The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-19
KANSAS CONNENT
A LOSING FIGHT.

A LOSING FIGHT.
An unquestioned majority of the
members of the United States senate
and even of the lower house of con-
gress, has been evincing a marked an
'upathy to the newspapers of the coun-
try of late. This feeling of ill-will is
traceable to the fight the more honest,
able and courageous journals of the
country have been putting up against
the corporation domination of the con-
gress, which fight has been led by the
president.
Six of every ten of these affiliated
trust and combine members would
have never reached their present ex-
allied positions of honor and response
bility but for the aid of the newspa-
pers. And eight out of every ten of
these trust champions are doomed to
go down in this newspaper fight, which
are primarily forced only because of
conscience sake, and for the best well
fare of the country.
The newspaper, the honest and con-
scientious newspaper. is a power that
is well nigh invulnerable in any fight
which may be put up against it. But
the disgruntled and vindictive major
lily of congress alluded to has evident
ly concluded that it has found a weak
spot in the armor of the public's de-
fender. the newspaper. The newspa-
per pays money for its transmission by
United States mail to it's subscribers.
The disgruntled element of the peo-
pose to cripple every paper financially,
and to put others out of business by
doubling up the rate of postage In
pursuance of this determination a COM
mission designated by congress has but
recently submitted a report which for
downright robbery and undisguised
would be hard to equal.
Among other things, in addition to
practically doubling up the rate of pos
tage on second-class matter, it recon-
TnendS a censor in the of he
postmaster general, such as is not tot
Grated on the earth outside of Russia.
The proposition in short proposes that
the department shall limit the amount
of advertising carried by a newspaper,
and in addition stipulate the character
of reading matter of any or every
journal, going SO far as to empower
the postmaster general to dictate how
every newspaper shall be folded. Tho
excuse for all these proposed extreme
innovations is the annual deficiency of
the postal service.
If the much-abused ranking privi-
lege of congress was cut out and all
the free matter of the army, the navy
and the departments were eliminated,
and the advertising pamphlets, maya
zines and like ventures were called to
time, there would be no annual de-
hcfency in the mail service, now that
the railway weighing steal has been
choked off.
The truth is, and it is susceptible of
demonstration. that directly and indi-
rectly the newspaper is the mainstay
of the mail service.-Wichita Eagle.
81
ON THE SECOND ROUND.
Dan Anthony already has been over
the First district orce, and has started
on another tour. Anthony Is develop
ing into a good campaigner. He has
all the ability of his distinguished
father. but is less of a fighter. Young
is a great hand to fix it up"
while the colonel's idea was to fight it
out with any weapon the other fellow
cared to use-oratory, pen, muscle, or
pistol. Dan Anthony may not go to
congress. but the man who beats him
will know that there has beenra race.
The opinion prevails among HoIton Re
publicans that Anthony will be nomi-
signal. err l-ei,g y
JUMPING ON STONE,
A few disgruntled newspapers here
and there are jumping on Robert Stone
for the conspicuous; part he has been
taking in anti-railroad legislation the
past few weeks. If people will judge
Bob Stone by the things he does and
mighty good opinion of him. Stone is
one of the few men In this legislature
who are making good.''-Lawrence
World.
GOOD ENOUGH.
This legislature will give the peo-
pie an anti-pass law, freight rate leg
slation, a primary election law and a
new tax law. 1t is not necessary for
this legislature to pass all the freak
measures demanded by some newspa-