Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-05-02
Mr.. BurleSOn.


would go ahead and sign anyway.
Mr.. Burleson.
While we have not been impressed
with the ability or the efficiency of Mr.
Burleson as executive head Of the pos
tai system, we are not satisfied to join
in the campaign that is being waged
against him.
The postoffice department is not as
efficient under Mr.. Burleson as it has
been under his predecessors.
All the traditions of the postoffice
department heretofore have been In
the line of efficiency rather than in
revenue. No postmaster general before
Mr.. Burleson has ever sought to en-
phasize how cheap so much as how
certain and how quick.
If the postal system were matter
Of making money only, then it would
be much better to turn it over to pri-
vate control to be run as a business
rather than as a government function;
but we are not able to bring ourselves
to looking upon the postoffice depart
ment as a money-making enterprise.
Government administration of the
postal system is based squarely on the
idea Of the paramount importance of
quick, safe, accurate and efficient COM
munication between nationals and in
ternationals, and while there is very
little room for argument over the emi-
nent propriety of placing the cost upon
those who get the first and most direct
benefit, greater profit and advantage to
the government as a whole is to be
realized by undercharging rather than
overcharging.
At any rate, any surplus of postal
revenues should be devoted to i'm
provement of the system rather than
to paying government expenses OF any
kind, even war expenses.
All of the traditions of the postoff1ce
department from the foundation OF the
government down to Mr.. Burleson, has
been to reduce first-class letter post
age to the lowest possible cost, and Mr.
Burleson is the first postmaster gener-
al who has ever gone back to higher
rate after his predecessor had estao-
lished lower rate.
From the foundation of this govern
ment down to the year 1917 there has
been nothing under this government
that has been more sacred than the
freedom of the press, which means
nothing more or less than the right OF
free speech and free thought among
the people in the criticism OF every
public individual or institution having
to do with the ordering Of their lives
and businesses. The proposition Is
based upon the theory that the major
ity of the people have the right and
power to say and do whatever they
want to do from adopting Christianity
as the national religion, or espousinS
Bolshevism, committing suicide or i'm
peaching a president or postmaster
general. And Of course in this is en-
braced the idea that a majority Of the
people can and will put down any
press propaganda that does not accord
to the majority view, or at least pre-
vent the prevalence of such propa-
ganda.
Mr.. Burleson is accused Of having
used his power as postmaster general
to suppress various publications by
denying their rights to the mails, main
ly because his personal views or per-
sonal interests appeared to be brought
into question by such publications.
Not long ago Mr.. Burleson sought to
shut the mouth Of the Postal Tele-
graph company in its efforts to DEFEND
itself against the prosecution OF his
plans as it deemed inimical to its right
and interest; but it appears that very
likely on the advice of broader, abler
and wiser judgment Of others he has
withdrawn that order.
Tom Watson's anti-Roman Catholic
publications were barred from the
mails not long ago because of the Ro-
man Catholic influence over the gov
ernment at Washington.
Mr.. Burleson's plan of requiring big
weekly newspapers and magazines TO
go in box cars where formerly they
went out in passenger cars, has had
tremendously injurious effect on those
publications of the great inconveni-
ence of the public, and to the very Sc
rious hampering of the spread OF In
formation that is very necessary to the
general welfare.
Mr.. Burleson undertakes to defend
himself in his position on the question
of increased rates on newspaper ana
D. riodical postage on the ground that
heretofore the government, meaning
the people, have been giving the news
papers subsidy of s70,000,000 year
or thereabouts, which subsidy has been
going into the pockets of the publish
ers.
The statement may be true; but we
do not believe it can be demonstrated
by the facts. In the first place we are
doubtful as to whether the newspapers
are carried at a loss. If they are car
ried at loss, of course, somebody has
to pay; but the difference certainly
does not go into the pockets of the
newspapers, because from the begin
ming. everything they have ever gotten
in the way of reduced postage, has been
promptly passed on to the public.
AS we understand this whole matter
we think Mr.. Burleson is wrong, bad
wrong. It may be that the newspa-
pers are also wrong. About the best
we can hope for is right will finally as
sert itself, and that the safety, efh-
cheney and promptness Of the postof-
f,ce department will be restored.