The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-03-03
The Mitchell Capital
THURsDAY, MARCH s. 1919.
TH1FoSTAL RATES AND NEWS
PAPERS. 7

III POSTAL RATES AND NEWS.
PAPERS. -
Ever sinoe President TAFT, In his
annual message to congress. recon.
mendsdthAt the postal rate for carry
tnS magazines be increased the maya
atnss have been frantically appealing
to the newspapers to help them pro-
test They should speak for them
solves. We zee no reason why the
newspapers should be concerned
about any proposal to make them pay
the government more for carrying
their publications. Nor. for that mat
tor. should the newspapers protest if
they. also. should be made to pay
more In proportion to the service
they AK the government to perform
Tor them.
The postofice department. has only
nat rates. That Il the rule with post
omces the world over and it is the
only 2 that can be adopted for mail
matter carrying stamps. Newspapers
nay by the pound. SO that there is
no reason why q different arrange
ment could not be made for them.
u does not seem just that a Chicago
newspaper sent to the town of Plank
linton. for example. q distance of over
500 miles. should pay no more post
$50 than shoulda Mitchell newspaper,
sent only nineteen miles. In fact
the low p0stal rate for newspapers
has encouraged the building Of
enormous clrculations by newspapers
and weeklies and monthlies publish
q In large cities. In many instances
subscriptions are induced by prem
lums that represent perhaps the full
subscription price OF the paper. In
other words. the circulation Of the
ao-called metropolitan newspaper is
often far from bona fde. The low
rate charged for carrying newspapers
vs. intended to cheaper the cost of
distributing Intelligence and its OBJ
Jsct certainly Is worthy Of praise by
~. But + q . distinct abuse Of this
~soncession TO make use Of 1t to put
neWspaDers in the hands OF hundreds
sof Thousands of subscribers who do
not want them. simply to create al
SActitiousSvalus for advertising space
- their columns.
Similarly. the magazines have taxi
"a advantages Of the low postage rates
osxpend their circulation tremend-
;teu1ays md thus, they have obtained
IL munhsadysrtising patronage that
It1etr publications are about two
thirds advertising and one-third
lrsading matter. Are they employing
the low postage rate for the spread
Iof Intelligence Of for the distribution
Of advertising matter2
Undoubtedly the equitable arrange
Msnt would be to establish zones
Tor newspaper postal rates, whereby
insasach succeeding zone away from
tho point of publication the charge
would b Increased. The Sioux Falls
Pres not long ago suggested that
the boundaries Of the states be made
theSdtvidinE lines between such zones.
That would hardly be fair to news
papers published IN cities close to
1tats lines; such 40 Sioux City, oma-
~ q Kansas City. But the general
o6ject Of the plan proposed by the
Sioux Falls paper Is right. The peo-
N. would still have an opportunity
@ obtain newspapers or magazines
q low prices. for they would buy
those published near at hand.
President Taft 9 few days ago
wrote : letter to Congressman Nye
q Minnesota. thanking him for a
coMplimentary speech made on the
door Of the House. He said: II very
much appreciate your statement. es-
pocially ata time when you find a
rood many who do not agree with
v0u. but y 81 under those conditions
"a