Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-02-07
DIsclpLINING the PRESS.


The proposed law offered in the bill
modelled on the recommendations of the
postal commission changing the rates
on second class mail matter, and regu-
Lifting it's transmission, abolishes the
cent pound rate, which is the pres
ent rate on newspapers. except on
packages over ten pounds in weight,
proposes high rate on single wrappers
those newspapers sent in separate
wrappers to single subscribers. limits
the amount of Advertising to 90 per
cent OF the space of the issue. and de-
MES the privilege to print and circu-
late fiction or magazine section. Inc
mime and date of the paper must ap-
pear on every page Of every part. NO
section of the paper must consist who'll
NJ ore than one-half of it's space be
given to advertising. All parts or sec
tions of newspapers must be of the
ssme size. form and weight of paper.
With each issue the publisher mus
make oath to the number OF papers In
each class, weight, etc, and furnish
under oath such other information as
the postmaster-gene may prescribe
The bill shows evidence of hostility
to the press. The leader of the sena-
torial section of the commission is SEN
a,or Penrose of Pennsylvania. Sena-
ter Penrose has the best of excuses to
b.. hostile 10 free and outspoken press.
Other members of the commission have
suffered similar interference from an
irlpertinent press. The widespread
daily publicity afforded by the present
price and quality of the general news
paper has been prolific of embarrass-
M ant to a large class OF politicians and
political officials. The newspapers
forced the rate law, and publicity
forced the hands of reluctant congress
men and senators, who took their
choice between plain duty to their con-
stituencies and offense to their corpor-
alton friends or prompt retirement at
the hands of the people. Newspapers
have felt the joyous retaliation of the
corporations since the rate law passed.
Now it appears they are to feel the
re sentiment of the professional polti-
Gins.
No other country in the world has
such newspapers as the United States
In no other country does the subscriber
to newspapers get so much for his
money Nowhere is the habit so fixed
and the necessity of daily information
so felt as here. An assault ON free
press is an assault on the average cit
lien; and the proposed bill, with it's
ap parent disciplinary vindictiveness
behind it, has every appearance of
such an assault.
Ii the occasion demanded the arbi
trary raise in rates, the newspapers
would submit gracefully. 1t doesn't.
The. Canadian government carries
newspapers over the dominion and into
its half settled territories at less than
cent pound. There is good profit
in the newspaper carrying business at
cent pound. 1t is $50 ton for an
az erage sixty-mile haul. That it costs
m ore is plainly due to the graft that
grses favored railway corporations
mail contracts at outrageously. inflated
prices. And back of the woodpile of
agitation for the higher rate peers the
co ored gentleman who fears contracts
for carrying mail will be granted only
in business way at business rates, and
his; companion coon who collects cor
porate contributions for campaign
I En-. ,dS