The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-02-22
READING AND EDUCATION


| During the last fiscal year The gov
ernment transported through the
/ mails 100000, 600 pounds OF sec0nd-I
| class matter. generally known To the
\ public as magazines. al cost Of 9I
cents per pound and charged for 'neI
service only cent per pound in-
I curing thereby, says the postmast-
/ er general, a loss or sG2O00.000 a.
defense of the PRACTICE is made sole
/ IT, on the ground thar such pcriodi-
Gals are educational that they sup
ply the public with improving read
ing and TO charge the cost OF trans.
/ poriation is to limit the supply or
decrease the sums paid the writer's
| hy the publishers so that the quality
/ OF the output must be lowered We
/ thus find ourselves confronted with
a discussion as to the character OF
such literature since If it be not edu-
cational the sum spent ON It's distri-
button Is worse than wasted.
Fortunes have been built up on the
basis Of this government subsidy
the difference between the cost of
production and the selling price al
lowing of immense profits to the pub
Usher in many instances does not
come from the subscriber but from
the advertiser But who pays? Sure
ly the public. If the publisher
would refuse to distribute his edpca.
tiona matter without the profit
made possible by government out
lay of S62 10000 of course we could
not expect the advertiser to pay the
expenses OF the campaign unless he
got his money back with profit
charged TO his customers that has
sutlaced to build fortunes for many
mailorder houses
The deficiency in the postal sarv-
ice has often been defended on the
ground that the service was educa.
tional and we find many cor ibutors
, 10 the cause none of whoiA except
. Uncle Sam help without the hope of
getting at least two dollars for one
many of them expect to get one
hundred for one. Now under what
authority OF law may a postal appro-
priation be devoted to the cause of
education? If it be judged well for
the government to devote a portion
OF the tax levied to school books or
educational literature it may be used
70 serve political ends and murn
money is annually appropriated for
such purpose in many forms; we
| doubt whether such contribution may
legally or justly be given IN the
) guise Of a postal fund in view of the
, legal declaration that every appr0.
priation must be used for the pur-
pose contemplated in the bill and
for no other? Surely the claim that
, Il is we'll to pay a subsidy to certain
publications by way of educating The
{ people must fall to the ground i'm the
light OF both law and common sense
as we'll as of experience and Justice.
II may well be doubted whether
these publications are educational:
certainly they do as much harm AS
good because Of their very mixed
character But ii we are to prac-
tice economy in government busi-
ness the first necessity is to put the
management OF the departments on
a business basis and that is impos-
slble while one department is made
TO do the business OF another at hap
hazard and spend money without the
possibility of check from congress
If the postal department can divert
part OF the appropriation for it's
maintenance to the cause of educa-
tion it can. just as easily and legal.
| ly, devote another portion TO poHU-
cal teaching and both these services
have been rendered without stunt by
the department under Republican adj
ministration and even by the post
master general now presiding. HAY.
/ Ing reformed, II may De that Mr..
Hitchcock desires 10 amend his ways
and he pleads now for the repeal 81
the law which condemned him TO
serve the cause of education he
served his political masters and is
row serving them without the excuse
OF law.
The postal service should be
eleansed of all subsidy shams n
should he purified Of all political bias.
II is rs much a public service msu-
tuition as the railroads at least aud
! II should be regulated and conlrolt
ed with all the more care becAdse
| 81 is eonfessedly monopoly and ia
maintained by the taxation Of am Inc
people. irrespective Of service ron.
dered Nor should reading be CON
founded with education without re
gard to character
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