The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-20
n THE HANDS
OF The PRESS GANG
Continued From FIRST Page.


lar in their ANNALS, hence will talk shop
principally. tt
The social being the more important phase
of our organization, the annual addresses
to the contrary notwithstanding, this feature
Will receive some consideration even If con-
ventional usage is departed from.
This years excursion to the Pan American
exposition, Niagara Falls and Toronto, proved
a most enjoyable occasion to all participants.
The number who made up the delightfully."-
congenial party, was the largest in the his
tory Of the association. nearly $50 persons
being in attendance. All details were, thanks
to the executive committee, most admirably
arranged; butte the fact that each and every
person in the party constituted themselves q
committee OF one to insure the complete social
success of the outing. was principally due the
pleasure and enjoyability which made Of the
occasion one of the most pleasant events
in the history Of this organization.
In connection with last years excursion,
would state, that for the second time within
two years, We were indebted to the Grand
Trunk railway for courtesies, and what was
| unusual in the history of this, OF any other
editorial association was, that the second trip
over this splendid system was made at the
| solicitation OF this company, they being great
ly pleased at the generous and general recog-,
milton and acknowledgement, not only OF the
members of the association participating in
the first excursion over this route, but of
that of the press of the state at large There
| is this to be said right here. that no other
association can secure more liberal or bet
ter treatment from the railroad and steam
,, ship lines than can this, and for the very
! reason that we honorably repay all afavors,
and it is because the membership of these ex-
cursion parties is composed Of legitimate
members Of the newspaper fraternity of this
state. The insistance of the officers of the
o{otio hat in he. ctr f1y
fined to bona f1de editors and members Of
their families, is a correct one for by such
means only can the confidence Of the trans
portation companies be retained.
AS to this years excursion your commit
teee has, already laid plans for splendid
trip. The arrangements are, Of course, not
completed, although all preliminaries have
to arrogate undue authority in the premises
or bind or pledge the association until their
action has first been sanctioned and approved
In this connection would state on behalf
of the committee, that they have been very
reluctant to plan so far ahead, their terms
OF office expiring with mine at this session,
yet it was important to make initial arrange
ments SO far in advance in order to secure
such privileges as of necessity, had to be
obtained Our association has a very large
and constantly increasing membership, and
the number who participate In our annual
outings Is growing apace, hence 1t is neces-
sary that early action be had as the con-
yenience OF those from whom transportation
facilities or courtesies are secured or ex
tended, must e conferred and consulted with
In advance Our excursions are Of such mag
nitude that arrangements must be made.
months previous to the date Of the outing.
The chairman Of the executive committee,
or one OF its members, Will outline the pre-
liminary plans for the proposed outing and
submit the matter for your formal considera-
ton. S..'
I would call the attention of every mem
Der of this association to the article to be
published in the special edition Of The, Min
| neapolis Journal Of to-day, and also to be
embodied IN our proceedings. The article re
ferred to is compiled and condensed from the
| report of Hon Edwin c. Madden, third
sistant postmaster general, and relates to the
abuses which have arisen in second-class
postal matter. The subject is one Of vital
concern to the legitimate press of the coun-
| try, the action Of the department in seeking
to correct these abuses is entirely right and
proper and in the best interests of the legiti-
mate press of the country.
f. Let me quote from letter received by me
| from member of congress on this subject
His statements are facts, substantiated by the
| records and statistics of the department, and
are in brief as follows: 1.-THE postal service
OF the United States has never paid expenses
There has always been, and probably always
will be deficit. The public does not COM
plain about this 1t Is the peoples service,
and nothing but the most modern and most
convenient will satisfy them. They right
fully demand the very best that can be had
regardless of whether it pays expenses ,or
not; but there is one rule that should be
rigidly followed in regard to the postal serv-
ice and every other service performed by
the government, and that u.s. that every one
| that receives benefit from the same should
pay proportionate price therefor; but this
rule is most VIGOROUSLY disregarded in the
administration of the postofice department:
but it is but just for me to add that the law
authorizes and compels such violation, and
the postoff1ce officials have always protested
against It.
First, third and fourth class matter pays
a handsome surplus into the treasury of the
government. Second-class matter not only
absorbs all the surplus revenue derived from
the other classes, but leaves large deficit
each year; and it is even more Improbable
to carry fPanked stuff than second-class mat
ter. 1t is also notorious fact that the gov
eminent pays the railroads more for carry
ing the mails than thsy receive for similar
services from any one 1lse.
In my Judgment the postage on second-class
matter ought to be doubled. More rigid
rules ought to be adopted defining what
newspaper, magazine or periodical is
Everything that is now printed, except books
and single issues of pamphlets, goes as Sec
ond-class matter. very large portion of
this is detrimental instead of beneficial to the
public. No one objects to- legitimate news
papers and magazines enjoying low rate Of
postage. Two cents an ounce is lower than
any other country in the world affords. The
provisions allowing local papers to circulate
in the county in which they are published
free Of charge is all right. Country papers
have accomplished more in raising the stand
ard of intelligence in this nation than any
other institution, excepting only the common
schools.
The dissemination of news and information
is laudahle object. But why should a
| farmer or, business man pay So cents for send
Ing a pound Of letters through the mails, 16
cents for pound Of merchandise, and book
dealer to be charged cents for pound Of
Bibles he mails to Sunday school superin-
tendent, while some snide concerns are per-
mitted to send pound OF yellow covered
romance detailing the adventures Of Roaring
RUDE the Ringtailed Shorter of the Rockies
because 1t is numbered no. and dubbed 1.-THE
Indispensable Library and next month the
| same publisher will issue another volume of
| the same kind adm number 1t I'll" I don't
see how a man can justify himself for charg-
! ing a neighbour So for hauling atom of pork,
| If he only charged another neighbor 81 for
I hauling ton of manure the same distance
over the same read. 1 have figured on this
| problem good deal, but have had to give it,
up. No reasonable explanation can ybe given
| why the government charges eight times as
much for carrying pound of school books
| through the mails as they do a pound of
| yellow-coyered novels. -
There is no question but that the ranking
/ privilege is greatly abused, and that it should
be sent through the mails free, but it should
reports and "off1cial" correspondence should
be nest through the mails free. but it should