The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-25

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baried UP the wrong tree or followed q
false scent. New Hampshire has not
been SO prolific in the production OF
national characters that it can afford
to neglect Franklin Pierce.
THE MAGAZINES AND THE MAILS.
In the attractive advertisement Of
The Post-o Office and the Periodicals."
published in Tho Times-Dispatch on
Thursday there is a good deal of in
formation of a certain sort about the
magazines in what is called "A Plain
Statement or the Facts" 1t is said that
If the bill requiring the payment OF
extra postage on this class Of publica-
items be passed it will mean serious
loss To all periodicals and financial
death TO some publishers" Ii is fur
Their claimed that ..instead OF second
class mail causing a loss OF millions
TO the post office the deficits have al
ways decreased when second class mail
Increased over the whole period of
thirty two years in which second class
mail has had the pound postage rate"
Another point made by the Magazine
Trust Is that Ito single out magazines
from other seoond-class matter for an
Increased rate Is unjust; that the in
creased rate would amount to contisca-
ton Of the entire net earnings OF
many magazines and absorb pore than
Sl.S per cent. of the incomes of even
the five standard magazines leading in
advertising patronage" These facts"
are supported by Ave exhibits, alpha
betica!ly arranged. running from Ex-
hibit a to Exhibit E. both inclusive.
The other side OF the question has
been most effectively presented by
Postmaster General Hitchcock In three
letters he has written to the Hon
Boies Penrose. Chairman OF the SEN
ate Committee on Post-Offces and
Post-Roads. in which he disposes Of the
claim made BY the magazines that
they would be impoverished if they
should be required TO pay fair price
Tor their carriage through the mails
The bill provides that only the adyer
Using parts OF the magazines. com
prisinG about one third OF their total
weight, shall pay the II creased rate
OF postage. II costs the Government
nine cents the pound TO handle and
transport this class Of mail; the pro
posed rate OF postage Is four cents
the pound, not on the reading pages of
the magazines. but on the ADVERTISING
pages. This would seem to be sum-
Gent answer to the claim that the IN
creased postage would be "a tax on
education," as the educational parts
of the magazines will not be affected
IN the least by the increased rate, but
only their business pages, which are
IN no sense Of an educational quality.
AS TO the claim that the increased
rate Of postage would amount to con
H"cation oc the entire net earnings Of
many magazines. even of the Ave
standard magazines leading in adver-
Using patronage, the Postmaster
General gives in his letters to Senator
Pcnrose some illuminating facts. TAX
ing Everybody's Magazine, for ex-
ample, he shows by the records OF the
New York City Post Office that during
me calendar year 1910, 2.S93.3T2 pounds
! OF this magazine were sent through the
mails az second class matter, on which
| the postage at the cent q pound rate
| was :2S,383,72. As an average, one
/ half Of the pages Is devoted to advcr-
/ Using. the proposed increase Of 9 cents
per pound on such matter would make
the additional postage s43.475.5S per
iannum." Evorybody's has circula-
tton. according to the publishers state
4 fnent. OF 100000 copies. and it's gross
income would be about $l,65O,Oo0 an
] rua!iy--from 100000 subscriptions at
81 net, 100000; from 10000 news
stand saics, n net. $4,000 from / so
page OF advertising per month 1T
| $500 per page, 100000
The publishers have stated that this
magazine makes each year for its
stockholders only about 100000. which
| would make the approximate cost oil
| It's production. AZ Mr.. Hitchcock vs.
| rrucn 81 i,c AtIrprfginuly hfch figure III