Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-03-03
To ThTOtt|GIAn
Radical Papers
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Washington, D. C..-Third Assistant
Postmaster General A. M. Travers has
promulgated an order. which, if car
ried into effect, will pat cut of bus
mess all of the trade journals and
magazines which receive subscriptions
rom their organizations, in a body
md carry outside advertising. This
rulinp will also kill all the fraternai
papers, the orlans of the various NUT
aal benefit and Insurance organiza-
ions. y
From every quarter of the country
etters are pouring in. to the legisla-
Give committee of the American Fed
ration Of Labor asking that action.
Iuick and decisive, be taken to pro-
ect the labor press from financial de-
,truction. Out of this mass of cor
dependence it is sufficient to quote
rom one signed jointly by six of the
pest known labor editors in America,
hose headquarters are located in
Kansas City Mo-;
To Samuel Gompers, president OF
oostoffice authorities here for some
time past saave been causing the Of
icial publications of the several inter
national organizations located in Kan
the A. F. of L.
Dear Sir and Brother: The local
as City, especially the Railway Car
mems Journal considerable annoyance
" insisting that they should make
/ ;ntryas. second class mattel under Acl
# Congress of July 16, 1894, that &C
.ording to ruling of the third Assist
mt Postmaster General debars them
rom carrying advertising original
ng from sources outside the organ
sation or foreign to the nature OF the
contents of such publication. En-
Ieavor to have the act amended.
I'm this connection we desire to
| all your attention to the action taken
~ the Toronto convention, in Re
solutions Nos. 81 and II.
Fraternally, 4.
Signed; J. E. Bray, editor Amalga-
mated Sheet Metal Workers Journal;
| J. A. Gable, editor the Coopers' Inter
| national Journal; E. ]. Baker, editor
Leather Workers Journal; j. A
Franklin editor the Journal of the
! international Brotherhood of Boiler
makers, Iron Ship Builders and Help
ers of America; w. ]. Adams, editor
Railway Carmens' Journal; Wilbur
Braggins, editor the Railway Clerk. .
Realizing the gravity of the sit
uation provoked by Travers' interpre-
tation of the existing postal laws, the
legislative committee of the A. F
of l.. united with the National Fra
| ternaI Press Association which was
endeavoring to defend the rights OF
the 7 100000 men and women in this
| L. RI frafnrnQl and
beneficiary organizations, whose press
was also threatened with extinction
and drew House Bill No. 1888, VIII
mas been in the House of Represent
ativeszb by Congressman Dodds, of Min
nesotaa 's.s
That, the passage of this bill, which
contains clause stating specifically
chat nothing contained in this act
shall be SO construed as to prevent
such periodical publications from car
rying advertising matter, whether
such matter pertains to such benevo-
lent and fraternal societies and trade
unions, Z is to be bitterly fought by
the same powers that caused Third
Assistant Postmaster General Travers
to- commence his attack, is but too
clearly apparent.
The grip of the Supreme Court up
on Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison.
the stupendous fine of quarter Of a
million dollars levied upon the hat
tiers, and lastly this body blow at the
printed means of communication be-
tween the members of organized Ia
Dor, all go to show that the great cor
porate interests Of America think that
| they have found the means whereby
I the wage workers may be crushed by
the interpretations of the laws of the
land.
Every reader of a labor paper
ought to make it his duty to fight for
the freedom of the press which repre-
sents his interests, and the most eff
| fective means of carrying on that
| fight lis for each reader to send a let
| ter of protest to the Congressman
from his district. A flood of strong
letters will assist materially in pass
ing HouseBill No. 17543, which guar
antees second class mailing privileges
to all labor papers.