The Washington herald., 1911-02-13

Periodical publishers in Washington de-
clare that the animus against certain
magazines is plainly shown by the Ian
guage used in documents and editorials
which are urging the increased rate on
second-class postage. They say that the
attack is clearly meant to injure and
punish magazines for what they have
published. And what seems to them a
great injustice is the fact that hundreds
OF publications must suffer while men
who are smarting under the criticisms
are getting even with a very few publish
ers. They claim that there has scarcely
been an argument made In favor of the
increased rate of postage that has not
been coupled with a statement that the
magazines should suffer for the charac-
ter of articles they have been printing.
More especially is this statement used
by those who know nothing about the
merits of the question.
The opponents of the increase of sec
ond-class rates are going to do a little
something in the way of putting a rider
on the appropriation bill. They intend
10 OFFER the Tou Velle bin as an amend
ment This is a measure that has passed
the House, but has been held I'D in the
OF the Post-Office Department. The Tou
Velle bill Is in the interest of small
printing establishments all over the coun-
try, and IS to prevent the PoSt-ofice De-
partment from furnishing stamped envel-
opes with a business card printed in the
corner. The printers say that il deprives
them of business, and the department has
made big monopoly of one concern
which furnishes all the stamped envelopes
with the printed cards.
Tou VeIIe Bill Makes Complication.
1t is the intention of Senators to frame
the Introduction of the Tou veIIe bill
in identically the same language which
is claimed makes the second-class in
crease rider in order, and present it soon
after the post-office appropriation bill is
called up. This will make an interesting
fight, as the sentiment in the Senate is
divided as to the Tou Felle bill. Stacks
Of petitions are reposing n the committee
room Of Senator PenrOse, something like
5000 on each side having been received
Business men who obtained stamped en-
velopes at a cheaper rate want the post
Office to furnish them, while the printers
want the government monopoly so that
they can do the business.
One of the Senators who favors the
increase on Second-CIaSS mail puts il on
the ground that he thinks the advertising
ought to be carried in the small dailieS
and weeklieS of the country, rather than
in the periodicals. On the same basis no
will no doubt support the Tou Velle bill
which is designed to favor the small
printers. That is what will make the
attempt to put the Tou Vele bill into
the pCst-office appropriation bin an in
terestinS complication with the second
class increase.
The more the publishers study the pro-
posed amendment, which they say will
ruin their business, the more craft they
see in its construction. They are still
interested in the provision which limits
the life of the amendment to one year.
and ask who will get the benefit if in
a year a large number of periodicals are
forced out of business or into other
hands, just about the time the second
class rate on advertising will drop to
cent per pound, as in the present law
FraternaI Publications.
But there is a provision in the amend
ment which relates to fraternal pubIica-
tions, although they are not specifically
named. Heretofore such publications.
issued to those who pay dues, have been
held as not entitled to the second-class
rates, and have paid the higher third
class rate. Under the amendment. these
publications will get in by paying the
increased rate on advertising. They can
afford to do so, as in many cases the
advertising does not cut much of a
figure.
Another word in the amendment which
has interested the publishers is sheets"
If advertising appears on any one of the
sheets of a publication. the whole sheet
is subject to the tax. What is ''sheet?''
the publishers ask and the PoSt-office
Department will answer ii. where it will
also be determined what is n periodical
The front part of a publication may be
all reading and the last part advertis-
ing, and yet the sheet" is doubled over
and in that way the reading matter. as
well as the advertising, would pay the
increased rate
Should it be determined that a sheet
is a leaf of the publication, there is still
the complaint of the publishers that they
will not be privileged TO print reading
matter on the same pages with adyer-
tising because of the increased postage.
and that advertisers will be dissatisfied
Champ CIark's Opposition.
Champ Clark, who will be Speaker Of tho
House of Representatives in the Sixty
second Congress, said last night that
he was opposed to the Senate commit
tee amendment to increase the postage
rates on magazines. He said that any
increase ought to apply equally to all
second-class matter. IL to any at all.
There is no reason to make flesh OF
one and fowl of the other said Mr.
Clark II am against the proposition,
because 1t is discriminatory and wrong
7 Errh 70