The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-02-18
BUREAUCRATS AND POLITICIANS
WOULD CONTROL PUBLICATION
Special Correspondence to The Press

Special Correspondence to The Press
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-The
congressional postal commission
has framed a remarkable bill, under
which all the newspapers and maya
zines of the country would practi-
cally be edited by government Of
ficials.
This remarkable bill purports on
its face to be for the purpose of
classifying second class matter and
its rates of postage. but in effect 1t
arbitrarily declares what the news
papers and magazines shall print
and what they shall not, what pro-
portion of one thing and what of
another. So harassing are the con-
ditions proposed that if the bill
should become law many of the now
most popular and prosperous news
papers and magazines would be
forced either to sacrifice the essen
tial elements of their popularity and
success or else go out of business.
There is in this no eXaggeration
indeed. exaggeration is impos-
sible. The fundamental idea Of the
commissions report is that the de-
velopment, Improvement and eXpan-
sion of newspapers and other peri
odicals is reprehensible and must
be curbed by law.
Almost inendible are the means
proposed to check the unhealthy
exaggeration" of the newspaper.
Thus: No newspaper or part or
section of a newspaper or other
periodical must consist wholly or
substantially of fiction
This provision would kill several
magazines devoted entirely to fic-
ton. 1t would bar fiction supple
ments" from the Sunday papers.
1t is provided tina tho newspaper
or part or section of a newspaper
must have advertising to a greater
extent than so per cent of its su-
perficial area"
This would not only prevent ar
rangement of advertisements into
sections and prevent newspapers at
certain seasons to earn the profits
which go to make daily journals
cheap. but ii would strike a death
blow at the great dailies of large
circulation, attained through high
class matter purchased with adver-
Using income.
Again, Each part or section OF
newspaper must be Of the same
size, form and weight of paper.
What this may mean, except that IL
Illustrated supplements may not be
printed on better paper than the
hurried main sheet is one of the
many mysteries of this strange
measure.
Supplements must contain no adj
vertisements and must be supplied
only to complete matter left I'M
complete in the main body of the
publication.
The publisher is required daily to
make certain oaths, and in addition
he is also required to furnish under
oath "Such other information with
respect to the publication as the
postmaster general may by regula-
lions prescribe"
The newspaper title and date
must appear upon every page OF
every part, section or supplement of
the paper.
Newspapers must be folded as
the postmaster general may direct.
The present rate of l cent a
pound is abolished, save for pack
ages weighing not less than 10
pounds.
The proposed changes are uni
formly harassing and 6urdensome
and are avowedly hostile to the de
yelopment and extension of news
papers and magazines.
The postal commission response
bic for this most remarkable meas.
ure is composed of Penrose, of
Pennsylvania; Overstreet, of In
diana; Carter of Montana; Clay, OF
Georgia; Gardner, of New Jersey
and Moon of Ttennessee-not one
of whom has had the slightest ex.
perience in newspaper editing or
publishing.
The bill is now in the house com
mittee on postoffices and postroads