The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-07
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
INCREASE IN POSTAL RATES.
FREDERIC j. HASKIN, Director,
Washington, ID. C.

INCREASE IN POSTAL RATES.
Washington, D. c., July 4.-The
newspapers and periodicals of the
United States lost long drawn our
and important fight of many years
standing during the latter part of
! June, when the house committee on
postoffices and post roads tabled the
Longworth bill which would have
nullified the second class postal in
creases which went into effect on
July 1.
Albert S. Burleson. postmaster gen.
eral, turnout both Wilson administra-
lions fought long and ardently to put
this measure on the statute books.
i and won out with the help of the then
Democratic majorities in both houses
! of congress-.
The increase in second class postal
rates, which affects all newspapers
and periodicals, is the fourth of a sue
cessicn of annual increases. The first
occurred on July /, 1918.
Prior to that date, the postal rate
/ for second class matter was uniform
/ for newspapers and periodicals, no
matter what distance it was sent to
the subscriber. The recent post1nas-
ter general and those who sided with
him attacked this system as a sub
sidy" granted by the government, and
contended that in the transportation
of this second class mail the postof-
| flee department. actually lost a con-
| siderable sum of money.
The answer made to this argument
was that an increase of postal rates
on this kind of mail matter was put
! ting heavy tax on the dissemination
of information. The magazines of ma
| tioral circulation were particularly
bitter against the increases. A coming
| system went into effect at the time,
winch made 1t necessary to put much
more postage on a periodical sent. let
! US say, from a New York office of
publication to subscriber ON the Pa
ECific coast than on a similar periodi-
cal sent to a subscriber in Newa rlS,
N. J.
The Zoning System.
| The system now in effect provides
eight zones. The first zone includes
| territory for fifty miles in all direc-
tions. The second zone embraces an
additional hundred miles, the third
zone hundred and fifty miles more,
the fourth zone an additional three
| hundred miles. Zone five takes in ter
ritory four hundred miles beyond the
limits of zone four; zone six adds
another four hundred miles, as does
zone seven, and zone eight includes all
territory beyond the limits of the
seventh zone.
A difference was made between pure
reading matter and advertising matter,
but this is of little benefit, as prac-
tically every newspaper and periodical
| today is made up of a mixture of both.
When the first increase went into eff
| rect the rates per pound of mail be-
! came 1 u cents for the first and sec
ond zones, n cents for the third zone,
cents for the fourth zone, 2A for the
fifth zone, 2 II for the sixth zone, 3
cents for the seventh zone, and 81
cents for the eighth zone.
The following year these rates were
| increased again, VARYING from
cents a pound in the first and second
zones to H cents a pound in the
| eighth zone.
The increase on July 1, 1920, carried
these rates up to 1 u cents a pound
| in the first and second zone with pro
| portlonate increases all along the line
up to y cents a pound in the eighth
zone.
The rates which have Just gone into
effect are for each pound of second
class mail, as follows;
First and second zones, cents;
| third zone, cents; fourth zone 5
cents; fifth zone, 8 cents; sixth zone,
cents: seventh zone, cents; eighth
zone. - cents.
The newspapers and periodicals
nave been making a last ditch fight
to prevent the last increase going
into effect until the new postmaster
general had time to investigate, thru
a commission appointed for that pur-
| pose, the justice of the second class
rates, and whether it was necessary
to have them so high for the sake Of
postal revenue. Despite the fact
congress las been petitioned from all
over the country to this effect and
despite the strong recommendation of
the post office department, the Long,
| worth bill, which had this for its OBJ
Ject, has died in committee.
| The Subscriber VIII Pay.
Except for the most, prosperous
newspapers and periodicals, it is
| nightly probable that subscription
prices will have to be boosted to
cover this additional burden. 1t was
Just this point on which the main
fight against the increase has been
based from the first. The ultimate
be the mail subscriber to newspapers
and periodicals. 1t means making
education and the knowledge of cur
rent news the recipient of another
tax.
Mr. Longworth and officials of the
post office department are utterly at
a loss to understand the action of the
post offices and post roads commit
tee of the house. As the end sought
| by publishers of newspapers and
periodicals was merely a postpone
ment of putting the fourth increase
into effect so that an impartial in
vestigation into the necessity and
Justice of the increase might be made,
the committees action has caused no
little chagrin and disappointment
Not even the author of the bill to
postpone this last boost in mail rates
was able to find out exactly how the
committee voted on his bill. It is
Mr.. Longworth's understanding, how
ever, that a considerable majority Of
the committee voted to table his
measure. Under the existing rules of
the house, it is now impossible to get
the bill before the house for Its con-
sideration except by going to the
rules committee and. by overriding
the committee which killed the bill,
order it reported to the house.
Will Continue the Fight.
Even if this, course were pursued,
with SO many of the committee mem
bers actively opposing the measure, it
is extremely doubtful il favorable ac-
ton could be procured from the mem