The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-02-28
Trying to- Muzzle the Press.

Trying to- Muzzle the Press.
Politics, not a postal deficit,Sis the
underlying motive OF the administra-
tion's attack on the@S maz zazine and
periodical. press of this country,
throug gh the medium of an increase
in second-class postage, says Samuel
e.: Blythe, a fano Gus political writer,
in the United Press. Postmaster
Genera! Hitchcock has his excuse il
his alleged deficit. President TAFT
h.. 5Lis EXCUSE in his support OF d
..,!hat member, who is trying tj put
his department on a self-sustainlng
basis: The administration senator's.
who taced the amendment on the
postofiice bill, have their excuse N
the demand of tae president that the
increase shall be made. They are
making these excuses, too, row that
they are discovering how thoroughly
the people are aroused on the matter
OF using the taxing power OF the
government to coniscate--for, that
is what it amounts to--a free press
that has dared to criticise and con-
denim certain acrs of both the admin
istration and the supporters OF the
administration in congress.
Laying aside the tremendous eco
nomic fact that the; imposition Of this
tax by the government means the
ruin; Of the magazine AMI periodical
business in this country, the absolute
extinction OF the popular magazines,
look at the politics of it. This tax is
part of carefully matured plan by
the administration, in conjunction
with the interests the republican ma
iority in congress have served six
teen years, to stamp out the progress
Of the republican movement in this
country by deDriving that movement
OF it's means Of publicity and it's pay
mediums for the spread of its prop
uganda? 1t is especially directed at
the newly formed pro:ressiTes in
cor iress who haye been supported by
the magazine AID periodical press in
their attempt to rid the country OF
and Cannonism. 1t is an
act Of direct reprisal on the part of
the president, Hitchcock, Cannon, AL
drich and all the Cannon and Aldrich
crowd in congress, of whom there
are seven on committee that put
the amendment in the senate bill,
intended to punish those magazines
and periodicals that have spoken
fearlessly about governmental politi-
cal abuses.
OF course, the publishers can make
the case and are making it vigorous
" and effectively, that this discrimi-
natory reprisal tax will bankrupt
them, or if any of them can continue
will inevitably increase the price of
the popular magazines to the reading
public, but that isn't the main point
Tie vital thing chat concerns the peo-.
pie Of this country is that this ad-
by exercising its tax
in,g power, is ,sndsavoring to abol-
ish free press, not only in the in
terests of it's own political ambitions
and those of the men who serve 1t,
but also in the interests and for the
protection of the financial powers it
seeks to serve. The question is big
ger than one of money, either in the.
purse or out Of the
purses of the publishers and the
thousands of men who WILL be
thrown out of employment If the
business is curta!led, as
it will be if this increase in second
class postage becomes law. 1t is
a blow ct the liberty guaranteed un-
der the constitution, and is subser-
sive TO every American idea of JUS
tice, fair play and decent politics..