Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-12
THE REAcTioNARY ZoNlNG
POLICY


POLICY
The abandonment of fiat rate post
age for publications. maintained long
and successfully on the principle of
disseminating information. is result
ing in the gradual abandonment of a
very vital feature of that dissemina-
zion. It is a reactionary policy. 1t
lends to GENERALIZATION Of publishing
concerns in one part Of the country
disseminating information through
publications of wide circulation.
When that is accomplished the added
revenue to the Government. for
which the zone rating ostensibly
was established. will be gone a
glimmering; the publishers having
located SO as to avoid paying 1t.
Again, what about the information
disseminated from only one part of
the country? Out in the tall-corn
country there has been wailing and
crashing of teeth because of the al
legged concentration of financial con-
troll in New York City. Did 1t ever
occur to the dwellers in the great
open spaces that 1t would be even
worse, assuming their apprehension
correct respecting finances. to have
the printed word that is mailed, into
homes all over the broad land con-
trolled in the environment of New
York City? Consider prohibition for
instance; would they want the ideas
and atmosphere prevailing in that
congested part of the country dis
seminated to the partial If not COM
plete exclusion of those representing
the prevailing thought of other To-
calities? In short do they wish to
have the great publishing concerns
centralized and the other parts of the
country to that extent provincializ-
ed?
And how better than New York as
a seat Of control of the widely cir
culated printed word. would be
Chicago or st. Louis? And why have
any such Capitalization?
While we would not provincialize
New England, the South. the South
West or the Pacific coast as the zon-
Ing arrangement tends to do, we
would encourage the growth of GER
tain features of the individuality of
each section, provided it might find
expression through the printed word,
that it might SO be permitted to dis
seminate its viewpoint to the maxi
ing of a truly national look, for
that is greatly needed.
We would not substitute for a ma
tlonal outlook that of a central part
of the country fixed by congressional
zoning regulations. devised and
dictated by bureaucracy.
We believe this coming arrange
ment for publications. to be re-
dictionary. subversive of policies
proven salutary and otherwise sue
cessful and is inherently mischievous
in other respects. Not only that, but
1t Is bad faith to enterprise that
established itself under laws then
existing, a policy demonstrated to be
wise, under which the American
people have been kept informed as
are no other people in the world.
But we are told the coming system
for parcel post is fair. Granted.
Then. they say to us. the advertising
part of a publication. the part sub
jected to zoning, is but a form of
merchandise. Denied.
The advertising in a publication is
not to be classed with the merchan-
disc suitable for coming in the mails.
On the contrary, it makes possible
the collection, the publishing and the
dissemination Of the valuable infor-
nation, which otherwise would not
be and could not be done in any
such comprehensive and satisfactory
manner were 1t not for that same
advertising, which might be likened
to the water that floats the product
to the consumer. the medium which
enables 1t to reach the reader.
1t Is said the small papers fear the
bigger publications; that they do not
want the metropolitan newspapers
put In competition with them by
means of any fiat rate. We think
they are unduly apprehensive. More
Is required by readers than the small
paper carries or can carry. 1t can
In other ways meet local demand
which the metropolitan paper can
not satisfy. II the metropolitan
paper be barred out by high zone
rates then some paper. not metro
politan but larger than the limited
community field OF the local paper
warrants. will become a formidable
competitor of the latter. Nothing
mas SO been gained by the small
paper through coming and perhaps
something is or will be lost. It's
pleas to congressman to insist upon
zoning should be withdrawn.
1t Is recognized there is need of
international postal rates. We send
a letter across the ocean as cheaplv
as we do across this land. This
should be. We will retrograde If
We ever go back to restrictions. We
cannot expect the Government TO
carry n letter y,ra6+obl,, G..