The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-01

PAPERS ON CREDIT
Bogus Report Of Postoffice Depart
ment Ruling. Il
PuNCTUREs IT MORE
New Postmaster General Is Not One
Who Can BE Misled
Easily. .&

From, The Journal B,ersa,s, Room, <5, Post
B"tIdtn0. Warrington. IS,
Washington, Jan. 1.-Referring to the
letters which he has been receiving rela-
tive to an alleged ruling of the post
Office department which was said to deny
second class rates to all publications
which extend any credit to their SUBJ
scribers, Representative McCleary said
to-day: ~
The tempest in a teapot recently stirred up
by the circular which the National Publish
ers' bureau. so-called. sent broadcast over
the country, illustrates again the wisdom
OF being slow to believe as true that which
ought not to be true. The circular was in
tended to alarm legitimate publishers, and it
naturally had that effect. OF course, no such
ruling has been made. The truth is now
becoming generally known, and the animus
of the attack is coming to be understood.
Time is the best friend of turth, and the
tempest is already subsidng. I was pleased
to note that even when the tempest first
broke out and was in it's greatest fury, some
of my correspondents were cool and level
headed One of them put the matter very
happily in this way:
The department is engaged in correcting an
undoubted evil. The methods of beating the
treasury which it has to meet in this con-
test are contrved with great cunning, so as
to simulate the practices of legitimate pub
fishers The task of enforcing the law and
wedding out those who, to the detriment OF
honest publishers, are misusing the second
class privileges, is therefore a very difficult
one. But l have confidence that men of
high character like those at the head of our
postof1ce department will perform their
sworn duty with intelligence and integrity.
have no fear that we who are, engaged In
conducting a legitimate business in a legiti-
mate way will be otherwise than benefited by
the reform which the department is carrying
on. -, 8 ,''st.,.rE-
My correspondent is entirely correct in his
belief. Third Assistant Postmaster General
Madden, who has immediate control of this
matter, is a man of eminent good sense and
unquestoned integrity. He is handling this
difficult problem with great judgment and dis
erection. But the endeavor to misrepresent
him and his work will no doubt be renewed
from time to time. There is evidence that
those instigating the attack are hoping to
take advantage Of the fact that a new post
master general will be installed in the
department. But they will find that in at
tempting to mislead Henry G. Payne they are
undertaking very difficult task. They will
continue the fight against General Madden.
But he is a man of courage and will not be
deferred by any attacks that may be made
upon him from performing unWayeringly his
sworn duty. And he should have the un-
hinching support of all good citizens, especial
ly tnat OIL all leSlClIldle puUllSuelo, NHoSe DaI
tie he is incidentally fighting against unfair
competition, while he is protecting the treas
ury of the country from the raids of men who
have grown rich through grossly misusing the
privilege as to second-class rates.
Good-by to Shaw's Ambition.
1t is exceedingly probable that the COM
ing into the cabinet of Governor Shaw OF
Iowa will put an effective quletus on taaS
gentleman's ambition to be president.
He could not hold cabinet place and at
the same time seek a nomination over the
head of the president. This matter was
probably definitely understood at the time
Shaw accepted the treasury portfolio.
The successor to Secretary Hitchcock
will undoubtedly be a western man, be-
cause the interior department questions
are almost entirely of a western charac-
ter There are no important public land
Indian, irrigation, timber or mineral
problems in the east. That section dis
posed of these matters long ago. In the
west, however, especially since the rapid
growth Of a few years ago began, they are
the most important matters with when
the government has to deal, and it is,
therefore, important that western man,
thoroughly and intelligently in touch with
them, should be at the head of the inte-
rior department.
PENNSYLVANIA politicians deny with en-
phasis that Senator Quay is contemplate
ing resigning from the senate and retir-
ing to private life His health is not good,
and according to custom of long stand
ing, he has gone to Florida for the win
ter months; but it is said that he is in
better physical condition now than for
years, and that on his return to Wash
ington in March or early April he will be
prepared to take hold of senatorial work
with his old-time vigor.
To-day new divorce law goes into
effect in the District of Columbia, and
divorces will be granted only for the
law at the last session, but deferred it's
going into effect so that the public might
have an abundance of time in which to
prepare for it. During the past month the
courts have been very busy, receiving di-
vorce suits, brought under the old law
and in one day last week fifteen suits were
brought, The daily average for the past
| ten days has been about ten suits.
| There are reasons for believing that the
| administration is rather favorable to the
| government ownership or control of tele-
| graphs, and will indorse the bill which
| will come up shortly after the holiday
recess 1t is said that the administration
| regards the telegraph as necessary and
natural adjunct to the postal service, anC
! also regards it as source Of revenue
| under government control or ownership
| Some claims are also made that the serv-
| ice will be improved under government
| direction and rates lowered.
| w. W. Jermane.