Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-14
John Wanamaker was post
master general, Senator Boise
Penrose is chairman Of the
great postoffice committee Of
the United States senate. :: ::
Thomas H. Carter, senator
from Montana, has served
many years on that committee.

versed in postonice affairs and needs than these. On
February 9. 1911. the senate postonice committee un-
der the leadership of Senators Penrose and Carter
reported favorably to the senate for action the post
office appropriation bill. containing a provision put
IN without allowing public hearing or open consid-
GRAFTON but under political pressure from the white
house, that increases the postage rate on magazines
and periodicals to such an extent that 1t practically
ahsorbs all the profits Of the publishing business Of
the country and makes the further production Of pop
ular priced magazines impossible It imposes q tax
that is conhscatory. Notwithstanding. within the year
Senator Boise Penrose said. referring to the Carter
Weeks bill: These are some Of the big features Of
the bill. The whole intent is to systemize and mod
ernize the entire postal system. 1t is idle TO take up
such questions as apportioning the cost Of carrying
second class mail matter OF the proper compensation
of railroads for transporting the mails until we shall
have established business methods In postonice af-
fairs by a reorganization of the whole postal system.
The commission unanimously recommended the
passage Of the projected bill. Personally. I have
been very much interested in all the details and Of
course am heartily in favor OF the changes to be
made"
Senator Carter, said last March. But 1 must fore
go further pursuit Of details. The bill was cordially
approved by Postmaster General Meyer and his as
sistants aad likewise has the approval OF Postmaster
General Hitchcock. 1t failed Of passage during the
last conglvs owing to lack Of time for its proper
consideration. ~ ! nave Ce-1NlIOOuCoO II DAl which
Is now designated senate e2s7. second session Sixty
first congress. The COMMITTEES on postohices and post
roads will favorably report the bill to the senate and
1t should be enacted to law before the close OF this
session. l believe not only that it will increase eni-
cheney. but that after the expense Of installation ~
absorbed it viii result in such economies in the adj
ministration Of the department and service as will
ere long wipe out the deficiency and the department
will be able with almost unerring certainty to de-
termine the actual cost Of each service performed.
thereby reaching a sound basis for legislation such
as is neither available ror obtainable under the pres
et system. "Ideeply sympathize with the earnest
desire Of the department officials to get rid of the
deficiency they are fated TO encounter each year. but
! submit that the first real movement toward that
up-to-date business organizations for the existins
anti-ouated system which rests upon a few sections
Of law enacted in 1885. supplemented by statutory fras-
memts added from time to time since that year"
John Wanamaker said recently: with Mr..
Hitchcock's suggestion. however, there will be no
general agreement. The magazines are supported.
not by the price paid for the magazine by the read
ers. but by the advertisers In a sense magazines
are private concerns, but they have a public func-
ton to perform, an education function. To tax the
advertisements Is to tax the quality Of the education
al matter contained. the pages for the advertisements
enable the publishers to pay high prices for litera-
ture and educational articles. The price paid for q
magazine does not pay for the printing and the pa
per. II MI. Hitchcok,s suggestion should become
part of the presidents plan it would mean that
the public would suffer in the loss of much educa-
tional materialthat the publishers then would be I'M
able to buy"