Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1917-05-24
OPPOSE INCREASE
ON POSTAGE RATES
SECTION REFERRING TO News
PAPERS Is LIKELY TO BE
MODIFIED.
TO REACH VOTE THIS Week

Strongly Protest With Effect
Many Other Protests Are Made to
Different Sections.
Washington. - Opponents Of the
Ways and Means Committees proposal
to greatly increase postal rates on
newspapers and magazines showed
such strength during debate on the
war tax bill that 1t appeared likely
the postal section of the measure
would be one of the few to be mater.
tally modified before passage.
The attack brought the first defec.
tlon from the ranks Of the committee
itself, which had approved the bill un-
animously and whose members of both
parties have consistently urged IT.
passage unamended. Just before ad.
journment Representative Sloan, a Re-
publican committeeman. told the
House that while he would stand be.
hind every other provision In the
measure, he could not support pos.
tai increase amounting to "a punitive
expedition against newspapers and
magazines"
Representatives Madden, Of Illinois
and Mccormick, Of Illinois; Meeker,
Of Missouri. Republicans, and Moon.
Of Tennessee, Democrat and chairman
Of the postal committee, Joined In the
attack, which proceeded while large
delegation Of publishers was telling
the Senate Finance Committee that
enactment would force many publica-
tions out Of business.
Debate Near Close.
General debate in the House closed
at o'clock Tuesday and the bill prob
ably will be brought to a final vote be-
fore the end OF the week. The com.
mittee hopes to put through most Of
its proposals without important
amendment, for the opposition has
scattered its fire against many indi-
vidual sections and has developed q
concerted attack on only a few Of
them. When the measure goes over
to the Senate, however, many changes
are expected.
Representative Longworth. Repub-
lican. made long defense OF the bill
for the committee, reiterating that
while there were some inequalities,
passage was necessary to give the
needed war revenue. He declared IS
per cent of the taxes proposed would
fall upon the wealthy or those Of
moderate means.
Representative Meeker predicted
that enactment OF the proposed postal
increases would mean the end of Ma,
tiOnal circulation for daily papers and
Representative Madden attacked the
new rate schedule as "the most unjust
tax ever imposed by Government"
Chairman Moon presented two amend.
ments to cut down the proposed rates.
Representative Mccormick suggest.
ed that the whole schedule should be
rewritten 20 that the levies would fall
on publications IN proportion to their
incomes.
Representative McMormick also
criticised the income tax section OF
the bill and declared the proposed ex
cess profits taxes ~were oppressive and
unjust. He predicted that the measure
as a whole would work immeasurable
harm to industry.
+, Senate Hearing.
Spokesman for newspapers and pc
riodicals, large and small and from
all parts Of the country appeared be-
fore the Senate Finance Committee
to attack as unreasonable and confs
catory the war revenue bill provision
which would create zone system
with greatly increased rates for sec
ond class mail matter. They declared
II the measure went into effect. many
publications would be compelled tc
suspend.
Don c. Seitz, Of The New Yorh
World, representing the American
Newspaper Publishers Association
said the proposed increase was not {
war tax but an effort TO further re
press and embarrass the newspaper
industry" He told the committet
there already had been a big slumr
in business which. II II continued
would parNlyze the newspapers. Th'
publishers. he added. were not seek
: ing special favors. but wanted to b'
placed on the same level with people
: engaged In other business.
, " Arthur Dunn. speaking for tn
? smaller newspapers Of the country
= said they could not stand the increas'
, In postal rates with the increased cos
Of print paper. and that many wou,'
ha oounaIlod IN u>O sostt NJ htiatu oaa