The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-14
Our Political Postoffice


from Montana, has served many years on that CO.
in postoftice affairs and needs than these On Feb
y, 1911, the senate postoffce committee under the
ershlp OF Senators Penrose and Carter, reported
ably to the senate for action the postoffce appr
ton BILL containing provision, put in without allt
the publlc hearing open consideration, but unde
HtlcaI pressure from the white house. that increas
postage rate on magazines and periodicals to such
tent that it practically absorbs all the profits of the
llshlng business Of the country and makes the f,
production Of popular priced magazines impossible.
poses tax that is confiscatony. Notwithstanding,
IN the year Senator Boies Penrose said referring
Carter Weeks bill:
These are some of the big features of
the BILL The whole intent is to systema
TIE to modernize the entire postal sys-
tenn. 1t is idle to take up such questions as
apportioning the cost of carrying second
class mail matter or the proper compensa
ton OF railroads for transporting the mails
until we shall have established business
methods in postoffice affairs by a re-or
ganization of the whole postal SYSTEM
1.-The commission unanimously recon-
mended the passage of the projected bill
Personally, have been very much inter
ested in all the details and of course, am
heartily in favor of the changes to be
made
Senator Carter said Last March:
But must forego further pursuit Of
details. The bill was cordially approved
by Postmaster General Meyer and his as
slstants and likewise has the approval of
Postmaster General Hitchcock It failed Of
passage during the last congress owing to
lack OF time for its proper considerations
but have reintroduced the BILL which is
now designated senate 62S7, second session
siXty-hrst congress- The committee on
postoffices and postroads will favorably
report the bill to the senate and it should
be enacted to law before the close Of this
session. / believe not only that it within
crease efficiency, but that after the ex-
pense OF installation is absorbed it will re-
suit III such economies in the administers
ton OF the department and service as will
ere long wipe out the defcency..In operat-
ing under it, the department will be able
with almost unerring certainty to deter
NINE the actual cost of each service per
formed thereby reaching a sound basis for
legislation such as is neither available nor
obtalnable under the present system.''
~ deeply sympathize with the earn
est desire of the department officials to get
rid OF the deficiency they are fated to on
counter each year but submit that the
first real movement toward that end must
oegln With the substitution OF modern
up-to-date business organization for the
existing Anticipated system which rests
upon few sections OF law enacted 1885
supplemented by statutory fragments add
ed from time to time since that year.
John Wannamaker said recently:
With Mr.. IIitchcocS's suggestion.
however, there will be no genera! agree
ment The magazines are supported not by
the price paid for the magazine by the
readers, but by theadvertsers'
La a sense magazines are private
concerns, but they have public function
to perform, an educational function 70
tax the advertisements is to tax the quail
fSof the educational matter contained in
tie pages, for the advertisements enable
the publishers to pay high prices for liter
allure and educational articles The price
paid for magazine does not pay for the
printing and the paper. If Mr.. Hitchcock s
suggestion should become part of the
presidents plan it would mean that the
public would suffer in the loss of much
educational material that the publishers
then would be unable to buy
We urge friend politics. economical cover
and free press to telegraph immediate protest
senator's and representatives at Washington.
THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
THE CATIIDnAv EVENING noon