The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-03-12
POSTAGE ON PUBLICATIONS.

There is strenuous war on between the Office Department
and the magazine publishers The department to increase
the postage second class maeror least Doda from
three pound Publishers pay cent pound on
newspapers periodicals. the public being for
four estimated by the department that the carrying and
handling of ondcas costs 93 cents pound One of the
arguments for that large proportion of the bulk of the
periodicals made by of advertising and that the government
private business An this plea urged by the magazines
that the advertising promotes trade and podgouy increases the
amount OF first class mail Figures given OF the letters received and
answered by large advertisers really telling this
necon Although the proposed increase will not all of the big
difference between the present charge and cost yet will be great
ough compel the magazines raise their subscription and sale prices
materially
Possibly the magazines enlist public opinion against any in
strong enough stall the departmental policy Congress They
against the proposal in the editorial pages of the magazines joint
ent OIL On Second Class POSTAGE Rates from the BUSINESS standno
Alone submitted to the Committee on the Pos06e and Post Roads
ton of America In this brochure attempt made to show that
the grounds stated by the department justify increase faa
cou the points taken being the methods of calculation the length
of haul the equipment expense the of fast mail trains
and steamboat services the railway postoffce service
ton OF posaser clerks and carriers etc 1t commended that the
periodicals unfairly charged with the postal deficit when the
other items above noted which should be dbed slap is taken also
at the Thanking privilege enjoyed by the and members Of
There the suggestion that the establishment of parcels
post at reasonable rates would change the deficit into surplus being
argued that the might well have of the business
dend Of thirty per cent Wa the pampheeer has the teery to in
form the department that needs of all business direction
especially to handle its transportation problems
evidenced by by department
By late mail The Star received brOadsde sheet containing
mary the departments reply the pamphlet above mentioned Its
of cool offcaism Rather does the tempea
tne OF political campaign p9emc For instance at the outset states
service but what still unfortunate shows the lack of essential
pamphlet have been given credce the people have been msd
statement that the departments mode of calculating the cost of
ipuang class mail CURLY declared be absolutely untrue
The departmental champion proceeds take the of attack
seriatm his plain statements of fact certainly dpong of the
men faces the conclusion of the defense is here reproduced
The departments estimate Of the of handling and
porting the several classes of mail matter based primarily
procured with such great by the special
weghngs and of mail in 1906 and 1907 Each process
of computation entering into the results obtained has been
verified IN most pansang manner by othcerS OF the SER
having expert knowledge of the subject thorough
aysis of the advanced by the Periodical Publishers
Association regarding the departments figures dscoses
thing justify their modification any essential particular
class through the mails the annual loss the
national revenues from this approxmang $6000O00
present conditions this loss bound grow larger
about 1900 publications in this country ENJOYING the second
privilege, large proportion of which magazines
the number is rapidly increasing.
The the taxpayers of the country annually
expanding in order permit the distribution of these peri
odca through the mails at rate of postage far below the
to the could be applied in other fohe
the postal with much greater advantage the
public generally For example, if the rate secondcass
mail made high enough to cover the entire cost OF
transporting handling it, which has been suggested
would be possible without creating deficit to reduce the
cent stamp placed letter deays not only the
pense of handling and transporting the letter but helps in
equal the of distributing through the mails
the periodical publications of the country.
When all has been said that be- however the departments
SIDE still of the general peadngs of the periodical
which weight minds the national lawmakers
For example hardly gansad that the post office is prm
institutions of civilization established and maintained for the benefit
society at large With regard to magazines and newspapers they
recognized the greatest educational forces of the Any
favor bestowed them by government indirectly promotes intelligence
dumshp of periodicals does creating frsta letter mail apar
from its advantages the public large be dismissed
the problem Finally there undoubed force in the argument
the Thanking privilege worked too hard and has not little
do with the postofhce deficiency.