The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-02-26

AASAI JAAOAS - OSAAA III AkS AOAAO |
that makes it cost them one cent
more to mail the reading matter in
the Post to a subscriber whether he
lives east or west of the Mississippi
whether he lives in Trenton, N. j.,
San Francisco. They know that
the second class rate on reading mat
ter is l 1-2 cents a pound regardless
of the zone in which the subscriber
lives. They know that the zone rates
do not in any way apply to the read
ing matter, but apply only to the adj
vertising which the Post carries.
The publishers of the Post know
the statements they have made are
misleading, and, whether deliberate
ly or not, it is a misstatement of fact
that may create in the minds of the
public a wrong impression as to the
operation of the zone law and SO
create a public demand for its repeal.
The readers of the Saturday Even
ing Post do not buy the publication
because of the advertising which it
contains, and the publishers of the
Post know this, and it is on the adj
vertising pages only that the zone
postage rates are paid. The advertis-
er wants his business announcement
to reach the public, and he uses the
columns of the Saturday Evening
Post for that purpose, and because
it is to his interest to do so.
When the publishers of the Post
force the readers to pay any Of the
extra postage collected because of the
carrying Of this advertising they are
passing along to the readers an ex.
ira expense which the advertisers
should pay, and which the govern
ment expects the advertiser to pay.
The issue Of the Post of February
IA contains 1876 pages including the
cover. OF these 1876 pages 118, or
60 per cent of the total, are adver-
Using. The postage charge on the
rs pages of reading matter is the
same on every copy Of the Post mail
ed to any point in the United States
and whether that point be as close
to Philadelphia Is Camden, N. j., or
as far away Is Nome, Alaska. 1t is
on the 118 pages of advertising that
the zone postage rate applies, and
the publishers of the Post are charg-
inf the advertisers for circulating
these pages not Of the theory that
the readers buy these pages or want
them, but on the correct theory that
the advertisers want the readers to
have them. That being the case, If
any one aside from the publishers
of the periodicals is to pay the ex-
ira postage charge on these pages
it should be the advertisers, who are
the ones that are benefited by the
Posts circulation. The publishers
of the Post propose to penalize the
readers of the periodical living west
of the Mississippi river for the bene-
fit of the big business corporations
that are their advertising customers.
The Saturday Evening Post is a
good periodical. 1t is undoubtedly
worth the $3.50 the subscribers west
of the Mississippi are asked to pay.
The increased cost of labor and ma
terials entitle it's publishers to a
larger subscription price than they
have been receiving, but to attempt
to ~differentiate between subscribers
in different sections of the country
and to attempt this on the ground
that the government is charging the
western subscribers a higher postage
rate on the reading matter they buy
is absolutely misleading and a reflec-
ton on the intelligence of the peo-
pie of the West.
1t ia hoped the people will show
a proper resentment Of this unfair
and uncalled for discrimination.