The Washington times., 1911-02-13
Proposed Increase Will Grip.
pie Business, Many Pub
fishers Declare.
CUMMINS EXPECTED
TO LEAD OPPOSITION
Has Counter Proposition Requiring
Magazines to Ship All Out
put BY Mail.
By JUDSoN C. wELLIvER.

For and against the proposal to in
crease the postage on magazines, one OF
the biggest and bitterest fights of the
present session will be waged in the
next few days.
Magazine publishers, editors, and
writer's charge that the increase is cal
culated to cripple their business. They
pay now l cent per pound; It is pro-
posed that they shall hereafter have
their first 1000 pounds at the 1-cent
rate; that the reading and advertising
sections shall be weighed separately,
and the weight of the reading section
above 4,OaO pounds shall go at cent,
and of the advertising section at 4
cents.
1t has been estimated by the Post
office Department that the change
would add $5.OOO,OOO to the annual postal
revenues.
The magazine people retort that it
would not: because 1t would so far
reduce the business by putting publica-
tions out Of print, that in fact the
department, instead of transferring the
profits of the business to its own cof-
fers. would kill the goose.
By Direct Vote.
When the matter comes UP in the
Senate it will come with the committee
amendment TO the postoffice appropria-
ton bill. This amendment may be sub
ject to a point of order; that proce-
dUre will be tried. but expectation is
that the point will be held inapplicable.
In that case a direct vote will be
necesSitated.
President Taft and Postmaster Cen
eral Hitchcock first proposed this in
crease in magazine rates more than
year ago, with the purpose of meeting
the postal deficit, in part at least.
Opponents of the Administration have
not been Chary about retorting that in
fact the Administration wants to pun
ish and weaken the progressive maga-
zines which used to be enthusiastic sup
porterS of the Roosevelt Administration
but have not been devoted to that of
Taft
The muck-rakers, in short, are regard
ed as the people against whom the pro-
posai IS aimed; and there is a sharp
division among the magazine people
themselves, some of whom are extreme
ly hostile to the so-called muck-rake
magazines, charging them with bringing
the entire magazine business face to
face with the present situation.
Strong Protest Made.
Senator Cummins is expected to lead
the fight in the upper chamber against
the proposed increase. Important pub
fishing interests in his own State Of
Iowa are making insistent protest
against it, and they represent what is
perhaps the most influential section of
the periodical press In this matter: the
farm journals. Most of these are pub
lished at very low subscription prices
their postage bills would be immensely
increased, and many of their publishers
say frankly that they could not continue
in business.
Senator Cummins intends to offer an
alternative proposition at the right
time. Instead of increasing the maga-
zine rate. he will demand that the maya
zines be required TO ship all their outDut
by mail. At present a huge tonnage Of
magazines is handled by express, be-
cause for shorter distances the express
companies make the lower rates; but for
long distances, the business goes to the
post, which makes lower rates than the
express companies for such distances.
If all the business went to the post
there would be. the Senator insists,
substantial profit in II for the Govern
ment, which now gets too large share
of the unremunerative end and too lit
tie of the profitable.
Outlook Is Dubious.
Further than this, Senator Cummins
will demand that the Postoffice De-
partment enforce its legal right to a
monopoly of all mailable matter The
pOSlOnlCe carries HeTCnanQlSe parcels
up TO four pounds; but it does not at
tempt to monopolIze the business, as Il
has the right to do. 1t divides with the
express companies, the latter getting
most of the business, and especially
of the short-dstance, a highly profit
able part. Senator Cummins would en-
force the monopoly, and he declares
that If this were done the postal deficit
would Immediately be converted into a
surplus.
The outlook for the measure is du-
bious. The House opposition expects 70
defeat the increase: the Senate is
counted more likely to favor it. If the
House rejects and the Senate accepts
II, conference must decide, and in con-
ference the confeTees for both houses
would likely favor the advance In that
event a fight even to the point of talking
the bill to death at the end of the ses-
sion has been seriously prposed by
some of the Senate progressives, who
are determined upon every possible re-
source of opposition.