The Washington herald., 1917-05-23
High POST RATE
VOTED BY HOUSE
Drastic Increase for Second
Class Mail Matter SAM
toned, 1913 to II.

Administration supporters. by vote OF
1ss to n. imposed a drastic postal charge
early this morning upon second-class
mail matter. II is predicted that II the
Senate approves the new charge which
the House authorized by its vote at l a.
m, many newspapers and magazines
VIII actually be driven out Of existence
and many others viii suffer materially.
BY two votes Of 162 to lis and ia to
12s the House refused to strike from the
81 500. 10000 war revenue bill the increased
charges on second-ciass mail matter.
The final vote was 1875 to II. Speaker
Clark voted for the rate. One hundred
and thtrty-three House members were
absent
The new rates go into effect in three
periods BY March, 1918. they will in
crease the present charges from a half
more in the first parcel post zone TO SIX
times as much in the eighth zone.
Ciaud Kitchin. chairman OF the Ways
and Means Committee, drove the in
creased charges through the House
against the desperate protests Of many
Democrats as well as Republicans. One
Of these protesting Democrats was Mr..
Ritchin's colleague, Mr.. Small, OF North
Carolina The debate on the rate began
at O'Clock last night.
Two Weeks Discussion.
The war revenue bHl will go to the
Senate after nearly two weeks discus
SION IN the House.
Claude Kitchin, chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee, and ]. Hampton
Moore marshaled their forces for and
against the increase in rate. Each side
was given one and one-half hours.
Kitchin made a fiery speech against an
amendment proposed by Moore making
the second-class rate a fiat cents a
pound throughout the country. Cheers
from the Democratic side interrupted
Kitchin frequently. Moore's amendment
was defeated by a vote of $50 to So
An amendment by Madden. of Illinois,
making the rate cent a pound on read
ing matter and cents a pound on ad-
vertising matter, was defeated by 146
to 81.
The zone system" was condemned by
Madden, Moore, and Graham, Of Penn
syivania- Madden claimed the system
would limit dissemination Of knowledge,
thus making for sectionalism instead OF
nationalism. Another opponent OF the
administration scheme was Republican
Floor Leader James r. Mann, who said:
Greatest Educator.
I'VE spend every year hundreds of mil
Hons for primary education and college
work. but the great educational force is
really the newspapers and magazines.
From these the great mass Of the people
get their education 1 am not sure but
the Advertisements are sometimes as
educating as the news articles.
NO one would suggest closing schools
and spending that money in war. Why
close the newspapers? The second-class
purposes and should continue. Besides,
the newspapers and magazines have
contributed more to the growth Of busi-
ness than any other influence"
Nicholas Longworth read a letter from
former Senator George T. Oliver, OF
Pennsylvania, saying: THE standpoint
taken by many publishers Is selfish and
they should be willing to bear their share
Of the tax burden"
Early In the night the House adopted
numerous amendments to the bill eN-
empttng various items from added taxa
tion- Before the debate had proceeded
far the name of William Jennings Bryan
was injected and stirred up vertiaole
hornets nest. The House was consider
ing an amendment offered by Represent
alive Fsss, OF Ohio, to exempt Chatauqua
tickets, which under the bill would be
taxed 10 per cent Advocates Of the
amendment urged the exemption on the
ground that this and other similar or
ganizstions were purely educational.
Slap at Bryan.
what education Is there in a yodel?"
shouted Representative Meeker. Of Mis-
souri,, who alluded to the Bryan's cross
country speaking tours and the large
remuneration he receives.
The House adopted the Fess amendment
by a large vote, but not before several
OF Bryan's champions on the floor had
rushed to his defense.
Representative Hill. of Con .ecticut,
succeeded in getting through an amend
ment which exempted from the roposed
bill the 10 per cent ad valoreLl tax a
number Of articles imported ito the
United States. The amendment adopted
exempted the following articles: Coal,
coke, personal effects of persons coming
into the United States, ingredients used
in the manufacture of fertilizers, bullion,
precious metals and books.