New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-29

incomes. In eliminating all taxes on
frst-class mGil a provision was re-
tanned for free postage on Ietters
mailed by American soldiers abroad.
Weeks Expects to Win
Senator Weeks, of Massachusetts:
spoke at length for elimination OF
the proposed secondclass mail IN
crease ard the publishers special IN
come tax. He and other leaders IN the
contest tonight expressed conndenSe
in the adoption Of his motion TO strike
out both. md prominent Financ. COM
rittee members admitted such action
was rot improbable in view or. the
elimination of the letter tax and prom
able increase in war prQhts taxation.
Senator Mcclellan, OF Tennessee,
u;ced bis substitute for the second
class postage section, leaving the pres
ert pound rate operative within
three hundred miles, and increasing
the rates BY zones beyond. Senator
Smoot declared the Mcclellan plan
would bankrupt and destroy many pub
locations. such as farm, religious, ira
tcrral and other journals.
new substitute provision, drawn
and Endorsed by the Postoffice Depart
mont. was presented and supported by
Senator Hardwick, of Georgia. IL
would leave unchanged the present
rate in the first and second parcel post
zones, but establishes graduated sys-
tenn OF increased rates on advertising
po.tions in other zones. IL would raise
Si452O.00O additional revenue next
wear. as compared with $4,000. 900 pro-
ncsed by the pending bill and sl2,
100000 under Mr.. Mckellar's amend
mcnt. ,,,,
Senator Bankhead opposed the bills
levies on publishers.
An increase in postal rates was
urged by Senator Norris, who declared
he did not think it fair to ask the tax
payers Of the country TO pay SUBSIDY
10 newspapers and magazines.
Would Punish Publishers
Nobody denies that second class
mail is carried at loss,' said Senator
Weeks, but whose fault is it| Con-
gress established and maintained the
rates. This is most inopportune time
70 punish-not tax-the publishers
Having permitted great business 10
be developed under this condition, is II
fair or reasonable to take the time
when the industry is laboring under
the heaviest posSlDIe ouruchs " so"
mence TO change 1t?
an fact, it is doubtful" Senator
Weeks continued, "if the publications
of the United States under present CON
ditions, taking them by and large, are
getting a new dollar for an old one.
fhjs is due to the abnormal increases
in the cost Of everything which pub
fishers must use and TO their inability
TO pass along TO the consumer these
additional costs.
Every one, from the President down,
who has had or is having anything to
do with revenue legislation, has re-
i.erated that taxes should be so levied
that they would not materially damage
any enterprise. This legislation would
materially damage a great industry,
and, therefore. it should not be passed.
Senator Weeks denied the oft-repeat-
ed statement that the government car
ries periodicals at a loss OF SsO,OO0,OOo
annually. Official investigation, he said
showed the deficit much less. The zone
system. he declared, would ruin very
large part of the press.
II am in favor of increasing the
rates" he said, "but not at time when
this great industry is laborng under
serious embarrassments peculiar to IT.
self"