The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-02-18
TAFT'S REPLY
IS AWAITED
Texas Citizen Addresses Presi-
dent Relative to Postal Deficit
AMPLE REASON IS GIVEN
Dsapproves of Government Bill to Deny
Newspaper and Magazine Privileges
oil. Second Class Mal-Suggestion

The following letter explains itself,
and is of interest to every reader:
"Mr. VIM. Howard Taft. President U.
S. A., Washington, ID. G..
Dear Sir: see from your message
to congress that there is a deficit in
the postal department.
You say the cause of this deficit is
the carrying of second class mail mat
ter too cheap lone cent per pound.)
You say the railroad companies charge
the United States nine cents per pound
for carrying second class mail matter
Now Mr.. Taft, have it from the
very best authority that the express
companies carry papers and magazines
at one cent per pound, and the express
companies pay the railroad companies
only one half cent per pound for such
matter.
CHOW the question arises. Why pay
this discrimination against the people
in the favor of the express companies?
Now Mr.. Taft, myself and about 3, 600
600 others want to know why the rail-
road companies can't carry an article
for the people just as cheap as they DO
! for an express company.
You will find enclosed self address.
ed stamped envelope for reply. Will
you please reply? Yours for justice.
j. M. CRIER
San Antonio, Texas Jan. 3l-l0.
The facts embodied in the above let
ter indicate a government policy OF long
standing Let the reader judge for
himself-yet not in silent acquescence;
for it is a subject that every one should
bring to the attention of his represen-
tive in congress with demand for
action to effect a change.
We are all vitality concerned just at
this present time as to the Presidents
reply to that letter. No other reply
may be expected than that he is now
making applying himself vigorously
to influence congress to cut down the
postal deficit, not by demanding just
charges from the railroads, and end
this public robbery of many millions of
the PEG Jle's dollars; but Mr.. Taft is
urging congressional action to change
the pos tai law so as to exclude from
second class mail matter all magazines
and papers save the great dailies (Which
influence presidential nOminatlons).
The plea is that the postal service is
, not paving expenses. In opposition to
which great weekly journal asks the
following pertinent question:: why
should the deficit be made up? Does
the navy pay? Does the agricultural
department pay? Does the weather
: bureau pay? Does any department OF
government pay?'
Why then this hue and cry about a
deficit? The truth is the postoffice does
paw, and that there is deficit because
: it is made to pay the railroads many
times more than the express companies
. pay for carrying the same second class
mail matter.
All sir, it is not the deficit the admin
. istration is after 1t knows too well
, that the increase in postage rates as
{ proposed would be of no material ad-
, vantage to the finances; for it would
put out of business so many trades
journals and other papers, and so en-
chance the prices of magazines, that
; altogether millions of homes would be
shorn of literature previously INDUCED
in. The postal revenue in consequence
would be kept at its normal amount, If
not indeed reduced.
But the working people with small
wages what of it? Can they not just
work on? Yes, but in ignorance? Oh!
1 there you are!
2 Here we have run against the real
: object of the proposed change in the
postal law. These labor journals are
e making the workers too wise, especial
{ " some of them that are getting I'M
: comfortably onto the corruption con-
4 cealed under the epidermis of the
| elephant" e.. o. P,)
Yes Sir, this hubbub over the postal
f deficit is all force. It's only reality
4 being conspiracy againsta free press.
: The hypocrisy in the object as avow-
n ed is betrayed by the apology of Mr..
; Taft for the the ship subsidy bill he is
advocating give So, 200, 900 of the
s peoples money toa few millionaires
e under the fctitions pretence of restor-
: ing the American Merchant marine,
d which their high tariff system had des.
e trOyed.
Behold the cheek! the brazen eff.
e frontery to tell the people that the
v SIS. OOO. 900, will not be of their money
= but is to he taken out of the posta
!. earnings, lie, to increase the deficit BY
e that much; then to turn to congress
r and beg it to rob the people also Of
their literature (half of them) and ia,
the other half to make up the deficit
And then goes the SIS, 600, 900 into tn
Golfers of the beneficiaries of the ad
\. mnistration "Big business"
:. O. to what sublime heights (0f de
al lusion) may not yultures soar to p0unc'