Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-12-23
The Newspaper Postage Rate

sage to congress takes occasion to re-
fer to the alleged fact that newspapers,
magazines and other periodicals are
carried i'll the United States mails at
a large loss as subsidy to the news
paper. He says:
"The deficit every year in the post
office department is largely caused by
the low rate Of postage of one cent a
pound charged ON second class mail
matter, which includes not only news
papers, but magazines and miscellane-
GUS periodicals. The actual loss grow
ing out of the transmission of this
second class mail matter at one cent a
pound amounts to S63, 900, 600 year.
The average cost of the transportation
of this matter is more than nine cents
a pound.
1T appears that the average dis
tance over which newspapers are de
livered to their customers is 291 miles
while the average haul of magazines
is l049, and Of miscellaneous periodi-
calls 300 miles.
''Thls, the average haul of the mag
azine is three and half times and
that of the miscellaneous periodicals,
nearly four times the haul of the daily
newspaper, yet all of them pay the
same postage rate of one cent pound.
The statistics of 1907 show that sec
ond class mail matter constituted
1894 per cent Of the weight of all the
mail and yielded 5.49 per cent Of the
revenue.
"The figures given are startling and
show the payment by the government
of an enormous subsidy to the news
papers, magazines and periodicals.
The president goes on to say that
the largest half of this deficit between
the cost Of transporting second class
matter would be eliminated by charg-
ing the cost price to magazines and
other periodicals than newspapers. II
the numerous advertising papers with
out bona fide subscription list were
, excluded from the privilege we pre-
, sumo the loss would be further cut
: down. And if the government quits
paying subsidies to ocean steamers,
and very much higher rate for simi.
lar service than the express companies
pay to the railroads, thus subsidizine
g the railroads in the same way the
president claims the government il
, subsidizing newspapers, we presume
, that the difference between the cost tt
the government in carrying newspapers
and the rate they pay would shrink te
very small sum if it did not alto
gether disappear.
| Speaking for the newspapers so fa
as one humble member of the pres,
may, it is our belief that they do no
want Uncle Sam to carry their mai
matter for less than cost, providee
that Uncle Sam is prepared to appl,
q the same principle of the cost of tn
. service to all its other patrons. Thi
would involve great curtailment O
rural free delivery which has neve
paid. 1t would also involve a goo'
many other changes in the service
But our idea is that the newspaper
i of the country will gladly give up an
' present advantage they have in 10,
i postage rates if the government wi
= abandon the policy Of taxing all th
!, people to help out some fellows specia
!, business. At least the Tribune wi
= freel y give its consent to that propt
: sition. 1t would, however, involve
revision of the revised upward tari
}, that would raise howl from Maine t
y Texas, for the number OF subsidit
% granted under that bill are legior
!" and the newspapers are called on t
u pay their full share of them.
As matter of fact the president i
the very document from which W
4s quoted goes on record as favoring
still greater deficit between the cost
3 carrying the mails and the total r,
/ ceived by the government for the Sc
vice by advocating great increase i
the mail subsidies granted to til
steamship trust and wealthy corpo
ations which mostly control our shil
ping. He is not opposed to the gi,
ing of subsidies, it should in fairnes
to him be stated He is only oppose
to giving them to the newspapers, an
would favor making them pay highe
rates for the service and turn til
money so gained over to the eorpo
ations which own big steamship line
Thus he is cleared Of any suspicion
not favoring subsidies but only desir,
to have them transferred from Il
newspapers to capaeious pockets bett,
|. adapted to holding such favors.
For our part, we would say, let Il
newspapers pay Uncle Sam what it
reasonably worth to carry their pape
in the mails, and LET everybody el
do likewise. At the same time ,
Z