New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-21
"De-Subsidize Them!'
Publisher Protests Against Higher
Postal Rates and Zone System
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: have Just been reading with amaze
ment your editorial in the issue of The Irib-
une of the 18th headed "De-Subsidizc
Them"
This Is a very one-sidcd statement OF the
second-class postage situation, and it seems
TO me extremely unfair and unjust to the
socond-class publications Of the country.
The second-class postage as it stands to-
day. at one cent a pound. is not subsidy
to the publishers. ms you state If there
is any subsidy about it at all it is subsidy
to the public, because the publishers years
ago gave away all the advantage they re-
ceived from the second-class rate to their
subscribers.
The vast publishing business of this coun-
try has been built up on the present rate
of postage, and il seems unjust to wipe out
the bulk of the business, as the new rate
would do at one stroke thereby deprlvlng
thousands of men and women employed IN
various ofTices-printors, pressmen, electro
typers. etc.--of a chance TO make living, to
say nothing about the ruination of publish
ers themselves.
You don't take into account and neitner
does Congress, the immense amount OF hrst-
class business (letters) produced by the
advertisements in the second-class publica-
tions. and on these letters the government
makes a profit of so per cent or more
Your statement that there is a deficit in
the second-class of $50, 900 900 or $l00OOO,OOO
is about as close guess as has ever been
made. probably. in regard 20 this matter
because it is all a guess. Three successive
commissions appointed TO investigate second
class postage during the last fifteen or
twenty years have each one reported differ
emit percentage of loss. and each one has
admitted that under the present accounting
system of the Postoffice Department 1T Is
impossible to tell what the loss is. If any
thing, after giving the second-class credit for
the frst-class mail
have always had n strong belief in the
disposition of The Tribune to be fair to all
sides in n controversy. Now, it seems TO
me that YOU should have investigated TINS
matter mere fully than you have apparently
done and give the side of the second-class
publications a hearing.
| cannot in a brief communication OF
course. set forth all the arguments in favor
Of second-class postage where it stands now
There is no more reason why second-class
mail business should be conducted by zones
than for letter mail to be conducted IN the
same manner. 1t is just as logical TO charge
an extra price on letters for distance as on
second-class publications. All subscription
rates are flat. Publishers cannot have
rate of 81 for the East and 81 for the west
in order to cover extra postage. The west
ern people would not stand for it, and there
is no reason why they should.
You say there is no reason why the gov
eminent should charge as much for carrying
publications from New York to Philadelphia
as for carrying them from New YORK TO san
Francisco. If your argument is good, there is
no reason why the government should carry
a letter from New York to San Francisco
as cheapy as from New York to Philadel-
phia. II we are going to have the zone sys-
tenn on second-cass, let us have it on all
classes. If it is fair for one, 1T is fair for
all. NJ l. hlNhAhDooN'
Publisher Of "The Automobile Dealer and
Repairer."
New York, May is, 1917.