The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-02-01
WILL TAFT REPLY?'
Papers and Magazines Not for the
Poor Workers.


Dear Sir:-I sea from your mes
sage to congress that there is def
cit in the postal department.
You say the cause of this deficit
is the carrying of second class mail
matter too cheap Zone cent per
pound). You say the railroad COM
panies charge the United States
nine cents per pound, for carrying
second class mail matter.
Now, Mr.. Taft, I have it from the
very best authority that the express
companies carry papers and maga-
zines at one cent per pound, and the
express companies pay the railroad
companies only one half cent per
pound for such matter.
Now the question arises, why this
discrimination against the people IN
favor Of the express companies by
the railroads.
Now, Mr.. Taft, myself and about
100000 others want to know why
the railroad companies cant carry
an article for the people just as
cheap as they do for the express
companies?
You will find enclosed a self-ad-
dressed, stamped envelope for reply.
Will you please reply?
Yours for justice,
J. NJ. Crier.
San Antonio, Tex, Dec. 81, 'O9.
The facts embodied in the FORE
going letter indicate a policy of the
government of which the reader may
judge for himself-yet not in silent
acquiescenoe; it is a subject that e7-
cry one should bring to the atten-
ton of his representatives I'M con-
gress with demand for action to
effect a change.
Just at the present time we are
vitality concerned about the Presi-
dents reply to that letter. It con-
sists in applying himself vigorously
to influence congress to alter the
postal law so as to exclude from Sec
ond class mail matter all magazines
and papers except the great dailies
(Which have influence in presiden-
tial nominations).
The one plea is, that the postal
service is not paying expenses. A
great weekly labor journal asks a
pertinent question: "Why should
the deficit be made up? Why should
the postoffce pay? Does the navy
pay? Does the army pay? Does
the agricultural department pays
Does the weather bureau pay? Does
any department of government
pay?" Then why all this hue and
cry about the postal deficit?
All Sir! it is not that. The ad-
ministration knows well that an in
crease in postage as proposed would
be Of little material advantage to the
finances; for it would put out Of bus
mess so many trades-journals, and
cheap papers, and 50 enhance the cost
Of many magazines that altogether
millions Of homes would be shorn Of
literature formerly indulged in; con-
sequently the postal revenue would
be kept at its normal sum or less.
And the poor people-'Poor peo-
ple?' What Of it so long as they
can work for the masters. But must
they remain in ignorance? Oh,
there you are!
Here VIC have run against the real
object for the proposed change.
These labor journals are making the
workers too wise, especially some of
them that were getting uneomfort-
ably onto the corruption concealed
under the epidermis Of the elephant
(G. O. P.)
Yes, sir, this hubbub over the pos
tai deficit, is all af arce-its only
reality being in a conspiracy against
a free press.
The hypocrisy of the object as
avoweId is betrayed in the apology
of Mr.. Taft for the ship subsidy
bill he is advocating, giving $5,00O,-
900 Of the peoples money to a few
multimillionaires, under the fictitious
pretance of building up the Ameri-
can merchant marine, which their
high-tariff system had destroyed.
Behold the oheek!-the brazeu
efrontery to tell the people that the
$5,000,000 will not be Of their money
but is to be taken out of the postal
earnings-increase the deficit by that
,,o,,ob +bar f,,,y +o ,conorocc and hao