms In the United
States Prominent newspapers all over the
country denounced the postofice officials
for attempting 20 usurp the functions Of Con-
gIess, and poirl "A d out the menace to the
freedom Of the press that such action con-
stituted
But the protest Of the publishers and the
newspapers alike were in vain. Mr. Mad
den had launched his scheme and with bull
dog tenacity had determined to put it
through. At this point the cinching Of the
publishers began.
They soon began to hear, in a round
about way, that money talks" and that
the only way for them to save their scalps
was 20 consult Young lawyer who had just
opened his Office in Baltimore. While this
attorney was almost wholly unknown in
that city, had no visible means Of support
aud did not practice in the Baltimore courts,
yet the publishers were given the tip that
he was 'it' on postal business.
The game worked. The lawyer received
the anxious publishers with smiles and in
vitations 10 champagne dinners. After din
ner the business" talk would begin, and
the lawyer would open the ball by asking,
How large is your circulation" His fee
would be fixed on the basis Of all the
traffic would bear"
To make a long story short, these pub
fishers who had been steered up against
Baltimore" we're assessed all the way from
$500 10 $1,000 per. One who is on the in
side of the transaction estimates that they
we're held up" to the tune of 100000 in
the aggregate. Many Of the publications
represented investments Of hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars, all of which were en-
dangered by this menace Of Madden's
ruling and the owners were more than
willing to pungle a fee" Of a thousand dol
lars az a kind Of insurance" fund against
trouble.
And it proved to be good insurance, %
for good old Baltimore" Heger LOST a case.
Every body who employed him was re-
tanned among the elect, and his business
continued uadisurbed. On the other hand
most Of those who failed to take the tip
and employ Baltimore found their path