The Elbert County tribune., 1912-01-12
FIGHT ON INCREASE
Higher Rates on Second Class
Mai Opposed
BULLETIN FROM PUBLISHERS
Postal Committee Of the A. N. p. A
Calls the Post Once . Badly
Managed Business.

Washington.-The protest of the
publishers against the proposition to
increase second-class mail rates as
the congressional post Office commits
sion desires Is growing stronger daily.
The Illinois Daily Newspaper Publish
ers' association registered its objeo-
tions recently. and now the American
Newspaper Publishers associations
postal committee. of which the chair.
man Is Don g. Seitz OF the New York
World, has Issued the following bull
letin:
The extent to which the post
ONCE department does not carry sec
ond-class matter Is well revealed in
the following abstract of inquiry of
publishers conducted by house COM
mittee on expenditures in the post
ofilce department (william A. Ash
brook. chairman) concerning the vol
ume. weight and handling of the out
put of publications entered as mail
matter of the second-class for the
fiscal year ending June 80. 1911:
Inquiry was made of all publish
ers, approximating thirty thousand, of
which nearly seventeen thousand are
weekly publications.
"'More than ten thousand returns
were received, embracing sixty-six
plus per cent. of all tonnage of pub
lications.
THE publications reporting repre-
sent an annual output of more than
six and one-half billion copies. the
weight of which was one and three
quarter billion pounds.
"'These publications delivered by
902 pounds.
"'They delivered by their own car
riers, newsboys, and news companies
SAC. 0.466.574 pounds. of which an unas-
certained percentage was carried to
destination by express and other rail
shipments outside the mail. They de-
livered by express. 202, ,729.510 pounds,
and by other rail shipments 121. .491,-
748 pounds. The rate by express and
rail varies from Y to 1 cent per
pound. but the bulk of these ship
ments went at rate of u to " cent
per pound.
" The post office for the year end
ing June 80. 1911. handled 951, ,001.-
669. and excluding one-half million
pounds free in county matter. 1t re-
ceived one cent per pound
"All this goes to add to the alb
surdity Of the proposed Hitchcock leg
islation doubling the second-class rate
from one to two cents per pound, and
limiting the privilege to publications
that carry as much reading matter as
they do advertising.
"The proposition was stupid enough
when the postal deficit reached ST.
100000 two years ago. 1t becomes
preposterous in face Of surplus.
What business has a transporta-
tion corporation. which Is all the post
office is. to prescribe how a business
shall be conducted?
Newspapers cannot afford to ex-
pand their columns beyond the call
of the days news. nor can they be
expected to control the requirements
of their advertisers who have a right
to reach the public as copiously as
they care to.
1T cannot be assumed that such
legislation will ever get by congress.
But publishers are requested to fight
the theory that the right to send their
output by mail is privilege" The
figures show 1t is not
THE post office is badly man.
aged business. That is all. We
should fight its dictation. its censor
ship and its inefficiency."