Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-08-22
WHAT THE PRINTER
IS UP AGAINST
Postoffice Department Rapid
ly Usurping Field Of
Envelope Printing

greSS mas taken official notice of the
movement to restrict government
competition with private enterprises in
the printing of return addresses on
stamped envelopes. The opening gun
In a nationwide campaign to obtain
fair play through legislation was fired
at Philadelphia when Chas. M. Mere
dith, of the Quakertown, Pa, Free
Press, a member of the executive COM
mittees of the National Editorial AS
ISOLATION, set forth the views of the
country publishers and printers.
The testimony of Mr.. Meredith,
which is copied from the Publishers
Auxiliary is as follows:
81 am here as representative of
the National Editorial association
representing $4,000 small daily and
weekly newspapers, and in accordance
with the instructions and authority of
that association.
I'VE desire to present testimony to
your committee regarding the unfair
competition of the Post Office Depart
emnt with the printers and publish
ers of this country in the marketing
of stamped envelopes.
II am small town printer endeav-
oring to properly and conscientiously
serve the community. 1t can readily
be understood that the newspaper
published by me is most necessary to
enlighten the people along political
and educational lines. However, it is
not always possible for a small town
publishers business to make a suffi-
cient profit ON the paper alone; we
must depend on our job printing
plants.
Gin the communities where we
small publishers are located, the local
postmaster and his assistants are at
all times striving to forward the sale
OF government printed stamped enve-
lopes, so that their office receipts
may be increased. 1t is quite natural
for them to do so, as their salaries are
based upon their returns to the Post
Office department.
"But how does this competition af-
feet me as publisher and printer
1t takes away a great deal of profit
able business l would otherwise re-
ceive; prevents the employment of
other members of the town to assist
in my work; and deprives ME of the
patronage of citizens in the county, to
which l am justly entitled. 1t also
prevents individual competition by
private printers, who would otherwise
bid against each other to furnish the
consumer with printed envelopes. This
competition would guarantee the pub
lie against exorbitant prices.
"There is no possibility of my being
able to compete with the post office
because of the small amount they
charge under the law, for the enve-
lopes and printing. In this connection
l certainly cannot understand how the
government can possibly sell 1000
Special request, envelopes for $1.82
Surely they must cost more than this
Of course, l am not at all acquainted
with the costs involved to the Post
Office department, but, nevertheless
it doesn't seem reasonable that gov
eminent can furnish these envelopes
at such low price. would most GER
tainly appreciate being informed as
to just how the department arrives at
this figure. Perhaps your commit
tee can obtain this data. The post
office keeps strangely silent when we
ask for this information.
"To point out to you the objections
Of other printers throughout the
country to this government cut-rate
charge, am quoting an excerpt from
an article by Charles w. Dale, editor
Of the st. Joseph, ILL.,, Record.
at would not be so bad if
ClcIc was IdlI CoiIiPcClCIOL-CIl
is, if the Post Office department
charged a decent price for doing
this work. But, you can buy one
thousand stamped envelopes from
the government for $21.S2. That
means that $40 of it goes for the
| stamps and $1.82 is left with
which to reimburse the govern
ment for the stock, the making
of the envelopes and the printing
of them. What printer can COM
! pete with such a price? In the
first place we cannot buy the
plain envelopes for that money
that is an envelope to compare