Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-28

Presidents charge than is contained
! In a statement over the name OF
Robert ]. Collier. publisher OF Col
lier's Weekly, In the current issue OF
that magazine The statement sets
forth that as the question is one that
affects the pocket OF the publisher oil
Golfers. II is deemed desirable that
the publishers views be stated frank
ly over his own name, rather than as
tlIsinterested editorial comment. AFTER
stating that Golfers paid the gov
ernment sl86.00o IN 1910 for postage
end in the past nine years has paid
sl.275.0Oc. and noting that 1t is not
logical 10 increase the second class
rate $4,000 900 10 meet a deficit OF
si7, 00O, 900 caused by all classes OF
mail, Mr.. Collier says:
YPeraonally believe the postmas-
ter-general is mistaken In his costs;
that II Congress ard the various gov
eminent departments were charged,
al least On the books Of the postoffice,
with mail carried free under the
franking privilege; II the expense IN
volved In the free delivery OF news
papers within county limits were as
certaIned; II the rural free delivery
were charged with It's share OF the den
cit, and II the contrlcts With railroads
for carrying mail were adjusted on
scientific basis. the magazines would
be found to be responsible for very
small share, II any, OF the deficit.
Should II be shown. however. that Mr..
Hitchcock is right in his assumption
that II costs the government more
than ii receives FOR carrying Col
lier's. l. for one, should be willing TO
pay the increased rate, whatever 1t
may be. even ii Il entails an entire
reorganization OF this business. Col
licr's wants no favors from Congress
or the Republican party. Golfers re-
fuses TO regard itself as Subsidized
pubiicantion; 1t is opposed TO special
privileges and declines to become IT.
self the beneficiary of one.
so much for the publishers per-
sonal position. For the public IL is
important that independent journal
ism should not be handicapped By
any unnecessary penalty The Pc
are undoubtedly rendering
the country service today by Gre
ating a new sense OF national c.tizen-
ship.
''The plan at present is TO attach
this bill to the general appropriation
bill. which will practically stifie de-
bate. That Is all very well II II Is
intended merely as an administration
measure to discipline 'Everybody's,
'McClure's' the Outlook Success
the American Magazine and Col
Iier's fer presuming to speak too free
ly on public affairs. But If there Is
an honest desire on the part Of Con-
gress TO deal fairly with this question.
let 1t be brought up as separate
measure and open 10 free DEBATE on
the floor of the hose. Under such
Congress will discover that
the periodical publishers of America
are very willing to cooperate in the
extirpation of minor abuses. and In
the abolition. so far as their respon-
sibil'ty goes. of the postal deficit"
This is a demand and challenge
that the administration cannot allow
to go UNDECIDED without thereby adj
hitting the truth of the insinuation
that real purpose proposed increase
IN postal rates for periodicals Is to
discipline publications that such peo-
pie as Aldrich and Cannon are pleas
ed to call ''muckrakers-" 1t is but
a demand for square deal.