The Washington times., 1918-06-04

WHAT the POstofice may charge for carrying news
papers and other publications.
The owner of this Newspaper, who writes hi:,
part of any other PubEca6On and deals with
Poscfhce rates as sincerely and dnteTestedy Hs mr.
BuIeson MIR. Ktchn himself might do.
It is proposed to increase greatly the rate charged for
carving newspapers and doubling and trebng
the rate in accordance with the distance OF the reader
from the point of manufacture or publication ms causes
Is it desirable, Mr. President, Mr. BurlesOn, and
learned Congressman to make the bigness OF TINS country
q disadvantage to its inhabitants?
There are certain inevitable disadvantages about size
The mother living In the East cannot conveniently see
her son working in the West.
But Surely the Government of the United States need
add to the disadvantage by saying to the man who goes
away that he shall be penazed he wants TO see the news
paper with of his friends that published at home
The Government should work and unques1onany II
s9fs to TSEk IN @ sgo9 % way as e 4 az 8 RS
To put penalty upon the at distance discourage
interchange of thought unammeled constant circulation
the printed word is to isolate Americans one from another
is not working along the lines of closely united people,
unwise and absolutely contrary to the progressive develop
ment of closely united nation
The Government has constantly stven to reduce the
price of letter postage WHY? Because the people who are
themselves the Government have wished to dis
tance, to keep close together.
The monthly the weekly the daily newspaper tnst man
reads message from his fendsit is LETTER that he
wishes receive? Why not allow him to have at as reason
able cost possible? Why charge him extra price be-
cause he lives in far part Of very big country?
Is good thing to make the bigness of the country
a disadvantage to it's inhabitants?
Mr. President, Mr.. BurlesOn and Congressman, con-
slider the case of England and Of English neighbor
Canada.
The admirable loyalty of all the colonies in this war
shows how wise England has been in keeping distant parts
of the empire CLOSELY UNITED. You do not find the
English government penaizing Engfshman who does
his work at distance from London and wants the home
paper, weekly, daily or monthly.
Great Britain says to her sons in South Africa "You
are thousands Of miles away and shall charge more
fer postage on your London Times your Daily MAIL or
nm than
In Canada, because Of war, almost everything has in
creased in price But the government has not increased
the charge for carrying printed matter through the mails
In the United States the Government charges cent
pound for carrying newspapers magazines, and other Sec
ond class mail matter.
Congress complains that the charge is too small that
the Government is subsdizing newspapers.
It is folly to talk of subsidizing the newspaper. If
you do subsdize anybody you subsidze the the
woman subscribing for the newspaper the magazine
and anxious to receive it. at reasonable charge for carry
ing it
charge Of the Postoce will be adde do the of the
publication.
What does Canada do, raise the price for carrying
printed matter magazines and newspapers three four
i've and cents pound it proposed to do in the
United States? No. You can mail magazine or a news
paper in Canada TO ANY PART OF THE BRITISH
EMPIRE and the charge is quarter ofa cent pound
British subject In Montreal can publish magazine and
n to another British subject in South Africa and the
wise British government which understands the Importance
of keeping its people closely united and interested in each
other win carry that magazine from Montreal or from British
Columbia from that part of Great Britain the
North Pole al the way to the Cape Of Good Hope in Africa
The Government charges for second class matter within
e United States four times much the government
Great Britain charges to carry the same matter from Canada
Isn't the American price high enOugh9
Would il not be wise to keep the people Of the United
States closely united through cheap letter postage through
cheap Newspaper and magazine postage2
Admit that the nsWspspers. editors especially, have
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